ARCHBALD -- Lackawanna County says mobile homes at Valley View Estates in Archbald owe a quarter million dollars in back taxes.
Residents believed the landlord was responsible, but now they're finding out that they are the ones who may have to pay up.
Last week, people at Valley View Estates in Archbald wondered when their water would be turned back on. Now they are wondering whether they will have a place to live.
The lease belonging to the Marshall family reads the buyer agrees to pay any and all taxes, but for the past nine years the Marshall family said they never paid property taxes because they didn't think it was their responsibility.
Now the Marshalls, along with several other people who live in Valley View Estates in Archbald, are at risk of losing their homes.
"It's super upsetting to know that my house, kind of, wasn't even mine," said resident Travis Marshall. "It's upsetting to know that somebody just comes in here and says that you owe so much money and you didn't even know."
According to the Lackawanna County deputy tax director, there is a quarter of a million dollars' worth of back taxes owed by residents at Valley View Estates.
Eugene Egan owns the land the mobile home park sits on. Newswatch 16 spoke with him over the phone.
He told us, "It's not my responsibility to pay the taxes. I'm not sure why the people living in the trailers are just realizing this now."
According to the county, if the back taxes are not paid by September 28, more than 40 mobile homes will go up for county tax sale.
"What the upset sale does it gives us an opportunity to expose them. Chances are none are going to be sold because there is so much delinquent taxes on them and it gives us an opportunity to move it forward in the process," deputy tax director Ronald Koldjeski explained.
The process that could allow residents of Valley View Estates to stay in their homes and settle their tax bills for a fraction of what is owed.
Ronald James hopes that's how it all works out.
"I'm not paying the whole thing though. I'll pay what I owe but that's about it. I don't owe $17,000 though," James said.
"I'm willing to pay this year's taxes and make arrangements for the last five years. We don't even have a lease. We don't have a title or a bill of sale, but I am willing to do this if I can keep our home," said resident Becky Pidich.
The Lackawanna County tax assessor's office says because people are living in the trailers at Valley View Estates, if they make an effort to come down to the office, they will try to work out a payment plan before the county tax sale on the September 28.