Trending
Woman generously let a man stay in her garage underestimating his intentions when he refuses to leave
Her generous heart led to major trouble.
Cedric Jackson
05.19.20

Some people go out of their way to be nice to others. It’s what you hope someone would do for you. When seeing an individual having a rough time, these people are willing to help out. Being kind to others, even strangers is one of the best things you can do.

Unfortunately, that type of goodwill and friendship doesn’t always work out as planned. Occasionally, someone tries to do something nice only for their kind gesture to backfire. It’s always sad when this happens because the person is simply trying to do the right thing.

That’s what happened to Silvia Arocha

Silvia is a homeowner in San Antonio. She thought she’d do something nice for a homeless man she met. She told him he could stay in her garage…for a short time.

Unsplash/cyrusgomez
Source:
Unsplash/cyrusgomez

A generous offer

The man took her up on her offer. But Silvia only intended for the man to be in her garage a few days. Now, it’s been over three months and he still hasn’t left.

Unsplash/johnpaulsen
Source:
Unsplash/johnpaulsen

He moved his girlfriend in

Even though Silvia didn’t permit anyone else to stay there, not only did this man move his girlfriend in but also her children. Now, he refuses to move out. He hasn’t even given her any money for rent.

Unsplash/Kelly Sikkema
Source:
Unsplash/Kelly Sikkema

He’s defending himself

You might be wondering why the man won’t leave. He says he has the right to be there. And with the ban on evictions because of the COVID-19 pandemic, she can’t force him to leave at the moment.

Instagram/dedricmrrealestate
Source:
Instagram/dedricmrrealestate

A costly mistake

Silvia never thought her generosity would cost her this much. The verbal agreement between her and the man never covered any money issues. But with him, his girlfriend, and her kids living in the garage, the electricity bill has jumped from $80 to $300…that’s a significant increase.

Unsplash/timbatec
Source:
Unsplash/timbatec

Worried about her safety

On top of the money issues, Silvia also has to worry about her safety. The man has visitors coming and going at all hours of the day and night. One of her neighbors said, “I don’t know what they’re doing, it’s just abnormal behavior for here.”

Unsplash/Markus Spiske
Source:
Unsplash/Markus Spiske

Getting the police involved

To give you a better idea as to how much disruption they’ve caused…the San Antonio police have been called to the garage 20 times. They were called for burglary, as well as several disturbances.

Unsplash/mattpopovich
Source:
Unsplash/mattpopovich

A multitude of crimes

But there’s been even more criminal activity going on. A neighbor heard yelling and screaming along with a domestic violence incident. And there was even an alleged drive-by shooting.

Unsplash/davidvondiemar
Source:
Unsplash/davidvondiemar

Silvia stays away most of the time

Since she’s scared to be there, she now spends most of her time with family members. She doesn’t want to put herself in any more danger. She said, “It makes me feel like an idiot, it really does.”

Unsplash/James Balensiefen
Source:
Unsplash/James Balensiefen

An exception to COVID-19 laws

Once Silvia found out her situation was an exception to current COVID-19 laws regarding evictions, she knew she had to do something to get the man out of her home. After all, she and all her neighbors want him gone. Once she files the necessary paperwork, she could be looking at an eviction within roughly two weeks.

Unsplash/Bonnie Kittle
Source:
Unsplash/Bonnie Kittle

News4SA reports more information here.

Please SHARE this with your friends and family.

Source: News4SA, San Antonio Government

Advertisement