Paragraph: (Society_Law_and_Justice/oanc-families_saved-0.txt)
Sent 1: After more than a year of effort, attorneys with Northwest Justice Project earlier this week told 25 families in a mobile home park here that they can keep their homes and no longer need to fear eviction.
Sent 2: The East Wenatchee City Council has entered into an Interlocal Agreement with the Wenatchee Housing Authority authorizing the Authority to purchase and maintain the Mobile Park Plaza mobile home park.
Sent 3: Located just north of the Wenatchee Valley Mall, the park had been threatened with closure for more than a year.
Sent 4: "We cannot say enough about how relieved we are that this is over," said Manuel Luna, one of the residents of Mobile Park Plaza.
Sent 5: "We were afraid that no solution would be found, and that our families would have no place to go.
Sent 6: We are very grateful for the help of our attorneys.
Sent 7: Without them, we would not have saved our homes.
Sent 8: We are also thankful for the help of the Housing Authority, the City Council and Mayor Steve Lacy."
Sent 9: Formerly owned by local businessman Dan Jennings, Mobile Park Plaza had been home to 45 low-income families, many of them Latino farm workers.
Sent 10: In October 2000 Jennings gave the park residents notice of his intent to close the park effective November 30, 2001.
Sent 11: While some park residents decided to move, others, including 25 families, organized an informal association to relocate or save their homes.
Sent 12: Unable to afford private legal counsel, the families asked for help from legal services attorneys at the Northwest Justice Project and Columbia Legal Services.
Sent 13: In the succeeding months, these attorneys worked with representatives of the Greater Wenatchee Housing Authority, the state Office of Community Development, Chelan County, the City of East Wenatchee, state legislators, Jennings and others to secure funding and find a solution.
Sent 14: "There seemed to be a never-ending set of obstacles," said Patrick Pleas, an attorney with Northwest Justice Project.
Sent 15: "Mr. Jennings had financial considerations, the City had growth and economic development considerations, and the State and Housing Authority had their own concerns.
Sent 16: Thankfully, hard work and good will from all parties allowed us to find a solution that works for everyone."
Sent 17: Northwest Justice Project and Columbia Legal Services are non-profit organizations that provide civil legal assistance to low-income individuals and families throughout Washington state.
Sent 18: Members of the state's Access to Justice Network, these organizations work with thousands of volunteer attorneys to ensure that justice is available to those who face critical legal problems and can't afford private legal counsel.