FROM THE LOCAL STATION NEWSFOURJAX. ♪
NEWSFOURJAX. ♪ >> RIGHT NOW ON NEWS, 4 JAX AT
5. A LIVE LOOK OUTSIDE OF A
MEADOWS MOTEL, PUSHING PEOPLE
OUT OF THEIR ROOMS DUE TO
RENOVATIONS.
>> THE MANAGEMENT OF AMERICA’S
BEST ENOUGH BAY MEADOWS TOLD
PEOPLE LIVING THERE THAT THEY
HAD TO BE OUT BY 3 O’CLOCK.
TODAY, RESIDENTS ARE STANDING
THEIR GROUND SAYING THEY DON’T
HAVE ANYWHERE ELSE TO GO. THIS
IS THE SAME MOTEL WE TOLD YOU
ABOUT EARLIER THIS WEEK WHERE
RESIDENTS WERE FORCED TO MOVE
OUT OF BUILDING ONE AFTER THE
CITY CALLED A SAFETY HAZARD.
>> NEWS JAX REPORTER MARILYN
PARKER, NOW THE MARYLAND
JEWISH FAMILY COMMUNITY
SERVICES. UNDERSTAND THEY’RE
HELPING SOME OF THOSE FAMILIES
TRYING OUT.
>> THEY ARE. THEY WERE HERE
EARLIER THIS MORNING AND THEY
WERE SPEAKING WITH A FORMER
MANAGER WHO LET THEM KNOW THAT
NOW THESE TENANTS CAN LEAVE BY
MONDAY. SO THAT’S A BIT OF A
RELIEF. BUT EVERYTHING STILL
FEELS TO BE UP IN THE AIR.
THAT INFORMATION CAME FROM A
FORMER MANAGER WHO ALSO LET US
KNOW THAT THE OWNERS OF THIS
PROPERTY LET GO OF THAT
MANAGEMENT COMPANY LAST NIGHT.
SO AGAIN, A LOT OF THINGS
STILL UNFOLDING OUT HERE AT
AMERICAS BEST. AND THE MANAGER
TOLD US ALL 80 ROOMS OF THIS
MOTEL ARE FILLED. THE NOTICE
GIVEN YESTERDAY SAID THEY HAD
TO LEAVE DUE TO RENOVATIONS.
BUT THE MANAGER TOLD US SHE
HAD NO CLUE ABOUT ANY
RENOVATIONS HAPPENING HERE.
SHE SAID THE LAST TIME THE
OWNERS WERE ON THE PROPERTY
WITH THE NIGHT THE SHOOTING
HAPPENED ON WEDNESDAY. TAKE A
LISTEN TO WHAT RESIDENTS TOLD
US ABOUT THE SITUATION TODAY.
>> IS APPROPRIATE WORD OF
THING TO SAY
>> I REALLY DON’T HAVE A WORD
FOR I MEAN, WHERE YOU START.
>> THAT WAS DAVID GIBSON WHO’S
LIVED HERE FOR OVER A YEAR
WHEN I ASKED HIM WHAT HE WAS
GOING TO DO IT 3 O’CLOCK
TODAY, HE SAID THERE WAS
NOTHING HE COULD DO AND THAT
HE DIDN’T THINK THE LETTER
FROM MANAGERS WAS EVEN LEGAL.
NOW THE OTHER PEOPLE LIVING
HERE GETTING SOME HELP FROM
THE JEWISH FAMILY AND
COMMUNITY SERVICES. THEY’RE
HELPING 6 FAMILIES WITH
CHILDREN WHO ATTEND A NEARBY
SCHOOL. SO THEY’RE MAKING SURE
THESE FAMILIES HAVE SOMEWHERE
TO SLEEP TONIGHT. BUT, YOU
KNOW, THE CEO SAYS THIS JUST
ISN’T A GOOD LOOK FOR
JACKSONVILLE BUSINESSES.
>> IT’S CONCERNING. SAYS WE
DON’T CARE ABOUT OUR FAMILIES.
WE DON’T CARE ABOUT THE PEOPLE
THAT LIVE HERE. THE MANAGEMENT
IS GETTING PAID. THESE PEOPLE
HAVE PAID. SO I DON’T KNOW
WHAT THEY’RE DOING WITH THE
MONEY, BUT THEY’RE NOT KEEPING
THE PROPERTY OBVIOUSLY, AND
THAT THERE’S CONCERNS. AND
THEN THE CITY’S HANDS ARE
TIED. THEY CAN’T HAVE PEOPLE
LIVING IN UNSAFE PLACES. I
TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THE CITY’S
PERSPECTIVE ON THIS, BUT
THERE’S GOT TO BE BETTER PLAN.
IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE
ADULTS IN THE CHOICES THEY’VE
MADE IT, YOU KNOW, I CAN CAN I
SAY ABOUT THAT? BUT THERE ARE
CHILDREN THAT ARE INVOLVED.
SEVERAL CHILDREN THAT ARE
WANTING TO GO TO SCHOOL, NEED
TO GO TO SCHOOL, HAVE THE
RIGHT TO BE SAFE AND BE IN A
SAFE PLACE AND GET AN
EDUCATION.
>> NOW THE FORMER MANAGER TOLD
US SHE DOES NOT THINK THAT THE
FOLKS LIVING HERE WHO PAID
THEIR RENT WILL BE REIMBURSED
AT ALL OR ANY TIME SOON. BUT
AGAIN, THE CONCERN FOR
MULTIPLE PEOPLE LIVING HERE IS
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. NOW COMING
UP TONIGHT ON NEWS, 4 JAX AT
6. I SPEAK WITH SOMEONE WHO
GIVES US A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE
ON IF THE OWNERS OF THIS
PROPERTY CAN ACTUALLY DO WHAT
THEY’VE DONE AND ALSO SOME
MORE DETAILS FROM FOLKS LIVING
HERE AND THIS HORRIBLE
CONCERNING SITUATION REPORTING
LIVE. MARILYN PARKER CHANNEL
4, THE LOCAL STATION.
>> MARILYN, HOW LONG IS JEWISH
FAMILY AND COMMUNITY SERVICES
BELIEVE THAT THEY CAN HELP
THESE FAMILIES.
>> SO THEY SAY THE PLAN RIGHT
NOW IS TO PUT THEM IN A HOTEL
FOR 5 DAYS. NOW, JUST A
REMINDER THAT’S GOING TO
HAPPEN AFTER MONDAY SINCE THE
FORMER MANAGER TOLD THEM THAT
THAT’S THE HOW LONG THEY HAVE
UNTIL THEY CAN LEAVE. AND THEN
AFTER THAT, I’M TOLD THE
COMMUNITY SERVICE GROUP WILL
WORK WITH THE FAMILIES
INDIVIDUALLY TO FIGURE OUT
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. BUT, YOU
KNOW, THE CEO TOLD ME ONE
CHALLENGE THAT THEY’RE FACING
IS THAT JACKSONVILLE JUST DOES
NOT HAVE A LOT OF AFFORDABLE
HOUSING. SO SHE FORESEES A LOT
OF THESE FOLKS. WE’RE GOING TO
HAVE TO STAY IN A HOTEL FOR
THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.