Zephyrhills resident alleges predatory leases, eviction notices at mobile home park; council refers issue to state regulator

Lady Teresa Danicola Toms told the Zephyrhills City Council on Jan. 13 that she and other residents of a local mobile home park received eviction notices and have been subjected to new fees and lease terms they say were imposed without adequate notice or access to printed leases. "Not only is the lease predatory in language and form," she said, "we were also asked to sign a separate document stating that we have received and read the lease in its entirety, when she purposely left off several key documents that made up the lease."

Toms said the notices began Dec. 12, when she and 18 other residents received eviction warnings unless repairs were made immediately after storm damage. She told the council that on Dec. 29 the park manager sent a new lease and asked residents to provide copies of titles to their homes. Toms said the manager then collected more than $800 in January fees she described as new, and issued a lease stating the rent is "7.75" when the base rent is "7.50," plus about $100 in…