SWEETWATER, Fla. – A little more than a month after receiving letters ordering them to move out, sparking protests, residents of the sprawling Li’l Abner Mobile Home Park in Sweetwater are taking their fight against what they call “illegal and unconscionable acts” to court.
They’re filing a lawsuit against not only the park’s owners, who plan to redevelop the property, but the city of Sweetwater and Miami-Dade County for paving the way for it to happen.
The park was filled Monday with signs of sad resignation: people selling off belongings, vehicles and even trying to sell the mobile homes themselves while they try to stop what may be inevitable.
According to the real estate website MHVillage, Li’l Abner was built in 1968 and contains more than 900 lots. It’s located between Flagler and Northwest Seventh streets.
About 5,000 people live there — about a quarter of Sweetwater’s population.
The sudden arrival of mass eviction notices last month, with a May deadline and an offer of more money to clear out sooner, sparked angry protests from residents with few affordable options.
These protests were directed at the developers and at their government leaders.
The lawsuit alleges they all knew what was coming, despite developers’ denials and continued rent collection, as well as city and county zoning changes for what the developer had planned.
It alleges several instances where the plaintiffs claim laws weren’t followed.
Residents are scheduled to protest and hold a news conference Monday evening.
Read the lawsuit: