By William Croyle
Enquirer contributor

CRESCENT SPRINGS - Joyce Haggard has no savings, big medical bills and an epileptic sonshe's caring for. Now she has to move out of a home she bought just last year.

"It's been very horrible trying to come up with the money," she said. "It's not fun to move when you're 62 and work two jobs."

Joyce Haggard, 62, carries boxes from her trailer home in Crest Mobile Home Park. (Patrick Reddy photo)

Haggard and her son are one of about 130 families forced to move from the Crest Mobile Home Park to make way for a $56 million shopping and office complex.

Bear Creek Capital of Montgomery, Ohio, hopes to close on the site by mid-July and start construction soon after. "A new-concept, higher-end Remke's'' grocery occupying 45,000 square feet and Rhodes Furniture, which will fill another 40,000 square feet, will anchor the project. Prospective tenants also include clothing stores, restaurants, electronics businesses and bookstores, developers said.

The project's critics, who include residents, businesspeople and elected officials in three Kenton County cities, have said they're concerned about traffic and safety, a property tax break and the relocation costs for the people in mobile homes who would be displaced. Developers have said they are addressing issues raised by their critics and planners and still plan to break ground this month.

Haggard says the move is a hardship. She bought the 1983 mobile home on site last year. Her intent was to fix up the home, pay off the loan, then work a little less. She scrapped the idea of rehabbing it when she heard about the pending sale.

"I bought it as a fixer-upper after living in an apartment," said Haggard. "I wanted to get something and get it paid for before retiring. But now it'll be a while before I can retire."

Haggard is moving into Heartland Pointe in Elsmere, a mobile home park owned by SSK Communities. Between SSK and the mall developer, Bear Creek Capital, she is receiving $2,000 for her old mobile home and $3,500 for a down payment on her new one. When all is said and done, she'll have a new 5-year, $5,000 loan on her new home on top of $1,600 she still owes the bank on her old one.

"I might have to work three jobs if I find time to do it," said Haggard, who has worked two jobs for the last four years and hasn't taken a vacation in 10 years. "If I would miss a check, I'd be in trouble."

Between Remke Markets in Crescent Springs and Dollar Tree store in Boone County, she works 50 to 60 hours a week. But because it's two different jobs, none of that is overtime pay. On days she works both jobs, she'll work from 8:30 a.m. until 11 p.m.

Haggard has four sons, age 24 to 44. She had to start over financially after her divorce 18 years ago and has struggled to make ends meet ever since.

And as if she doesn't have enough to worry about now, her oldest son was sent to Afghanistan three months ago and will be there for the next year.

Through it all, Haggard is doing her best to maintain a positive attitude. She likes her new home and said she plans to live there for a long time.

"It's good. It's much, much, much better," she said. "I'm thankful God gave it to me."

---

E-mail williamcroyle@yahoo.com