LOUISVILLE, KY (WDRB) — The residents of Woodland Estates off Minor Lane in south Louisville find themselves caught in a challenging situation, as their mobile home community faces impending changes due to a proposed rezoning.
The neighborhood, located across from a massive warehouse and directly beneath a busy airport flight path, is home to families who are grappling with the prospect of being forced to move.
Yoselyn Abrego and her aunt are among those affected. After inheriting a mobile home, they were told they must relocate it once the title and paperwork are finalized. However, the age of their home poses an additional hurdle.
“We don’t know if she is able to move it because of how old it is,” Abrego said.
Residents have been offered financial assistance to facilitate their move: $6,000 for those who own their mobile homes and $2,400 for renters. However, there’s a catch — the moving expenses hinge on Louisville Metro Council’s approval of a zoning change. Without that approval, the funds vanish.
“This is wrong,” one resident exclaimed. “They said if we don’t take the $6,000, we don’t get a dime.”
The property is within Metro Council member Dan Seum’s district. He expressed frustration over the financial offers, stating that $6,000 falls far short of the $12,000 it can cost to move a mobile home, excluding the expenses of reestablishing utilities.
“For renters, they’re offering $2,400, which they claim covers two months of rent for a three-bedroom apartment,” Seum said. “That’s a bunch of malarkey.”
Scott Higgs, who rents a mobile home with his fiancée and two children, is also struggling to find a new place to live. As an electrician apprentice, he said the jump in rent is daunting.
“We were told we had to move because they’re building a warehouse,” Higgs said. “It’s a big jump, especially in this economy.”
Metro Council ultimately decided to table the rezoning decision during Thursday night's meeting until their first meeting in January, leaving residents in limbo. If the rezoning is not approved, the moving assistance will be rescinded, further complicating the futures of Woodland Estates families.
For now, residents are left hoping for clarity and support as they navigate the challenges ahead.
