Leesburg residents worry that park expansion could put them out on the streets

Some Leesburg residents say a plan to expand a popular park will leave them homeless.
 
City officials are considering buying a small apartment complex and then demolishing it to expand Venetian Garden Park, on Dixie Avenue.
Some residents of the apartment complex said they can’t afford to live anywhere else.
 
“We love our homes. They don’t look great on the outside, I’ll give them that, but they’re nice on the inside,” said resident Andrea Hancock.
 
Hancock 66, is disabled, on oxygen, has COPD and emphysema, and said she is afraid she could end up living on the streets. She said many resident of the complex are on fixed incomes and can’t afford to move.
 
“None of us are in a position to pack up and walk away,” Hancock said.
 
If the plan goes through, the city would like to add a splash pad and more parking.
 
City officials say residents shouldn’t panic because this is only a proposal at this point.
           
“Right now we’re only looking at it. We’ve only began initial discussions with the owner and we have not done any appraisals just yet,” said Leesburg city spokesman Robert Sargent.
 
Sargent said the city won’t abandon residents of the complex if the planned park expansion goes forward.
 
“Certainly we would be mindful, and we would do everything in our power to help out the residents and the property owner,” said Sargent.
 
City leaders told Channel 9’s Myrt Price the apartment complex has had code enforcement issues in the past and has even been called an eyesore, but they said their interest in it has nothing to do with that. They only want to expand the park.
 
The Leesburg City Commission will have the final say on the fate of the property.