Residents of Cara Blanca Park, Lake Diversion are trying to figure out their next move after receiving a notice that their lease lots would not be renewed.
“We’re about to lose our home,” George Rico said.
The notice states that each tenant’s current lot lease term ends at 11:59 p.m. on January 31st, 2017.
“We already started putting so many memories into this home,” Sylvia Rico said.
She and her husband spent their retirement fixing up this home on the lake. They moved in towards the end of May.
“My neighbor next door just spent probably $2,500 these last two weeks putting a new porch and patio out there. That’s just money that’s going down the drain,” George said.
The notice states that each tenant will need to remove all of their property from the lot or lots by the termination dates. Many of these homes have been in people’s families for generations.
“I raised my kids out here and it’s just kind of a family thing,” Carl Rickard said.
Many feel blindsided by the notice.
“I’m almost speechless. This has come as such a shock. I’m going to be 70 in January and I can’t physically make this move by myself. I have nowhere to go and no money to do it with,” veteran Paul Appel said.
Some homes along this lake are for people’s weekend getaways, but for many these houses are their homesteads. Those residents live on fixed income and cannot work or afford a mortgage.
“These people don’t make that kind of money,” Rickard said.
For many this notice means they have to start over.
“We don’t have 20 or 30 or $50,000 to go give down and buy a new home and start all over again,” Sylvia Rico said.
During a meeting, Saturday night residents came together to see if there was an action plan that can be put into place. While many do not know what to do right now, they said they will put up a fight together. Sherrill and Gibson Attorney at Law who sent these notices to residents could not be reached Sunday for comment.
– Newschannel 6
