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Judge blocks evictions at I-70 Mobile Home Park

Judge stops mobile home park owner from forcing out tenants in Indianapolis

Jenny Dreasler | News 8 at 11 p.m.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A judge has issued an emergency restraining order against the owner of a mobile home park who was attempting to force residents to move out by next week.

Now, even with a court order, the future of the park is still up in the air. People living at the I-70 Mobile Home Park said they are fed up trying to figure out if they can stay or must go. Answers might come during the next court hearing Oct. 18.

“You guys have done us like dogs. They treated us like dogs,” said resident Keith Haxon.

Angry and in limbo, people living at the park on Indy’s west side are unsure of what their future holds.

“They’re scared, they are. They are scared. They are terrified. They don’t know where they’re going to go,” said resident Lianna Martinez.

Back in August, residents were blindsided when they were told they had 60 days to pack up and leave their homes. The owners, Blue Lake Inc., said they could not afford to pay $100,000 for a new sewer system for the park. The original deadline for people to vacate was Oct. 15.

“It’s just not OK. It’s driving people into a depression. We’re in a shock,” Martinez said.

Some people were so uneasy, they ripped their homes right off the frames and left.

“If we could just get more time, I think we’d be all right. Give us some more time, my God. We can’t just, like me, I can’t just grab my home and roll out of here because you say we have to leave,” resident Jeff Melton said.

But Thursday, that deadline to leave got pushed back to Oct. 18 for now. The owners cannot excavate the park, close it, shut off utilities or keep residents from using their mobile homes.

“God, it brought me to tears for a minute because he helped us out. He got us a few more days at least. It gives us a little more time,” Melton said.

Residents hope the court hearing’s outcome Oct. 18 will give them a fighting chance to stay.

“That’s what I’m hoping they are going to work some kind of magic. Where we can at least stay. I mean, I’d be happy if we could stay here at least through the holidays,” Melton said.

News 8 reached out to Blue Lake. The person who answered the phone said the owners had “no comment.”