Saturday, July 29, 2017

Landlord's Water Shutoff, Court's Shutdown Order Leave Dozens Of Mobile Home Park Residents Facing The Boot

In Windsor, New York, the Press & Sun-Bulletin reports:
  • A landlord cut off water from anywhere between 50 and 70 residents in a Windsor trailer park on Saturday, the county said Wednesday.

    The residents at Tuscarora Mobile Home Park are now relying on drinking water provided by the county, but have had to go to the houses of friends of relatives to shower or bathe, said Chris Coddington, director of environmental health at the Broome County Department of Health.

    The county is looking to take legal action against the owner, John Zhang, who, before cutting off water, told trailer park residents he was evicting them. It's unclear whether those evictions were legal, Coddington said.

    Broome is also trying to shut down the park, and will take legal action against residents if they decide to stay, said Broome County Attorney Robert Behnke.

    According to court records, Broome County Judge Jeffrey Tait ordered Zhang in May to shut down the park "as immediately as practicable."

    On Wednesday, Tait issued an order requiring the county to serve papers to Zhang, and setting a court hearing for Aug. 23.