BELL COUNTY, Texas (KXXV) — The city of Temple purchased Santa Fe Trailer Park in January for just over $1.4 million, planning to use the property to expand the adjacent animal shelter.
- The purchase stems from a lawsuit filed by the park's original owner after the city denied a request to expand the park; the owner offered to sell the property as part of settlement negotiations.
- Nineteen occupied lots remain at the park, with no single move-out date — each resident's departure is tied to their individual lease expiration.
- Resident Cndy Reyes, who has lived at the park for nine years, said finding a new location has been difficult due to regulations around the age of her trailer and the cost of moving it.
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BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Families living at Santa Fe Trailer Park in Temple are running out of time to find a new home after the city purchased the property in January.
The city paid Santa Fe Trails MHP, LLC $1,432,000 for the land. Because the property sits next to the existing animal shelter, the city said the location was uniquely suited for potential future expansion.
"It's location next to the existing animal shelter made it uniquely suited for potential future expansion because it would allow the shelter to grow on an adjoining property rather than developing a separate site elsewhere," the city said.
Santa Fe Trailer Park was originally purchased by a private owner in 2021. That owner wanted to expand the park with more units but was denied based on land-use requirements. The owners then sued the city of Temple, and as part of settlement negotiations, they offered to sell the property to the city.
That sale has left the 19 remaining occupied lots scrambling for a place to live.
Cndy Reyes has called Santa Fe Trailer Park home for the past 9 years. She said she begins every day searching for land where she can move her trailer — a search that started in February, but now must move out in August.
"I'd thought I'd live here forever," Reyes said.
"We all knew each other here, some have already left, every time someone leaves it's sad, it was like one big family," Reyes said.
Following the city's acquisition of the property, residents were provided hand-delivered written notice of the ownership change on January 30, consistent with their lease agreements and applicable state law. Those notices were also subsequently mailed.
There is not a single move-out date for all residents. Each tenant has their own lease agreement with their own expiration date, and residents may remain through the end of their current lease terms.
The city said staff have continued communicating directly with residents through individual meetings and ongoing outreach to answer questions, discuss their circumstances, connect them with housing navigation services and available resources, and provide updates.
That transition, however, has left residents like Reyes feeling stuck and in a financial bind.
"We've been looking at places, but they have regulations, like the year of the trailer matters, and the price to move a trailer as well," Reyes said.
The transition period itself adds another layer of stress for residents.
"During the time they disconnect the trailer, where are we going to go during those days? they're all expenses that aren't easy to make," Reyes said. "Time is running out."
Reyes said the city told her that if she and 5 other neighbors found land, the city would assist with moving costs. However, Reyes said it has been difficult to find a location that accepts the year her trailer was made.
"I think the ones of us that are left, it's because we don't have anywhere to go," Reyes said.
The city said staff are meeting individually with residents to better understand their circumstances and connect them with housing resources and assistance programs.
Because the property was purchased using Certificates of Obligation, it is required to be used for an authorized public purpose. The city said it remains committed to working with residents while responsibly planning for a public project that will serve the Temple community for years to come.
The city also stated in a Facebook post, " One point we'd like to clarify is that the City was not actively searching for an occupied residential property for the animal shelter expansion."
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