Cibolo residents regain water after landlord admits unpaid bills

Landlords at the Shady Meadows Mobile Home Park in Cibolo, Texas, left families without running water for more than 24 hours. The outage occurred because the property owner had not paid the local utility company. Julie Phillips, a resident of the park, reported that the landlord contacted her to explain the situation. Phillips stated the landlord told her the water company shut off service due to a large debt.

The landlord reportedly owes approximately $20,000 to the city for utility services. Phillips, who has lived in the park for 20 years, said she pays her rent on time. She noted that many other tenants also meet their financial obligations. These residents expect the utilities they pay for to remain active. Phillips said her husband told her while he was at work that the landlord planned to foreclose on the property. The plan involved collecting November rent before selling the site.

The City of Cibolo did not confirm the exact amount owed by the park's ownership. KSAT attempted to verify a potential foreclosure by calling the number listed online for the park. They also contacted the current and previous people responsible for the property but did not receive a response. The city initially did not answer emails from the news team. Officials only replied after KSAT representatives visited the utility office in person.

Nicole Perez, assistant to the city manager, wrote that the city and the involved parties reached a resolution. She stated the water service was restored about an hour after the third email from KSAT. This restoration happened before the news team arrived at the office. A resident who requested anonymity said a city employee texted her about a change in management. The text indicated the landlord told the utilities manager she was no longer responsible for the park after paying the water bill.

Phillips pays $850 per month in rent. She said tenants in the mobile home park have heard various theories about the future of the property. These include a shift in management or a sale. As of October 28, the water was back on for residents. It remains unclear who currently owns the Shady Meadows Mobile Home Park.