Toccara Rogers

Two women stand smiling next to each other inside a government building. Toccara is on the right. 

My name is Toccara Rogers and, until recently, I rented a mobile home at Lake Bradford Estates Mobile Home Park in Tallahassee, Florida. During the 7 months I lived there, I paid $1,250 in rent a month for a mobile home that was not habitable. The windows in my living room and daughter’s room would not close. When it rained, it rained in both rooms as well. Water would leak from the tub into my daughter’s room. As a result of these issues, my home would often be flooded with water. The floors became soft and hazardous to walk on, and mold formed on the walls. In addition to all of this, my shower did not work and my home was infested with roaches. The corporation that owns the park, Homes of America, refused to fix any of these issues.

The constant flooding damaged $8,000 worth of my furniture, but more importantly it damaged my health and my daughter’s health. Due to the mold, my daughter and I developed bronchitis. Our asthma became severe. My daughter had to increase her inhaler dosage. Her ears began to leak pus and blood. The doctors I took her to see all told me this was due to the mold in my home. Since Homes of America would not move me to a habitable unit, I had to move. Furniture can be replaced, my daughter cannot be. 

Though I no longer live at Lake Bradford Estates, I want Homes of America to be held accountable for the danger they put my family in. I also want to prevent them from doing this to anyone else. All families should have a safe and healthy place to call home.