Posted on 10/23/2009 8:53:41 AM PDT by InvisibleChurch
Pinellas Park, Florida-- A six year old girl sent to live with her grandparents as a baby is now being evicted from her home, for being too young.
The grandparents, Jimmy and Judie Stottler, live in a Pinellas Park retirement community that doesn't allow children. The Home Owners Association now wants the child removed.
"For some reason, there's a few, just a few who don't want Kimberly. And I just don't get it," said Judie Stottler.
The granddaughter was taken from her home at just six months old after the state discovered her mother was abusing drugs. She's lived with her grandparents against the rules ever since.
The family says they want to move out of the neighborhood, but by the time they put their home up for sale, the housing market crashed.
"They have no more assets to go out and purchase a rental property," said attorney Robert Eckard who is representing the family free of charge. "If they sell the home they can move. If not, they're homeless on the street."
The H-O-A president has been quoted saying he is only trying to enforce the rules. And while some residents argue the rules need to be followed, others suggest a compromise.
Either way, it will be up to a judge to decide what happens to the six year old next.
If the grandparents are unable to sell their home, the granddaughter could be sent to foster care.
That's something the Stollers say they will never let happen.
"They will have to drag me out in handcuffs and tear her from my arms," promises Judie Stoller.
"I'm not putting her out on the streets."
True, but they may be upside down due to the housing crash and have to come up with a lot of cash to sell.
I find it hard to believe the HOA has the authority to set prices. I’ve never seen such a clause, but this is florida, so maybe there’s something more to it.
"For some reason, there's a few, just a few who don't want Kimberly. And I just don't get it," said Judie Stottler."
This is just a device to get readers on the side of "poor Kim."
I am pretty sure that all people living in that community signed papers on entry wherein they agreed that there will be no children living with them. If the community chose to overlook for a while the violation of the contract, that does not make the contract less valid. These grandparents have a duty to their neighbors.
I hate HOA’s and people with no fricking common sense.
Newbie?
what defines a newbie?
back to topic
the girl had lived there for nearly 5 years which would have also been at the top of the housing market
Again I think an extension can be given but rules are rules and they have violated the rules for 5 years
The girl has been living there for 5 and a half years. That predates the market crash.
Actually, there is a carve-out in the law for retirement communities.
Too many grandmas raising 50 kids from their no-good children.
Then the HOA will lose. The gransparents tried the only reasonable action. And the HOA blocked them.
“I hate HOA’s and people with no fricking common sense.”
I agree.
But I also hate trailers and crap parked on the street, etc.
In places where I have lived, laws banning age discrimination made an exception for senior housing.
Age requirement 55 and over are protected by federal law.
It doesn’t say what age she went to live with the grandparents, but only that she was a “baby”. Assuming that means less than 1yo, they’ve had 5 years to reconcile themselves with the rules they had to acknowledge when they moved in.
Including 3+ years of real estate boom time.
I favor some time for them to get things squared away, but they are clearly negligent in their compliance with the rules.
RWGinger is right, no matter his or her newbie status. You are wrong.
Then the excuse would have been that a replacement home was too expensive.
NO WOMAN IS ILLEGAL!
I’m sorry, but these folks entered into an agreement so that they could feel ‘exclusive’. agreements mean something and cannot be shoved aside for convenience sake. it’s not the kid’s fault that granny and grampy wanted to live where everybody (ELSE) didn’t have children running around, but a deal is a deal.
that said, I think HOA’s stink.
They knew the HOA rules when they first purchased the house.
The market was at an all time high 5 years ago, they could have sold the house and moved when the grandchild arrived.
They thought the rules did not apply to them.
Retirement communities do not want young children in them. When I retire to a community such as this one, I want to enjoy the common recreational facilities without screaming kids running around.
Everybody these days just walks away, if that’s the case.
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