OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – Christmas could be in the dark for the many families staying at an Osceola County extended stay motel unless the owners pay the power and electric bills soon.
On Monday, officials with the Toho Water Authority confirmed to News 6 they disconnected the water at Lake Cecile Motel on Friday because the motel owners are almost two months past due. They owe $14,306.37.
Kissimmee Utility Authority officials said the motel owners are 95 days past due and owe $17,589.84.
It’s frustrating for resident Bre Bland. She’s staying at the motel with her husband and two young children. She said she and her husband are between jobs, living on a fixed income and have nowhere else to go.
“The (children) keep telling me Santa is coming, and I don’t know what to tell them because of the situation - and I can’t do nothing for my kids for Christmas,” Bland said.
Barbara England has been trying to make ends meet for her family too.
“It’s rough, it’s hard. We just got to maintain, there’s nothing else we can really do,” England said.
They've relied on generators for days and have been forced to shower elsewhere.
“The water we are getting now is from the boiler,” England said. “It’s a disaster, it’s not our fault, but it’s something we have to deal with.”
Her attorney, Jeremy Hogan, filed an injunction in court. On Friday, a judge ordered the motel’s landlord to pay the water and power companies within two business days.
Hogan said more legal action could be on the way if the owners don’t pay the water and electric bills by Wednesday morning.
Court records show prior building and code violations tied to the same motel, including active cases. Osceola county leaders say none of the violations at this time warrant the building being shut down.
No one was available at the motel’s front office on Monday and emails and phone calls to the owner went unreturned.