Mobile home park to be condemned

Mobile home park to be condemned
Residents will have a day to find new homes, a Largo official says.
By Lorri Helfand, Times staff writer
In print: Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Bathing in a vacant trailer down the street.

Boiling bottled water to wash dishes.

Collecting rainwater to flush toilets.

That's how 34 residents at a Largo mobile home park have been coping since the water in their park was shut off a week ago.

Now, they'll have to find new homes because the owner of No Go Largo Village mobile home park has not paid the water bill since late July.

"I'm trying not to cry," said resident Rebecca Rader, 49, who said she paid $600 in rent two weeks ago. "I'm trying not to be emotional."

This morning, the city plans to condemn her home and all remaining units at the park because the lack of running water is a violation of Largo standard housing codes, said Carol Stricklin, community development director. The condemnations follow 13 others after a spate of violations two years ago.

Largo is scrambling to find temporary housing for the 18 adults and 16 children who live in eight of about 60 units at the park at 1760 Clearwater-Largo Road.

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