INDIANAPOLIS — Dozens of families in Speedway now have more time to vacatea mobile home community, after originally only being given just over 30 days to get out and find another place to live.
After weeks of reporting about these residents’ struggles, WRTV uncovered this was against Indiana code. That’s when state leaders stepped in.
“I just saw the sincerity of their shock and their pain," said State Rep. Renee Pack after seeing our original story. “It just hit a chord with me and I knew I had to go and see them. I wasn’t sure what I could do, but I knew I couldn’t just do nothing.”
Residents of the El Lou Mobile Home Park on Georgetown Road were handed a letter of notice to vacate by the end of November because the owners were selling the property. That was despite a law put into place this July, requiring mobile home park owners to give residents 180 days notice to vacate.
“If they didn’t know, for future reference, they do now,” said Rep. Pack. “That’s the main reason I think that law was made was because it’s happened before in other mobile home parks in Marion County. "These folks were just told to leave in 20 or 30 days and they have nowhere to go.”
The residents we’ve spoken with over the past month are relieved that after Rep. Pack met with the Attorney General’s office and advocated for them, they will now receive the full six months to relocate.
“[We] lost a lot of nights of sleep over it and worrying about what’s going to go on, what we’re going to do,” said George Coffman. “Basically where are we going to move to in such a hurry? So getting the 180 days, it takes a little bit of relief on it.”
George Coffman and his wife, who works for the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, would like to stay in their home they’ve remodeled to go with their neighboring Indianapolis Motor Speedway across the street.
“Money, effort, time, and a lot of fun,” said Coffman. “It’s enjoyable to remodel something and then see what it looks like when you’re finished.”
But they’re thankful they at least get to stay through the holidays.
“Basically, it boils down to a community effort,” Coffman said. “It is not just this community, [it's] the whole community of Marion County. Different people picking up on the story and seeing what they can do and how they can help us.”
The residents will now have until April 18, 2022 to relocate from the mobile home park.
If you ever find yourself in this position, Rep. Pack recommends reaching out and filing a complaint with the Attorney General’s office. They know what your rights are and if it falls in line with Indiana code.
