Phoenix mobile home community residents being told to leave the property

PHOENIX - Residents of a mobile home community in Phoenix are being told to leave, and they say the deadline to figure out what's next is just too soon.

Families are still shocked by a letter sent to them. The letter is a Notice of Termination of Tenancy, due to a change in land use. Residents have 180 days to move out, and eviction follows if they fail to leave by April 1, 2023.

Documents say the owner of the land in question is Casa Oaks Weldon, LLC, and the property is managed by Mar Companies. We searched Casa Oaks Weldon, LLC in the Arizona Corporation Commission database, and learned the manager of the entity is Steve Feder, with an address in Beverly Hills, Calif. The address ties back to Triumph Properties in Los Angeles, which is a real estate development company that is already invested in multiple properties in the Phoenix area.

On Sept. 22, tenants of Weldon Court, which is located near 12th Street and Indian School rallied at Phoenix City Hall over what happened.

"We have nowhere to live! We're losing our homes! Help us!" said one of the protesters, as they call on city leaders to step in and help. "All you politicians that talk about combating homelessness, we're gonna be homeless. Help us!"

"We have no representative. It's just us. We don't know what else to do," said Patricia Dominguez, the daughter of one of the residents.

Dominguez said there is also a language barrier, as it is a mainly Latino community with many non-English speakers.

"They brought documentation, and not in Spanish, so nobody could understand," said Dominguez.

Dominguez's mother, Carmen, said she can't afford to move.

We reached out to the Arizona Department of Housing, where a spokesperson pointed us to an Arizona law that was promulgated in 2017. According to that law, property owners must give mobile home tenants 180 days of notice if they plan to close the property. If the mobile home can relocate, the state can pay up to $7,500 for a single-wide, or up to $12,500 for a double-wide to be moved

If the home can’t be relocated, however, a tenant could get nearly $2,000 to abandon it.

Many mobile homes older than 1976 can't be moved, and need rehab costs to do so. The state offers $1,500 to help.

"Sad," said Maryanne Huddleston, a resident at Weldon Court. "Very sad, 'cause I'm losing my home, for one thing."

Huddleston grew up in Weldon Court,  and her daughter, Lawren Gillespie, lives next door. They say they can't afford rising rents in the Phoenix area.

"I'm gonna have to get a loan," said Gillespie. "Like, there's no other option."

Gillespie says the relocation money isn't enough, and there's no promise another mobile home park will allow old trailers.

"At the end of the day, this is our home, and until you have your home taken from you, you won't understand what these people are going through," said Gillespie.

We have reached out to Triumph Properties for comment, but company officials have yet to respond.