Advertisement

With evictions looming, residents begin last minute exodus at Mosley Motel

 
About a fourth of the residents remained at the Mosley Motel on Saturday. The new owner of the property plans to demolish it.
About a fourth of the residents remained at the Mosley Motel on Saturday. The new owner of the property plans to demolish it.
Published Oct. 2, 2016

ST. PETERSBURG — Residents of the Mosley Motel continued their exodus Saturday as the threat of eviction loomed.

While many had cleared out their belongings and found new places to stay, about 25 of the motel's 110 rooms were still occupied Saturday afternoon, said Cliff Smith, the city's manager of veterans, social and homeless services.

Some who were still there Saturday were waiting on friends or family to help them move, Smith said.

"I'm hoping tomorrow when I go back there will be very few people left," he said. "Just about everybody has a plan for where they're going."

Pinellas County sheriff's deputies have given residents until 8 a.m. Monday to leave the motel.

The closure and evictions come after the former owners of the motel fought the foreclosure sale of the property. The new owner, Altis Cardinal of Miami, plans to demolish the rundown motel at 401 34th St. N to make way for redevelopment.

Sheriff's deputies went door-to-door this week telling people to leave by today. Smith said he has been working with agencies across Pinellas to help find housing for tenants.

"There is nobody, literally nobody, that doesn't know it's closing," Smith said.

Most of those who remained Saturday were headed to new apartments or houses, to stay with family or friends or to other motels.

"We've tried to discourage that as much as possible," Smith said of the third option. "We want them to get something permanent."

At least three households — a single woman and a couple — were headed to Safe Harbor, the county's emergency homeless shelter at 14840 49th St. N, near the county jail. They planned to move today.

The county's animal services department is offering seven days of free boarding for residents' pets. So far, the shelter has taken six cats and a dog.

Smith said he's hopeful the motel will look like a "ghost town" on Monday morning, but he said there will likely be a few stragglers. He hasn't been able to reach residents in about eight rooms to confirm that they have a place to go.

Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said he plans to visit the motel Monday morning along with vans, counselors and case managers to help stragglers get to Safe Harbor.

"We need to do this in a humane and compassionate way because this is a unique set of circumstances, and I think we're accomplishing that," Gualtieri said.

In August, the previous manager estimated that about 400 poor people — including some elderly, disabled and close to 100 children — lived on the property.

The city is offering a package that covers first month's rent and security, electric and water deposits for people moving into new homes, Smith said.

"This is an opportunity they've never had before to actually have a permanent place to live and get out of the cycle of living in motels," he said.

Keep up with Tampa Bay’s top headlines

Keep up with Tampa Bay’s top headlines

Subscribe to our free DayStarter newsletter

We’ll deliver the latest news and information you need to know every morning.

You’re all signed up!

Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started.

Explore all your options

Contact Caitlin Johnston at cjohnston@tampabay.com or (813) 226-3401. Follow @cljohnst.