Greg Gerber posted on November 17, 2008 06:18
QUINCY, Ill. -- A Quincy family is facing off against the city in defense of a homeless couple tonight. The family is letting the homeless couple stay in a camper parked in their yard. But the city says that's not allowed.
Life-long Quincian Becky Humke has seen some hard times and health problems in her life, but finds comfort in her 5 dogs, who are like her children. When she found herself without a place to go, she began living in this camper on the streets of Quincy. After police told her to move, co-worker Delbert DeMoss wanted to help. He told her she could park it here in his side yard for six months until she got back on her feet.
But it didn't last long. City building inspectors told DeMoss having this camper in his yard was against city ordinances. Inspectors told him this camper is considered a mobile home or RV and has to be moved to a trailer park or campground.
But no trailer parks will take this camper and campgrounds charge more than 350 dollars a month. That's way more than Humke can afford right now, while working two part-time jobs.
DeMoss said, "I am not making them move. I am not going to stoop to their level of being heartless. They can give me all the tickets they want but I am not going to make homeless people move so they have to worry about tomorrow. It's bad enough that they don't have a home."
DeMoss says any ordinance telling him what can and can't be parked on his property is just plain wrong. And he says this could affect many other folks who may have campers or relatives visiting for the holidays and staying in campers. He says this seems like a violation of his rights.
DeMoss said, "What gives the city the right to say you can't have your camper, your property on your property? If you pay the state of Illinois for the license and registration as a vehicle, not a mobile home. They're the city. Who can fight the city? No one can because it's the city."
SOURCE: KHQA-TV