Sweetwater Mobile Park Residents Join Class Action Lawsuit to Protect Homes

Almost 200 residents of Li’l Abner Mobile Home Park in Sweetwater have come together to file a class-action lawsuit as they fight against being forced out of their homes.

The lawsuit was filed against the city of Sweetwater and Miami-Dade County on behalf of some of the residents.

Back in November, 900 mobile homeowners received notice that the park would be closing for good on May 19. A development company managing the property’s transition plans to convert it into affordable, government-subsidized housing.

Miguel Gonzalez, a resident, shared his frustrations, saying, “We’re in the middle of a transition with my family. There are six of us, and we came here from New York. We spent our savings to start a new life in Florida. It’s very cold up in New York.”

Gonzalez and his family moved to Li’l Abner Mobile Home Park at the end of October, only to receive a notice to vacate just a week later.

While acknowledging that the property is not theirs, he expressed his disappointment in the short notice, saying, “We would love to continue staying here for the next 20 or 30 years. I’m not sure if that’s possible, but it would be ideal for everyone.”

Currently, 190 mobile homeowners have joined the class-action lawsuit seeking a declaration from the court that the evictions were improper. The lawsuit alleges that the landlord did not follow the law by failing to give proper notice to the homeowners association and the right of first refusal. It also claims that rent was increased within 90 days of issuing the eviction notice, which violates Florida law.

Furthermore, the city and county are accused of not following the correct procedures by not ensuring there were suitable relocation options for the residents.

Despite these challenges, the relocation process is ongoing, with 117 tenants having already moved and a couple of hundred more expressing their intent to relocate. Financial incentives are being offered to tenants who decide to leave, the amount varying based on the speed of relocation.

The managing company of the relocation transition assured that all decisions concerning the property were made in compliance with local regulations and requirements.

NBC6 has reached out to the city of Sweetwater and the county for comment, and we are awaiting their response.