A warm welcome

Displaced family moves into Majestic Oaks

 

Article Courtesy of The Ocala Star-Banner

By AUSTIN L. MILLER
Published September 14, 2005

    

OCALA - Days earlier, they would have been banned by the homeowners' association, but Tuesday a Mississippi family left homeless by Hurricane Katrina was ushered into a brand new home in Majestic Oaks.
    
"Thank you guys for opening up your hearts to us," said Hanler Zafra, 20, one of six members of the Martinez family who was greeted by officials from Triple Crown Homes and their families at the fully-furnished four-bedroom house on Southwest 59th Terrace.
  
Pat Plunkett, sales manager for the home builder, said employees donated food, clothing and toys to the family. Company officials also secured $500 worth of Wal-Mart gift cards, and Sears is donating a washer and dryer. Plunkett said the family does not have to be concerned with paying the utilities, and the home is there as "long as they need it."

    

"The only thing they have to do is just move in," said Plunkett, adding the company plans on opening up a home in Quail Meadows for a retired couple.

Arriving in Ocala on Friday, Martinez family members said they spent the night at someone's home, before moving into a motel the next day. Originally, the displaced family had no intention of leaving their home in Biloxi. But after talking with a neighbor, who warned them about

Mississippi hurricane victims Estrella Martinez, 9, Eduardo Martinez and Orquidia Martinez are overcome with emotion when they learn that in addition to getting to live in a Triple Crown model home in Majestic Oaks the family received $500 in Wal-Mart Gift cards.

the impending storm surge, Eduardo Martinez, 50, who is a roofer, said they packed a few clothes, important documents and a few essentials, and drove to Mobile, Ala. Once the storm passed, the family made the uncertain journey back to their community.

 

"I didn't know what to expect," Martinez said. "A police stopped us before we entered the area, and he told us good luck."

That good fortune was of little consequence to them because when they arrived, the devastation was immense.

"It was like a bunch of match sticks in mud," said Zafra, describing the destruction of homes, businesses and governmental buildings. "It was miles and miles of destruction," Martinez said.

Things were much more hopeful in Majestic Oaks on Tuesday, as Estrella and Monica Martinez, ages 9 and 5, were excited as they picked out their rooms.

"We like that one," one of the girls said with a huge smile.

While the Martinez family was trying to put the storm behind them, so were some residents of the 450-home development. The trouble began when some homeowners' board members sent out fliers during the Labor Day weekend warning that housing evacuees in the neighborhood would violate deed restrictions.

That sparked angry homeowners' association meetings, resignations on the board and finally an apology, saying it was a "serious error."

Lorri Ewers, a volunteer with Blessed Trinity Catholic Church, which coordinates with residents who want to assist evacuees with housing, was critical of the homeowners' association board.

"I don't think they realize the full scope of what we are trying to do. We want to help these people, and I hope they are very embarrassed by what they did," Ewers said.

More than a half a dozen residents interviewed Tuesday, concurred with Ewers. They all agreed to visit the Martinez family and welcome them to the neighborhood.

Some residents are angry at the homeowners' association board members.

"They should have kept their mouths shut," said Wes Palmer, a block captain.

Louise Bangma said she wishes they "could vote them out immediately."

Others, like Walt Kalinowski, called the board's statements "ridiculous," and said they spoke for themselves, not the majority.

"I looked at the covenants, and it has nothing to do with how many people can live in a house. And even if it did, then they could have temporarily suspended it because those people needed help," Kalinowski said.


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