Residents of Mobile Home Park Voice Concerns About Potential Shut Off of Water and Sewer

Residents of Pinewood Estates South mobile home park say they were caught off guard when they learned they might be forced to leave their homes in the middle of winter if water and sewer service is shut off.

The Oconee County Utility Department that service will be shut off to the park on Jan. 13 if the landlord doesn't settle over $150,000 of unpaid bills. The county filed suit in April and the property owner, Georgia General Kipling Land, disputes the charges and has countersued.

"We're all a little stunned that this happened," said Shelly Blevins, who has lived at the park for four years.

Blevins was one of about a half dozen residents who attended a .

Blevins doesn't have a car but her home is within walking distance of her job. She worries how a move would affect her employment.  She isn't happy with the idea of uprooting her 4-year-old daughter either.

Longtime resident Melisa Gaona is also concerned.

"I've lived in the park for over 24 years and that's my home," she said. "We've never had to deal with a situation like this."

Many trailers are too old to move, Debbie Turner, a 6-year resident added.

"My home may not be much, and I may not have paid that much for it, but it's mine," she said.  "It's my home."

The area is home to 704 residents, according analysis of census block data by Lee Becker of Oconee County Observations. Of those, 45.2 percent listed their race as White.  Most of those 704 residents live in the mobile home park.

According to notice, sent in both English and Spanish, the county has offered residents the option to establish water and sewer in their own names to the tune of about $4,800.

Attorney Thomas Mitchell, representing Oconee County in the suit, said that amount includes a meter tap, water availability fee, sewer connection fee, service charge, sewer deposit, water deposit, and one equivalent residential unit (ERU) of capacity. It does not include the cost of installation of water and sewer lines to the lots, which would likely be sustantial, the notice stated.

But residents say that isn't a viable solution.

They don't have the money to invest and doing so would only improve the property owner's land, they said.

Residents also say they've paid and continue to pay monthly for water and sewer directly to the landlord apart from their rent. Bills average $50-100 and must be paid in full by the first of the month or they incur a $5 late fee.  If left unpaid, on day 7, a lock is put on and they are charged a $100 fee. If they are late by 30 days, the landlord charges them a $200 fee, they said.

Some residents have questions about the bills.

"I have asked the manager to explain (the bill) and he says the computer does it," Blevins said.  "He would not even explain to me how the water bill is derived. And, as you see, we don't have any indication of sewer charges on here and we do not have any rate listed."

During the hearing, Mitchell suggested one possible solution is for Georgia General to the put payments made by tenants into an escrow account or one held by the court until resolution of the suits.

Attorney Andy Stancil representing Georgia General said terminating the service isn't going to bring anybody to the bargaining table and that the billing dispute should play out in court.

"It's not going to resolve this litigation any quicker. It's simply going to cause hurt feelings, animosity, and inconveniences to a lot of innocent people," he said.

No decision was made at the hearing. Utility director Chris Thomas said the department would provide a written explanation of its decision in a couple of days.

Meetings to address questions or concerns are scheduled for 7 p.m. on Nov. 28 and Dec. 12 at the .

"My desire is that the two parties come together to make a solution," Blevins said. "Hopefully it doesn't have to go to the point of being cut off."