Article
and Video Courtesy of WFTV Channel 9 Orlando
By Steve Barrett
Published
July 30, 2015
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VIDEO
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Residents of a condemned Orlando condominium complex have just two days
to move out.
The homeowners association in charge of clearing out the Tymberskan
complex on Tuesday asked the Orange County Commission for help.
One of the new leaders of the
community was at Tuesday's County Commission meeting to try
to start the process of getting help with security and
clearing out squatters.
HOA director Lorenzo Pinkston told commissioners that about
90 percent of the residents are squatters and that those
occupants have been given until Friday to get out or be
charged with trespassing.The
director told commissioners that there is no money to pay
for private security or off-duty deputies, and it will be
too unsafe for anyone but law enforcement to remove those
who defy the order to leave. |
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"It's not safe because we really don't know who the squatters are. We
don't have a lot of documentation for the occupants that are on site.
From what some of the residents have said, there are actually people
living behind the boarded-up units," Pinkston said. "It's a dangerous
and volatile and definitely an unpredictable situation for us to try to
clear out the development safely."
Pinkston said he hoped the county can
find money for armed officers to help so that Tymberskan can
begin a new four-year redevelopment plan.
The Tymberskan community has been known for crime for years,
and there are more units boarded up than occupied by
residents. Pinkston said that about 20 families are
legitimate tenants in the complex.
County leaders said they want to meet about the issue to
make for a safe transition. |
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"Thank you very much for stepping up in the role that
you are taking; it's courageous and it's important and please do take
care of you safety first," Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs told
Pinkston.
"I would love for you to contact my office so we can sit down and see
how we can assist the residents there," County Commissioner Victoria
Siplin said.
A meeting with the county is unlikely to happen before Friday's
deadline, so it appears the deadline will pass without any way for the
HOA to force people from the complex.
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