Sisters Viola Medley and Mildred Tufail departed Caroline County General District Court on Aug. 18 feeling uneasy.
Judge Jane M. Reynolds had dismissed the Hill Mobile Home Park’s eviction case against the longtime residents. According to court records, the case was “nonsuited,” which means that the plaintiff failed to make a legal case or bring sufficient evidence.
Despite the ruling, Medley and Tufail believed they hadn’t heard the last from the Hill’s owners, Homes of America, and its Charlottesville-based attorneys.
They were proven correct the next month when they were notified of another hearing, scheduled for Nov. 24. This time, the Hill was seeking an $8,000 judgment against Medley and Tufail, who lived in separate trailers on the property.
“I asked [Reynolds] when we went to court that day, ‘Why are they bringing it back here?’” Medley said. “I told her that she dismissed it. She said she has so many cases she doesn’t remember. But why did we have to come back to court if they dropped it?”
Although the Hill was seeking $8,000, the sisters provided evidence that showed they had a $0 balance in correspondence from property management last March. Reynolds then gave each sister 10 days to move and ordered them to pay lot rent for March through December for a total of $4,750 plus 6% interest, according to court records.
The Hill’s attorney also requested Tufail’s trailer, but Reynolds informed them that they cannot receive payment and also take possession of the home.
“She just said, ‘You can’t have both,’” Tufail recalled.
Medley and Tufail were the last two remaining residents of the Hill, which is shutting down following a judge’s ruling in 2024 that most of the residents had 10 days to move after Homes of America filed for eviction. The dismissal underscored the tenuous nature of living in mobile home parks, where residents often own the trailers but rent lots from landowners.
Medley and Tufail were not a part of the original case, but they stopped paying lot rent after they said they were told by property management later that spring that owners were no longer accepting payment, resulting in the most recent hearings.
Medley abandoned her trailer at the property, although it was paid off completely. When she was paying lot rent, the cost was $475 per month. She now pays $1,700 per month for a two-bedroom, one-bathroom home in Bowling Green that she moved into last month.
“It has been very stressful,” Medley said. “I might not show it, but it kind of took a toll on me.”
Medley, 73, said the increase in her cost-of-living is a major adjustment — she purchased half a dozen eggs instead of a whole dozen when she recently had the urge to bake a cake. She also skipped a truck payment to ensure she could cover rent. She works as a caregiver to earn extra money.
Still, she said, the increase in rent may be worth the “peace of mind” of not having to wonder about the owner of the Hill’s next move.
“I really have to budget,” Medley said. “I don’t receive food stamps or anything like that. I try to go to some of these places to get assistance in certain things like heating and electricity. Some places will help you, but you have to put up a portion, too.”
Tufail purchased an acre of land in the Ruther Glen area, but her trailer remains at the Hill. She and her son stop by every day to ensure it’s still intact.
Towing companies quoted her prices as high as $12,000 to transport it to her property, but she eventually found one to do so for $6,000. She has half the funds. She’s working with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Fredericksburg in hopes they’ll assist with the other half.
The nonprofit ministry’s website states it “provides emergency financial assistance to those in need with necessities for a productive and safe life.” The organization serves Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania, and Stafford counties as well as the City of Fredericksburg.
Tufail, 70, said the ordeal has “taken a toll” on her well-being. She was already struggling after losing her daughter, grandson and ex-husband (whom she served as caretaker) in recent years. She’s had four heart surgeries since this past June. She also lost the use of one of her shoulders, which limits her mobility when attempting to gather items to store away.
Her daughter, grandson, and dog are currently living with her at Medley’s home until her trailer is transported and then connected to water and sewer in the spring.
She said Judge Reynolds’ decision to rehear the case and the perceived dismissiveness of her plight was frustrating. While she doesn’t want to file a costly appeal, she is planning to write a letter to the Judicial Council of Virginia to state her case.
“It is not finished,” she said.
