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A massive eviction order at the mobile home park Silver Court in southwest Miami has left hundreds of residents in a state of extreme vulnerability, many of whom are elderly with limited resources.
Among the most dramatic cases is that of Teresa Álvarez, a 93-year-old woman who is facing the loss of the home she built over more than three decades.
His story, featured in a report by the journalist from Univision, Javier Díaz, highlights a housing crisis that threatens to leave dozens of elderly individuals without shelter.
“So I ask you please... help this elderly woman,” pleads Teresa in front of the cameras.
The woman, originally from Costa Rica, lives alone and without family support in the United States. Her physical condition is fragile: she can barely walk on her own and relies on occasional assistance from neighbors.
The eviction forces her to abandon not only a home but also the life project she has built with effort since the nineties. In 1993, she bought her mobile home for $8,000 and dedicated all her savings to improving it.
"And all on my own, with my own strength, as you can see, I have been building it up, building it up," she recalls.
For years, that space was their refuge and the promise of a peaceful ending. Today, however, they face complete uncertainty.
“At 93 years old, I have to leave my home… and at my age, it’s better if they bury me alive,” she says, visibly distressed.
Silver Court Park, located at 8th Street and 30th Avenue in southwest Miami, houses hundreds of families who have received notices to vacate the area within a limited timeframe if they wish to qualify for financial compensation.
In Teresa's case, that possible help does not represent a real solution. "But that gets used up, it runs out quickly," she warns.
The elderly woman recognizes that she always knew the land did not belong to her, but she never imagined that the eviction would come at a time when she no longer has the strength or options to rebuild her life.
"I understand that the land didn't belong to us, that one day it would happen... and that day has come, and I wasn't prepared," she admits.
The emotional impact is evident. The idea of leaving her home, her belongings, and the memories of a lifetime leaves her devastated.
“How do you think I feel? Devastated… having to leave my little house, having to abandon everything,” she concludes.
Details of the imminent eviction
The case of Teresa is part of a larger conflict affecting 283 families at Silver Court park, whose permanent closure was announced by the landowner company, The Urban Group.
The company notified residents that they must vacate the premises within a period of approximately 60 days if they wish to access a financial incentive ranging from 10,000 to 13,000 dollars.
The measure has raised concerns among residents, mostly elderly or retired individuals, who depend on fixed incomes and are facing an increasingly inaccessible real estate market in South Florida.
According to the administrators, the eviction is due to development plans and the deteriorating conditions of many of the mobile homes, which they argue pose structural risks.
However, residents fear they will be left without any real housing alternatives in the short term.
Meanwhile, meetings have been held with local officials, and legal actions are being organized to try to halt the process or, at least, to gain more time and compensation that would allow for a dignified relocation.
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