Residents who own their homes but rent the land beneath them face evictions as investors convert parks to high-profit developments, leaving elderly and low-income families with nowhere to go
By Senior Staff Writer, Edmond Thorne for OmniCom MultiMediaFlorida News Network: Ocala—The day Bart Hudson received the notice, he stood in his carport and cried. After 14 years in Ocala, the 72-year-old widow had 90 days to move his double-wide trailer and find somewhere else to live. The problem? Moving a mobile home costs between $5,000 and $15,000, and most parks no longer accept older units like Hudsons.
“I paid off this home,” Hudson said, his voice breaking. “I thought I was set for retirement. Now I don’t know where I’m going to end up. B.H.
“Hudson is far from alone. Across Florida, mobile home parks are vanishing at an alarming rate as property owners sell to developers who see more money in luxury apartments, storage facilities, or mixed-use projects. The Florida Housing Coalition estimates that the state has lost approximately 60,000 mobile home lots over the past decade, with closures accelerating in the last three years.…