Louisville Metro Council members approved the rezoning of a mobile home park in the South End on Thursday after tabling the case in order to find additional assistance for residents who will soon be displaced.
Residents of the Woodland Estates Mobile Home Community learned about the park’s rezoning last year after the park owner reached an agreement with Core5 Industrial Properties, which filed plans to build 1.2 million square feet of warehouses on the property. The rezoning case went to a vote during the council’s Dec. 12 meeting but was tabled after some members voiced concerns over the residents’ abilities to handle the financial burden of moving.
Since learning of the rezoning, residents have fought the inevitable closing of the park, scared to lose their homes and community. Some trailers are too old to move, some are missing their titles and some could cost thousands of dollars to relocate.
But council members say the rezoning, which requires the owner and developer to partially reimburse moving costs, is the best-case scenario for residents.
Under a binding element, the owner must hire a housing counselor to help reimburse expenses up to $6,000 for mobile home owners and up to $2,400 for those who rent park-owned homes.
Yohana Cabeza and Danielle Courtroul talk about moving their mobile homes out of Woodland Estates Mobile Home Park. The park residents met ahead of the park’s rezoning for warehouses, which will displace 56 families/residents. Residents believe they will end up homeless for the winter when the park closes/gets rezoned. The area is getting rezoned for warehouses and residents are getting some funds but not enough to fully fund their moves. December 6, 2024
Councilman Dan Seum Jr., who represents the district where the park is located, said had Metro Council denied the rezoning, the park would close and leave residents with no financial help.
“I’ve fought for them, and we’ve got the best that we can get,” Seum said.
Following the December meeting, Seum worked with Core5 to provide an additional $56,000 for residents in a discretionary fund to reimburse for expenses like food or temporary housing while residents are moving. Seum said he commends Core5 for working with Metro Council and providing the extra funds, hoping the developer will continue to work with residents and provide them time to move out.
“[Core5] did some pretty good things to help,” Seum said. “And I’m hoping they’ll do some more because we can’t put these people on the streets in the winter.”
Jorge Ortiz leads a prayer circle in the home of Yohana Cabeza about having to move their home out of Woodland Estates Mobile Home Park. The park residents met ahead of the park’s rezoning for warehouses, which will displace 56 families/residents. Residents believe they will end up homeless for the winter when the park closes/gets rezoned. The area is getting rezoned for warehouses and residents are getting some funds but not enough to fully fund their moves. December 6, 2024
Many residents of the park are now asking for transparency on how and when funds will be distributed. They understand they have to leave, but many of the logistical questions of how, when and where are still unknown, park resident Yohana Cabeza said.
“We don’t want to stay — we want to leave in an organized way,” Cabeza said in Spanish, translated by her 15-year-old daughter Zayoha. “We don’t want families to end up living under a bridge.”
Seum said he has been in contact with local organizations including Shirley’s Way, the Americana Center and Catholic Charities to ensure all residents find another mobile home park or stable housing.
“Right now we’re worried about where are we going to help you move to?” Seum said to the dozen residents who attended the Thursday meeting. “How are we going to help you move? Because, regardless, you have to move.”
Reach reporter Keely Doll at kdoll@courierjournal.com.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville residents to be displaced with trailer park rezoning
