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Rushmore tenants get legal aid

Posted at 9:56 PM, Apr 11, 2016
and last updated 2016-04-11 23:56:43-04
Some residents at the Rushmore trailer court have started to pack their things. Nampa city officials say that the April 17th, eviction day, still stands. But now some of the tenants now have legal help and maybe more time. Idaho Legal Aid is negotiating with the city and the landowner to return the parks living conditions to the status quo. But so far attorneys say there has been no agreement from the landlord and no assurance from the city. And time is running out. 
 
"I 'm going to under bridge because I don't have place I don't have money because this is surprise for everybody here," said Rushmore resident Gregoria Sota in broken English. 
 
That surprise came when Nampa city officials posted the mobile home park, calling it a health risk. A failing septic system is to blame. Attorneys at Idaho Legal Aid say that under state law, tenants have a right to healthy and safe environment. The non-profit legal center is also negotiating with the landlord so some of the tenets can be compensated. 
 
"Pay for our trailer or to move our trailers or give us some kind of money and we can go where ever we want," explained Rushmore resident Tomasa Rosales.
 
The landlord tells us he is working to get that money together, but eviction day, is Sunday and it could come sooner if the septic system fails completely. Attorneys at Idaho Legal Aid say they can't help all the tenants because some of them are undocumented immigrants.