Displaced residents were evicted from mobile home park before Christmas

VISTA, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) – As of Saturday evening, the eviction deadline was just hours away for dozens of families living in a mobile home park in Vista, and residents were scrambling to find new housing.

After 9 years in this close-knit community, resident LaRen Reed and her family are preparing to say goodbye. “My heart is broken right now,” Reed said.

They are one of nearly three dozen families living in a mobile home park in Green Oak Ranch who received eviction notices earlier this month. The tenants have to move out by December 1st, but Reed and her family are staying put — for now.

“We’re still looking, we’re looking every day,” she told FOX 5/KUSI. “We have a tiny house that we purchased on a property here and we need a place that has full hookups that can accommodate 40 feet and in a safe place for our children.”

Reed also explained that they are part of a civil lawsuit against the property owner. The site is managed by Green Oak Ranch Ministries, which also offers substance abuse recovery programs on-site.

However, starting in January, the nonprofit organization Solutions for Change will take over the lease.

“I still can’t imagine a homeless organization that prides itself on helping homeless families and yet leaves 70 people homeless right before Christmas,” Reed said.

She said the San Diego Rescue Mission is offering moving assistance, but moving her tiny home will cost $10,000.

In recent weeks, the city has tried to provide residents with resources.

“We helped some families move their vehicles. We bought tires for some families. We are providing relocation assistance funds and resources,” said Vista Mayor John Franklin. “And we now have all but two of 25 families – an identified solution.”

The mayor continued, saying it was an unfortunate situation that was beyond the city’s control. “The new tenant of the property knew that there were some legal deficiencies that needed to be addressed when new building permits were obtained,” he explained.

Franklin also said the city does not have details from Solutions for Change about the exact plans for the property.

In an earlier statement, a representative said the nonprofit was interested in operating an RV park on the site in the future, but “cannot and will not provide services outside of the law or at the expense of our core programs.”

Meanwhile, Reed and her family hope to stay close to their loved ones. “The option of moving to New Mexico or Pennsylvania just doesn’t suit me,” she explained.

FOX 5/KUSI reached out to Green Oak Ranch Ministries and the nonprofit Solutions for Change and did not receive a response at the time of publication.