Residents of Omaha mobile home park pull repair efforts to avoid eviction

Residents of Omaha mobile home park pull repair efforts to avoid eviction

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – The time is up for dozens of residents ordered to make repairs or face possible eviction from a Northwest Omaha mobile home community.

Six on Your Side first reported on the notices that shocked many people living at Maplewood Estates. But tonight, a former worker there has come back to help residents she knew couldn’t do it alone.

A repair notice from the mobile home park management meant 75-year-old Bob Weeks couldn’t slide by without new siding. So, Marlene Crouch led a remodeling effort.

Jim Weeks said, “I was so happy I could cry.”

Siding, skirting, and windows replaced by volunteers from St. Michael Lutheran church.

“I didn’t think I could get it done without help,” said Weeks.

Answering Marlene’s call for help St. Michael’s pastor obtained a $10,000 grant from the Emmanuel Vision Foundation to buy materials for repairs on four mobile homes.

Marlene Crouch said, “Critters can get in there and eat his wires.”

Current damage to siding and skirting must be repaired, and the resident’s caretaker says that demand from the mobile home park management worried her client.

Sierra Snoddy, Resident Caretaker said, “He’s definitely worried about getting it done every time he gets a notice it like how I am supposed to do this, where am I going to get the money to do this.”

Marlene said, “And that’s the horrible part about all this is he’s bedridden.”

Donating a thousand dollars herself Marlene says her work isn’t done.

Marlene said, “Because I know how hard these people work and they have pride and lived here a long time. A lot of them are on Social Security, a lot of them are single mothers.”

Marlene says she used to work in the office at Maplewood Estates. But now instead of lot rent, she’s collecting donations to help residents who can’t afford repairs the landlord demands.

The lawyer for the mobile home park Jim McVay says that management is giving people a break and he’s not been told to file any evictions for lack of repairs. He says a number of tenants have stepped up and taken care of issues.  Anyone wanting to help the volunteer effort can contact St. Michael Lutheran church at 132nd and Blondo.

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Published at Fri, 18 Dec 2020 23:33:32 +0000