DADE CITY, Fla. — Rich Overland’s mobile home turned into a muddy mess in June when he was out of state.
"The first time, I was in Michigan because I’m a snowbird," Overland told ABC Action News. "They sent me pictures. A foot of sand all the way around this house. A foot.”
Those living at Keenes Adult Mobile Home Park in Dade City said they never had problems like this until construction started on a new housing development next door at a higher elevation. Residents said rainwater now comes down the hill and floods their community.
It’s a neighborhood filled with the elderly and people with health issues, including Billy Pfaff’s mother.
“Now we have a nightmare. My mother is having a hard time sleeping a night. When the rain comes and there’s a weather forecast with rain, everyone is nervous; and we should not live in fear," said Pfaff.
Billy was so worried about the weather Tuesday morning that he ran up there and asked a construction worker to put up some sort of temporary dirt wall to keep water from coming into the neighborhood.
“I told them you want to save my mother’s community? Get in the front-end loader and block that road now like you’ve had it blocked for the past year,” Pfaff said.
The builders are in the process of paving the road which included adding a curb. But people in the park said that only sends the water further down into the neighborhood.
Tuesday morning another snowbird, Tom Derrico, had to evacuate his mother, not knowing how bad the rain would be.
“It’s just important that she be safe,” he said.
Dade City officials told ABC ACtion News this summer they’d be monitoring the area, especially when it rains, and will intervene again if needed.
We’ve reached out to the city and Pasco County public works to see what can be done to help those living here, but have yet to hear back.
