Sun-Sentinel 05/05/20006

We would like to thank Lisa J. Huriash for this breaking story regarding the Sunshine City Mobile Home Park closing.

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Losing their homes
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By Lisa J. Huriash

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

May 5, 2006

PLANTATION * Lucia Almonte is worried what will happen next.

Too upset to concentrate, the 36-year-old mother of five stayed home from her $33,000-a-year job Thursday to cry and worry about the future.

Her neighbors in Sunshine City, a 40-acre mobile home community within walking distance of some of western Plantation's most luxurious housing, were told by park management Wednesday they have six months to move out.

The land Almonte is renting will be sold. That means she has to leave her four-bedroom, 1,547-square-foot trailer. There are 250 mobile homes in the park and, while some residents own their trailers, many parks do not accept older-model homes and the expense of moving them can be prohibitive.

"I feel like I'm being legally robbed," Almonte said. "Am I supposed to sleep in the car with my kids?"

The mobile home park owners, Affordable Residential Communities, said Hurricane Wilma left the park heavily damaged. They said the cost of repairs, estimated in the millions, would need to be passed on to residents.

Scott Gesell, attorney and spokesman for the owners, said the company, which has owned this park since 2000, doesn't yet have a buyer. He said the park is offering relocation packages averaging $4,000.

Dan Keefe, assistant to the mayor, said company representative Brian Kessinger will have a "pre-development" meeting with City Hall staff today to determine what may be built on the land. Dozens of residents came to Wednesday's City Council meeting to petition for help, but didn't speak because the meeting was not open for public input. Keefe said there isn't much the city can do since it's private land.

Almonte pays $481 monthly rent and utility fees sometimes hike the price to $580. "I have problems with my credit, so it's not like I can just go move into a house," she said. "After health insurance, car insurance, food, that's all we have."

Daisy and Joseph Irizarri paid their $25,000 mortgage down to $18,000. Still, they rent the land at $543 a month. They are desperately worried where they will go. The couple has four adopted and foster children. They have lived in the park for 10 years, and spent $7,000 on repairs after Wilma.

"I have no idea what the future holds for us," said Joseph Irizarri. "I get angry, but anger isn't going to solve anything."

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