Originally posted by Peoples Housing Council
The situation in Sweetwater, Florida’s Li’l Abner Mobile Home Park has developed quite rapidly since the thousands of residents on the park received an eviction notice signed by The Urban Group on November 13, giving them until May 2025 to move out. Something that came as a shock to all the residents who have been living there for decades and those that recently moved in with as high as a $140,000 down payment for the unit. Residents are being offered by the property owner Raul F. Rodriguez and his real estate company CREI holding a measly $14,000 incentive to leave which after January 31st turns into $7,000 and subsequently into $3,000 by April.
Residents and supporters from the community have been coming out en masse since they decided to protest the unfair eviction. Residents have also been organizing themselves legally and have set up an executive committee demanding an extended timeline of 3-4 years to move out, fair relocation assistance, meaning a $50,000 dollar incentive, and support for vulnerable residents. Efforts are also being made to revive the local homeowner’s association, which has been inactive since the president passed away.
A largely Latino Spanish speaking working-class community, L’il Abner, with many elderly and disabled people has received quite a lot of attention from the relatively small Sweetwater police force with 24 sworn officers, who have regularly sent half their force to harass the residents’ daily protests. This presence culminated on December 4th when resident and community leader Vivian Hernández went to the local office to pay her rent and voice her concerns as to why demolition of certain properties had already begun before the eviction date. Management called police on the woman who, in released body-cam footage, can be seen speaking in a civil manner to the officer before being brutally slammed headfirst into the ground. This injustice and brutality has since ignited residents to continue protesting and organizing. Again, protests have been extremely peaceful demonstrations with all sections of the community coming out in support of them.
The city government has been very mum on the whole situation, allowing it to proceed without interjection despite pleas from the people it supposedly serves. The city has even supported this eviction. Mayor Diaz supported a resolution in 2022 in which the city allocated over half a million dollars to CREI for development on Li’l Abner. Many have raised concerns about the relationship between Rodriguez and the respective Miami-Dade County Commissioner and Mayor of Sweetwater Juan Carlos Bermudez and Jose Diaz. Concerns focused on large investments made by Rodriguez to their campaigns even when Jose Diaz ran unopposed in 2023.
Residents’ resilience and organization are shining examples of how much can be done to advance our working-class interest when we are united. Property-owner Rodriguez and his elite backers expected an easy cash grab with no resistance. We can say with confidence this response by the community was unexpected and has rattled them. They may have the capital to influence many, and connections with a few wealthy backers, but when we as working people and as a community have an organized plan and work collectively, we can combat any advantages these rich landowners may have at the present.
Below are ways to help the struggle in L’il Abner being shared on social media:
- Follow @lilabner_homeowners on Instagram.
- Donate to the residents’ GoFundMe page to help with legal support and other immediate needs.
- Demand Raul F. Rodriguez withdraw eviction orders by emailing him at rrodriguez@nationalhealthtransport.comand info@creiholdings.com and calling him at (305) 479-5471.
- Tell The Urban Group to cancel their contract with CREI Holdings at info@theurbangroup.com and (954) 522-6226.
- Call on José “Pepe” Díaz’s office to demand the City of Sweetwater take action to stop the eviction of Li’l Abner residents at mayordiaz@cityofsweetwater.fl.gov and (305) 221-0411.
