NAPLES (Florida) DAILY NEWS

October 10, 2009

Rebirth: Manna Christian overcomes rising floodwaters, new trailers arrive

Lee County code enforcers had cited many of the trailers; some thought park would close

By ELYSA BATISTA, STEVEN BEARDSLEY

BONITA SPRINGS — Home had gone to the frogs when Herminia Paz and her three children returned last October.

Driven from their trailer in Manna Christian RV park by flooding in August 2008, Paz’s family eventually rented another unit, only to discover rotting food and a host of the amphibians when they opened the door.

Still, they were in a home they could afford. And with time, others returned to the park, defying rumors the community would close.

“We were really worried,” Paz, 39, said.

For a low-lying east Bonita Springs community surrounded occasionally by floodwaters and often by controversy, Manna Christian RV park has endured.

Only a year ago, falling ceilings and moldy rooms greeted residents returning after water levels dropped and an evacuation order was lifted.

Many homes, including some spared by the waters, fell under the scrutiny of Lee County code enforcers, who closed trailers for illegal additions, dangerous wiring and widespread trash.

From 210 trailers, the park declined to a few dozen units untouched by the flooding, which occurred after heavy rains, and not tagged by county inspectors.

Yet, outsiders who hoped the floodwaters and their aftermath could wash away the low-income park will be disappointed.

Grass now covers lots once strewn with trash, and new trailers, sans additions, are returning to empty pads. Children play outside, and adults gather on the plazas between homes.

The violations have been addressed.

Park management demolished 153 trailers, corrected wiring and picked up visible trash, Lee County Community Development spokeswoman Joan LaGuardia said.

“All of those violations are closed, but we’re not done,” she explained. “They continue to be on our routine cycle of inspections.”

Residents also are returning, placing new trailers on cleaned lots. As of Sept. 25, about 80 trailers were in place, all of them without illegal additions.

The park persists for several reasons.

For one, the Florida law prohibiting RV owners from permanently residing in a park is unenforceable, officials say, meaning that Manna Christian residents can stay year-round without penalty.

According to a memo drafted by code enforcers in July, the formal definition of residency is connected to the homestead exemption, under which a homeowner must prove he or she is a resident. Likewise, residents from foreign countries are presumed to reside permanently in their home country unless they indicate otherwise.

“In the specific case of Manna RV park, it is not likely that the tenants will choose to show that a change (in permanent residency) has occurred,” the July 29 memo said.

Lee County officials, meanwhile, don’t want to purchase the property, which has been appraised at $2 million and could carry substantial costs to compensate residents forced from the land.

Finally, in an area where affordable housing still is too expensive for many migrant families, Manna Christian remains one of few alternatives.

“Some folks have returned to Manna because it’s about the only place they can rent,” said Lisa Carmona, an attorney representing many of the homeowners. “It’s affordable for them.”

Local officials, if pleased by recent changes in the community, still hope to see a more radical transformation.

Gary Price, city manager for Bonita Springs, said that elevating park roads and installing a sewer system would be a good start.

“I think they need to do something as a permanent solution, so you don’t have some 200 families trying to evacuate,” Price said. “Is it going to happen? I don’t think so.”

Few want to pay for such changes, he said.

“Everyone wants something to be done with it, but no one wants to ante up,” Price said.

For now, Paz’s family, which spent months in a Red Cross shelter, is happy that home and community are whole again, even under the threat of future floods.

“Everyone has returned,” Paz said. “Now we’re alright.”