Facing eviction for unacceptable housing

VAN BUREN COUNTY, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – In Van Buren County, one family has fallen on the hardest of times and now says they are facing homelessness.

Three women are living in one small trailer on a piece of land along County Road 380 west of Breedsville.

On Tuesday, Newschannel 3 spoke to the family, who say their hard times have followed them from one location to another.

Columbia Township says it has to enforce zoning regulations, but one woman living in the township says its actions could put her and her family out on the street.

"We're living on the edge of homelessness," said Milcah Flowers.

A small trailer is what Milcah Flowers, her sister and blind mother call home. The property is littered with debris and duct tape is the only door lock they have. For electricity, the family has only one small solar panel, which barely provides enough power to run a light.

Flowers says Columbia Township has had enough of the situation and has asked her to bring the property up to code, or she'll be forced to leave.

"They want to move us off because there hasn't been any monetary progress, there's not structure here," said Flowers.

Flowers says she moved back to Van Buren County after she lost her job in California. Since then she says the family has lived in tents, and then the trailer. However, the trailer isn't legally adequate, and the township has given the family a year to get a permanent structure, which they say is not enough time for people living on $600 a month in Social Security.

"People joked and laughed at us," said Flowers, "talking about you can't do the Little House on the Prairie thing. We didn't come up here to live in tents, I'm an avid camper, but this is too much."

The women could get an extension on their permits if they got an acceptable trailer, but with two weeks until eviction, they're not sure if that's enough time.

"I'm surprised and shocked that there is this situation that's happening because a lot of people are struggling right now, and rules are rules, I understand that," said Flowers. "This was our last resort, I finally got up the money to buy a trailer and that was it."