PHOENIX — The Phoenix City Council voted to create an emergency fund for the residents of three mobile home parks facing displacement, but opted not to vote on a temporary moratorium and zoning overlay that residents were pleading for.
"They're a bunch of jerks," said Gerald Suter, a resident of the Periwinkle mobile home park. “The only way they’re going to get me out of there is either in a body bag or in handcuffs. I’m not walking out of my house.”
On Wednesday, more than a hundred people signed up to speak before the city council. The majority of them were residents of the three mobile home parks closing in a matter of weeks to be redeveloped.
Due to the redevelopment, more than three hundred mobile home residents are facing imminent displacement.
“I feel really scared because I’m 16 years old wondering where I’m going to sleep at night," said one resident while fighting back tears.
Periwinkle mobile home park at 27th Avenue and Colter, Weldon Court at 16th Street and Osborn, and Las Casitas mobile home park at 19th Avenue and Buckeye are all closing down.
Residents, who primarily own their trailers, are facing a number of obstacles. Some are unable to find space to move their trailers to. More likely, however, moving their trailer is not an option because they are too old.
Others are struggling to find available affordable housing.
Residents of all three parks have to be out by the end of May with some facing a deadline as early as April 1.
According to property records, Las Casitas is owned by Kerru LLC based out of Colorado. Weldon Court is owned by Casa Oaks Weldon LLC based out of Los Angeles. Neither companies have responded to 12News' requests for comment.
GCU owns Periwinkle, which is going to be redeveloped into a campus expansion. A spokesperson has said the university has declined to raise rent for several years and provided more than half a million dollars in financial assistance to residents.
“Can you show me where you’ve given us that? Because it’s not in our property, in our pockets anywhere," questioned a Periwinkle resident during Wednesday's meeting.
“This trailer for us is our only home," said a young girl who addressed the city council.
Residents and advocates for them have been imploring the Phoenix City Council to step in and halt development. They've been asking for an 18-month moratorium at the three parks and for a zoning overlay, which would restrict future development.
“Mobile homes were built to be mobile home parks for people with low incomes," Suter said.
Opponents of the measures before the city council say the recommendations, primarily the proposed zoning overlay, would violate private property rights and are not legal.
“The city would negatively impact individual private property rights," said a representative from the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
During discussion following public comment, the mayor noted her legal concerns.
“Those of us who make laws should follow them even when we think they were incorrectly made," said Mayor Kate Gallego.
The city council voted five to four on a substitute motion to create a $2.5 million emergency fund for the residents of the three parks. They opted not to vote on the zoning change or moratorium.
The four "no" votes were from councilmembers who said the fund was not enough.
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