IONA, Fla. — The residents of Iona Ranch RV Park face an uncertain future as their state-funded trailers are set to be towed by the end of this month. These trailers, provided under the Unite Florida emergency housing program, have been home to many survivors of Hurricane Ian. However, with the program nearing its end, residents are left searching for answers and alternatives.
The the final date for trailer removal is July 31st, a day many at Iona Ranch are dreading.
"On the 31st they're coming around and they're picking up all the trailers," says Michael Watkins, a Unite Florida participant.
While some hurricane survivors are receiving their trailers as donations, none of the residents at Iona Ranch have been approved to stay beyond July. This decision has left many in distress, including Richard Gatica, who emotionally pleads, "Come on people, where's your heart? You know we're human beings. We're human beings."
Residents have reached out to the property owner, David Marger, through letters, asking for permission to stay long enough to receive their trailers. These pleas, however, have gone unanswered. We've has also attempted to contact Marger but have yet to receive a response.
The property manager stated that Iona Ranch received $1,500 per month for each lot housing a Unite Florida trailer. With state funding ending, the residents must vacate without the option to pay lot rent. This situation is especially challenging for those on fixed incomes, like Michelle Kane and her husband, who are both seniors. "The man's shaking like this, he can barely walk, there's another lady here that's disabled that can barely walk in her walker, those people over there are disabled, there's another gentleman here that's a senior, me and my husband are seniors, and my husband's a vet," Kane explains.
On July 31st, residents have been notified that trailers, along with any remaining belongings, will be towed from the lots, with police overseeing the process.
Fox 4 will continue to monitor and report on the Unite Florida program as it concludes.
