Legal expert weighs on seniors told to leave their homes

CORUNNA, Mich. (WLNS) – Given less than 30 days’ notice to move out of their home, some seniors say they are facing being unhoused.

It’s a frightening thought for many of those now having to leave Fiddler’s Green , a senior living community in Shiawassee County. Seniors were given less than a month to pack up and find a new place to live. Now people like 72-year-old Kathy Thomas are scrambling to find a new place to live.

“I’m homeless, 72 years old and I’m homeless. I just have nowhere to go,” Thomas said.

Thomas said she does not know what to do.

“They don’t care about me over there. I just want somewhere to go, if somebody can help me stay in a motel until I can figure out what I’m gonna do. I need money, I don’t even have money to eat on right now,” Thomas said.

6 News obtained the letter residents say management handed them telling them they have to move. It was sent out on Aug. 7th and says people have until the 31st to leave.

That is less than 30 days which, Michigan real estate and finance attorney David Soble said is not generally standard. The letter also claims that if the business is stopping operations, it can ask people to leave with just 5 days’ notice. Soble said that if this is like any other common tenant landlord contract, generally the tenants should get 30 days’ notice.

“Provided that these people are not late with their monthly payments, they would be required to serve what we call a 30 notice to quit. That’s generally how these things work,” Soble said.

Soble said he would need to see the contract the residents signed to know for sure and only a judge can truly say if a contract is legal, though there are caveats.

“Generally speaking a provision in a contract doesn’t make it valid. Even this landlord cannot forcibly remove these people. they would have to go through the court system,” Soble said.

For Kathy though, she said she doesn’t have the money to fight this and needs the community’s help.

“I was thinking about getting a tent and staying in a backyard, but I can’t do that I have health issues I don’t like to ask for money but right now I do need money, I got to live. What am I gonna do?

Fiddler’s Green did release a statement saying they are looking for places for the seniors to go. Kathy says most of the places there have long wait lists though.

6 News reached out to the senior community management to ask about giving 30 days’ notice but has not heard back yet.

Soble reminds people to keep track of all the documents you sign.

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