La Plata County and the city of Durango have stepped in to provide basic services to the residents of Lightner Creek Mobile Home Park, who are now on day 15 without any running water.
At the request of the county, the American Red Cross of Western Colorado delivered 180 gallons of water to residents on Saturday, and the city opened the doors of the Durango Community Recreation Center for residents to shower for free.
According to County Manager Chuck Stevens, the county reached out to the Department of Local Affairs, which has jurisdiction to enforce the Mobile Home Park Act, on Friday to offer help with the situation. The park’s embattled owner, Donna Mann, had provided minimal fresh water to residents and portable toilets did not show up until Thursday – 11 days after water service ceased.
Although DOLA is responsible for enforcing state law, which dictates that landlords of mobile home parks are responsible for providing and paying for alternative sources of potable water and portable toilets, the agency told the county it could be helpful by facilitating access to potable water and showers.
In response, the county contacted the Red Cross and the city of Durango, which owns the recreation center.
Although the park does not fall within city limits, Recreation Center Manager John Robinette said the Lightner Creek residents may use the facility’s showers for free by showing proof of address at the front desk. As of Monday afternoon, eight residents had done so.
John Seward, a spokesman for the Red Cross, said volunteers made water deliveries at the park’s roughly 30 units on Saturday, and will return sometime this week if needed. If water service is not restored in the near future, he said that moving residents to some sort of short-term housing options could be the next step.
DOLA filed a complaint in La Plata County Combined Court on Feb. 21 to enforce a Feb. 15 cease-and-desist order with which Mann has not complied.
On Friday, the Colorado Attorney General’s office filed a motion requesting that the court compel Mann to provide at least 20 gallons of potable water for each resident per day in “sealed bottled drinking water or water jugs with hand pumps,” clean up the spilled sewage, which remains on the premises and reimburse residents who have documented expenses related to the lack of running water.
A hearing on the matter will be held Tuesday morning.
rschafir@durangoherald.com
This story has been updated to include new information regarding the Department of Local Affairs’ legal action against Lightner Creek Mobile Home owner Donna Mann.
