Winter Park homeowner fighting eviction after city deems home unsafe

WINTER PARK, Fla. - A homeowner in Winter Park is fighting an eviction from the city. The elderly man has been trying to stay in his home for years even though the city has cited numerous safety violations.

"He’s a very kind person. A nice person. He’s lived there his entire life," said David Haxton, who has lived across the street from Gary Moore, 70, for the last 25 years. David says Gary lived here caring for his mother before she passed.

In the years since, Gary’s home on Whitesell Dr. started to fall apart. Mold grows on the walls, weeds are taking over and a massive hole in the roof adorns the back of the house. 

"As poor condition the home is and it’s still his home and he owns it," said Kay Haxton.

The City of Winter Park deemed Gary’s home unsafe back in July of 2018 a few months after Gary claims Hurricane Irma ripped open his roof.

The city asked Gary to repair the roof multiple times over the years or to leave the home but nothing was ever done. Now, the city is taking Gary to court for illegally staying in a home demeaned unsafe.

"I’m tired of living next door to it and I can’t help but believe if I was a city commissioner or somebody that had some position with Winter Park it wouldn’t be going on this long," said Vinny D’Assaro.

D’Assaro believes the unsafe conditions at Gary’s home are impacting his home as well. He says his home has been damaged in storms due to the unkempt trees around Gary’s property. He’s also seen rats and is afraid of the next piece of the home that could fall.

"Anytime there’s a large storm I would find huge chunks of tree in my backyard. Big, big chunks," said D’Assaro.

Gary penned a letter by hand to the city in his defense. He says he doesn’t have a computer, a phone, a car, or family in the area. He still believes the damage is repairable and that if he was forced from the home it would be "as good as a death sentence for me."

"We need to have people who can help Gary find a new place to live or fix his house and resolve the situation to his satisfaction," said Haxton. "That’s the most important thing."

The city is seeking a judge to decide if Gary should be evicted from the home. There will be a hearing on the case on August 2nd to see how to proceed.

Neighbors are just hoping for the best for Gary and the neighborhood.