A mass eviction at a mobile home park in Lafayette has left tenants scrambling to find a new place to call home.
Wednesday morning about 90 tenants and their families at Queens Row Mobile Home Park near East Verot School Road were told they have until March or less than that to get out.
“The letter says as a result of selling the property we are all terminated,” tenant Christine Reynaud said.
Neighbors like Reynaud says they’re struggling with what exactly to do next.
“Where I’m going to end up at,” she questioned. “Will I have to sell my trailer or be homeless? I was homeless before I don’t want that happening again.”
Some tenants were given a few months to move, while others were given a few weeks. Reynaud explained how she was given two weeks to leave since she has a travel trailer.
Reynaud says most of her neighbors are disabled, older or dealing with a tough financial situation.
One of the reasons behind the evictions is because of the location.
“It’s now sandwiched between active pipe fabrication yards,” Amy Jones with Mosing Queens Row Properties said. She explained how the property surrounding the park was once used for storage. However, in recent years the industrial activity there has grown.
“As those properties been bought the buildings have opened up. The fences are down. There’s a lot more heavy truck action happening on the road, ” Jones said.
Jones says property owners saw the possibility of the closure happening several months ago and stopped accepting new residents then. Along with safety, Jones says drainage is another issue.
“It’s not issues that can be addressed while it’s inhabited by residents,” Jones said.
Property owners have given a list of accommodations for residents and also will give money for rental property back to tenants if they move sooner than the end date.
However, neighbors like Reynaud say finding a new place won’t be easy. “These trailers are too old to move. Some trailer parks won’t accept them. It’s just going to be very hard, but God’s going to see me through. He’s going to see us all through . In Jesus name.”
