Sale Of Property May Force Norman Mobile Home Park Residents Out

A Norman community is upset tonight at the plans to wipe out a mobile home park.

The owner of Sooner Mobile Home Park is selling this land and having it rezoned. If the City of Norman approves, residents have a matter of months to pack up everything and leave.

"You know a lot of us have been here for a while, I've been here three or four years myself," said one angry resident.

Frustrated residents sound off at their property owner's attorney Sunday afternoon. They live in Norman's Sooner Mobile Home Park and RV Community and were told days ago they have to go to make way for OU Student Housing and a grocery store.

"This is the cheapest route I have to be able to stay in Norman."

Attorney Hal Ezzell held a meeting to notify residents of the move.

"Understanding it's a difficult situation, they're not going to be happy about that, we understand that. We're trying to do as much as we can to help them," said Ezzell.

Help could come in the form of $4,000 to $7,000 the owner would pay each resident needing assistance to move.

"It's very nice on their part to give us the help, but at the same time, it's very frustrating to have to move and then move again," said resident, Max Collum.

Norman City Council will decide if the land should be rezoned to allow a store and student housing.

"These people care like anybody would about their home. So it's my job to listen," said Norman City Council member for Ward 1, Greg Heiple.

Whether it's rezoned or not, the owner has already decided to sell the property.

"Basically if we fight the zoning, we have to be out by Christmas with no help. Or we can accept the help and stay until May," said Collum.

The money the owner would get from selling the land is how he plans to pay the residents the thousands of dollars to relocate.