Residents at North Lamar mobile home park voice concerns
AUSTIN, Texas (FOX 7 Austin) - The resident's association at a North Lamar mobile home park say they're extremely frustrated after voicing multiple concerns to their landlords.
After numerous calls, messages and meetings for years, they're begging for something to be done as soon as possible.
Roberto Sanchez says he feels like he sounds like a broken record. He's been living at North Lamar Mobile Home Park off Research Boulevard for 17 years. His buddy Julio Moralez has been living there for ten. Sanchez says this is the second time in four years they've tried to conduct a big meeting to hold the landlords there accountable, and they've reported numerous issues.
Most recently he says management tried to install a new fence which caused gas and water lines to be punctured on the property.
“They put a PVC cap on our gas lines without warning, don't return our phone calls & they don't care about us,” Sanchez says.
He says the gas company has been out to assess damages and advised residents that the problem will likely take weeks to fix. That's what this letter says that was posted on Tuesday. Sanchez says he doesn't have much faith even that will even be handled.
“What are they saying when you're asking for these requests are they getting back to you? They ignore us don't care about us. They have a sign with contact information, but they never answer,” Sanchez adds.
YourPark, a company based in Salt Lake City, says online they manage North Lamar Mobile Home Park. They said they sold their stake in the company a year ago and they don't have information about the new owner because it's under a broker. They heard from the broker that the park would be sold to a developer because the city quadrupled the taxes in the area.
Gabby Garcia with BASTA, a renter’s advocacy group, says the landlords also built a dumpster enclosure that obstructs traffic including garbage collectors. Visibly overflowing, Sanchez says they haven't been emptied in over a week.
“Just two containers for 69 families,” Sanchez said.
Sanchez and Moralez say bus pick-up is made difficult on the narrow street.
“It's bad, the kids are playing around the property,” Sanchez adds.
Garcia says until the landlord addresses these problems, families aren't able to cook on their gas ranges and don't have access to hot water.
“We are asking for basic services. We don't want a pool or volleyball. We want respect on basic services. That's all we are asking,” Sanchez said.