A group of families and disabled veterans facing eviction from Suburban Extended Stay hotel in North Charleston have been given more time to move out. They were originally told they had until May 31 to find a new home, now they have until June 30.
Residents living at the hotel say they have nowhere else to turn.
“I’ve lost everything I own,” says Gary Norman, a resident who has already been evicted told News 2. “I don’t have food, I don’t have anywhere to go.”
“I don’t know what I’m going to do now I mean, they just gave us a ten-day notice and said bye,” says Rex Bills, a disabled veteran living at the hotel.
More than 80 families living semi-permanently at the hotel have been told they have just days to find a new home. The new ownership company, B & V Hospitality sent a letter to tenants on May 16th informing them the new owner wasn’t aware of long-term arrangements with residents from the previous owner.
“I mean I’m not one to sit here and shed tears on camera but it’s just wrong,” says Norman.
“You know the biggest thing is giving the courtesy to people,” says Obedience Bey, a resident at the hotel.
B & V Hospitality took over ownership on May 4th and told residents on May 16th they were ending Section 8 Housing Assistance on May 31st. The company says residents need to vacate the facility by the end of the month.
“We didn’t get a legal notice, we weren’t legally evicted,” says Bills. “We weren’t offered our deposits back, we we’re not offered our rent back.”
Bills has lived at the hotel off Dorchester Road in North Charleston for three years. He says residents have asked for an extension or a way around the eviction.
“But they told us they’re not going to accept it, they don’t want us here,” says Bills. “They don’t want monthly rentals no more, they want daily and weekly.”
Families, single parents and disabled veterans say they feel left in the dark and are now searching for answers and a place to turn.
Residents living at the hotel say they weren't offered any heads up prior to the letter and some have already paid rent months in advance.
“You have some people that don’t have no one to help them at all,” says Bey. “No kids to help pack them up, no other family members to pick them up.”
Residents soon to be left without a home, with no food to eat after being forced to throw away their belongings say they are searching for a reason for hope.
“It’s going to take a lot, a lot of hearts to help us out,” says Bills.
Veteran’s contracts are protected by federal regulations.
“We’re not going to allow this to happen, okay. South Carolina, as you well know, the motto is we love our veterans and we’re here to ensure them quality of life,” said State Rep. Wendell Gilliard.
Rep. Gilliard said he immediately contacted federal and state agencies, and they are helping make sure these contracts are fulfilled.