Tenants Angry As Washington Co. Trailer Park Abruptly Closes
WASHINGTON, Pa. (KDKA) -- There's double trouble for people who live in a small trailer park in Washington County.
The owner of Wiencek's Mobile Home Court on Jefferson Avenue in Washington has told his tenants he's closing up on Friday and they've been given 30 days to move out.
The six remaining tenants all own their mobile homes.
West Penn Power has already shut off electricity to the trailers because of a $21,000 utility bill that has not been paid.
James McElhaney says his trailer went dark at around 8:30 a.m. Wednesday. He said it was like, "boom."
"We have never done anything to be thrown out of here," McElhaney said. "I've got my pets. We're all going to live in this Cobalt if we have to. I'm not losing my cats. I'm not doing that."
McElhaney has lived at Wiencek's Mobile Home Court for 25 years. He pays his electric to the owner, Stanley Wiencek Jr. However, for the past two years, he says his rent has gone elsewhere.
"We have to pay our rent to the IRS because he's got himself in trouble with the government. We aren't allowed to pay him," McElhaney said.
Wiencek Jr., told KDKA's Ralph Iannotti, "The electricity will not be coming back on, just like that."
KDKA's Amy Wadas talked to Wiencek off-camera Friday morning and asked him why he didn't give his tenants more notice. He says they've known for years this day was inevitable.
Another resident, Beverly Wilson, was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer two weeks ago. She's staying with friends because she needs electricity to survive.
"I really didn't realize I had to go until like I said yesterday, with the eviction notice I got in my mailbox," Wilson said.
Karen Scott also received an eviction notice from Wiencek. She owns a trailer on the property where her son lives.
"These people pay rent and utilities every month, and what he [Wiencek] does with the cash is beyond me. He's not paying the utility bills, or it would never be shut off," she said.
Wiencek said he can't afford the electric bill anymore because he has lost tenants over the years.
The tenants don't believe that excuse and don't know what to do.
Wiencek says he's going to contact West Penn Power to see if they can work something out for his tenants' sake.
If his tenants aren't moved out by the end of the month, he says he will try and be flexible with them until they find a new place to stay.
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