BRADENTON, Fla. — People living at W.T. Mobile Home Park in Bradenton are being forced from their homes so the property can be turned into a storage facility.
"It's scary. I mean it’s one thing when you move on your own. It’s another thing when you’re told you got to go," said Shelley Marks, who rents a home on the property.
At the end of August, residents say they received notice they had 30 days to be out of their homes. Though the 30 days notice is part of their rental lease agreement, many say it’s not enough time to save up money to move. This week a dozen people still left at the mobile home park received eviction notices.
"In five days they can have law enforcement come and physically remove us from our homes," said Marks.
Records say the property was sold for nearly $2 million to a company that’s going to build storage units.
The run-down park is home to mostly low-income seniors - many with disabilities - who can’t afford high rents or deposits.
"They consider us white trash because we don’t have nice cars and we don’t live in fancy houses, but that’s not the case," said Marks.
MANATEE NEWS | The latest headlines from Manatee County
Marks says she has been living without electricity to save up money to get back to Indiana.
"But I can’t afford to do it right now. So I’ve been doing all the side jobs that I can, to get together the finances so I can move," said Marks.
Residents are told they need to be off of the property by Monday morning. But many say they still have nowhere to go.
"I’m going to have to live in a tent for a while," said John Landers who still hasn't found a place to live.
