On July 29, residents of the Gateway Estates mobile home community were informed by the park's owner, Gateway Development LLC, that their month-to-month leases would not be renewed. They were given 60 days to vacate their lots.
The news came as a shock to many residents, who immediately reached out to the City of Dripping Springs, pleading for more time to find a new place to relocate their mobile homes. Residents and advocates spoke at the Dripping Springs City Council meeting on Aug. 6, seeking assistance, but city officials indicated there was little they could do to stop the eviction.
Gateway Estates is home to a diverse group of residents, includ- ing working families, retirees, and individuals with disabilities. Many have lived in the 36-unit mobile home park, located at 900 Hays Country Acres Road just east of the Dripping Springs city limits, for more than 20 years. The cost of relocating a mobile home, often thousands of dollars, is a financial burden most residents cannot afford.
The timing of the eviction is particularly troubling for the 60 children living in Gateway Estates who attend Dripping Springs ISD schools. The move threatens to disrupt their education, as they may be forced to adjust to a new school or city just as the fall semester begins and the holiday season approaches.
With affordable housing options scarce in this part of Hays County, local housing advocates have stepped in to help. Dripping Springs resident Carrie Napiorkowski is one of the advocates leading the charge. She, along with several local nonprofits, has organized to represent the residents and find solutions to their plight. Last week, representatives from Hometown Missions, The Friends Foundation, Helping Hands, Project Connect, the Warburton Foundation, and Rev. Evan Hierholzer from the pastoral council met to formulate a plan of action.
Napiorkowski, who represents the Warburton Foundation, invited Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra to meet with the residents and hear their concerns. On Aug. 12, Becerra, along with his chief of staff, Alex Villalobos, met with the community just outside the mobile home park.
Becerra acknowledged that Gateway Development was within its legal rights under Texas law to issue the eviction notice. However, he appealed to the property owner to work with residents on a humanitarian basis. According to Napiorkowski, the owner agreed to waive rent payments on a caseby- case basis for residents who are actively searching for and documenting a new place to move.
A spokesman for Gateway Development confirmed the offer to assist residents with moving, noting that it is in the developer's best interest to vacate the lots to proceed with development plans.
As of Friday, 33 of the 36 Gateway Estates residents had agreed to let Gateway for Hope represent them in negotiations with Gateway Development. Gateway for Hope is now reaching out to other local nonprofits and the community for financial support to help residents relocate.
'Many of these families cannot afford to move their homes or come up with a deposit for an apartment,' Napiorkowski said. Some are considering moving to mobile home communities in Kyle or New Braunfels, where they can afford to live.
Funds collected by Gateway for Hope will be deposited into an account managed by Project Connect, which will serve as a transparent financial steward for the donations. The next step is determining how to distribute those funds based on the residents' needs.
'We formed a small group of representatives from the participating nonprofit organizations to figure out, on a case-by-case basis, where the money would be best allocated,' Napiorkowski said. Financial aid needs will vary. The cost of relocating a mobile home is often up to $20,000. Other residents require deposit assistance to secure rental housing in Dripping Springs or nearby communities.
Napiorkowski has created a GoFundMe page for online donations, with all funds managed by Project Connect. Since Project Connect is a 501(c)(3) charity, all donations are tax-deductible. So far, more than $13,000 has been raised toward the $100,000 goal.
In addition to raising funds, Gateway for Hope is serving as the main conduit of communication between residents and the property owner. They will also help residents make informed decisions for their upcoming move by assisting with understanding the costs of moving and guiding them through the details of new leases.
Gateway for Hope will recruit community volunteers to help residents with the physical move, prepare their homes and belongings before the move, and clean up their lots as they exit the park.
To donate to the Gateway for Hope initiative, visit gofund. me/55b1ac3e. Donations can also be made directly to Project Connect at projectconnectds. org/gateway- for-hope.
