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Jacksonville hotel residents left with more questions than answers after notice to vacate

Kyle Humphreys and his parents have lived at America’s Best Inn for over two and a half years. His mother is bedridden, and can’t move on her own.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — It’s move-out day for residents staying at America’s Best Inn, and not by choice.

The most recent notice to vacate came from management on Thursday, and gave residents 24 hours to vacate due to quote “renovations”. However, some residents tell us they were able to get an extension until Monday, but many are still left with nowhere to call home.

Just six days ago, the city condemned a building on the property, giving residents 24 hours to move out. Then, a shooting that same night left two young girls injured, one rushed to the hospital.

Kyle Humphreys and his parents have lived at America’s Best Inn for over two and a half years. His mother is bedridden, and can’t move on her own.

“I have to be taken out of here on a stretcher to go over to wherever I’m going to be going to," Jacquelane Humphreys, a resident, said.

They are just two of the long-term residents told to vacate due to renovations. The initial notice said by Friday, but residents here say management gave an extension until Monday.

We are still waiting to find out if they’re going to come in and strong-hold us out of here. And it’s up in the air," Kyle Humphreys, a resident, said. 

Like the Humphreys, Bonnie Glee and her husband are both disabled. They’re choosing to stay put, hopeful for another extension.

‘It’s stressful. I had to rehome one of my dogs. My husband is in a wheelchair as well, he can not walk… I was hit by a car last year, I’m looking at major surgery," Glee, a resident for about three years, said.

During the interview, Glee got a phone call from her doctor-

“I told him to call me back, I’m not scheduling the surgery right now, I have nowhere to recover," said Glee.

It just one example of how the situation here is impacting people’s lives.

Jonathan Bolton who lives here with his fiancé and 9-month-old infant says in this time of need the community has come together.

“There’s two or three infants I know for sure over here. We exchange formula and diapers you know what I mean… This was a place that really a lot of the families that are struggling...  people here have been more than helping," Jonathan Bolton said. 

A local artist, Bolton has even made a music video to bring attention to the struggles and violence residents in the area face.

At this time, we have not been able to connect with property owners.

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