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Community helping disabled man and wife after being kicked out of Holiday motel

Motel owner facing code enforcement violations
Posted at 5:22 PM, May 26, 2017
and last updated 2017-05-26 18:54:54-04

Edward Hunt and his wife Kimberly moved in Friday to a clean, safe room at the Holiday Hotel & Resort. 

“This is a gift from God and it really changed our lives,” said Edward.

It’s a big improvement from where they had been living.

“We are in a better place and things are starting to look up from here,” he said.

Pasco deputies were checking for code violations at the nearby Crystal Inn Motel last week, when the they found the couple living in a tiny, filthy space, for more than $900 a month.

Authorities came back and hit the motel owner, Dennis Patel, with fines.

MORE | Pasco couple living in filth gets help from community

The owner moved the Hunt’s into a better room.

But Thursday, after all the unwanted attention, Patel told the Hunt’s to leave.

“I was afraid they were going to fall down,” he said.

Patel said he doesn’t want wheelchair bound Edward to use the stairs because of liability.

“I still offered them to stay as long as they don’t go on the stairs. And they don’t want to do that. And they got the help now. So that’s why they are leaving.”

“I think it was there way of getting back at us. And trying to find a reason for us to leave sooner,” said Kimberly Hunt.

Next Level Church is paying for the Hunt’s to stay here for a week, while Pasco County officials work on getting the couple in permanent housing after that.

“Just when you think you give up and think there’s no one out there that cares, just like that it’s like god moving through people,” said Kimberly.

Meanwhile, even though the Hunt’s are gone, authorities say they’ll be back at the Crystal Inn.

“A business has to be in compliance. And that business will either come into compliance or there will be other choices made,” said Cpl. Alan Wilkett with the Pasco Sheriff’s Office.