Local

Residents at struggling Leesburg motel able to stay longer thanks to deal with city

Nearly four dozen struggling families who call a Leesburg motel their home will be able to stay put for now.

The owner of Stay and Save Inn on 14th Street hasn’t paid the bills and the power was supposed to be shut off Friday afternoon, but a last-minute deal between the city and the owners was able to keep it running.

Many of the families there said they would have had nowhere else to go.

“I was financially stable and then the carpet was just kind of taken up from me,” said resident Laura Rivera.

It’s been a rough few months for Rivera and her children.

Their previous home had issued with the septic system and they were forced to move out.

They moved to the motel to get back on their feet and now they’re moving again.

“It’s very stressful because we have kids,” said resident Kim Hunter.

Officials said the owners owe the city more than $38,000 for utilities services.

The city was originally supposed to turn the power off last week, but decided to give residents a few more days, so they could find somewhere else to go.

“A lot of people are stuck here because they need to be here until the last minute,” said the motel’s manager, Don Smith.

Friday at 3 p.m. was city’s deadline until it shut off the power, but the city worked out a deal with the owners and for now, the power won’t be turned off.