FLORENCE, SC (WBTW) – About 35 Wedgefield mobile home park residents packed a Florence County courtroom Monday to ask a judge for more time to move this holiday season.

In June, the Greater Lake City Development Office purchased the Wedgefield land. Since then they’ve tried to clear the land, which means more than 50 people have to move.

The organization formed by Lake City Council originally gave residents 60 days to leave. The group then granted a 30-day extension, but that ended in October, and some people say they still have no place to go.

“This is certainly a bad time of the year. December… your feelings have to be a little different when you’re sitting in my position,” said Judge Porter Haigh Porter, former Florence City Mayor.

Judge Porter met with the attorneys for both sides for about 20 minutes in the Judge’s chambers. They all agreed to give residents more time to move.

“February 1, that gives them 30-45 days,” explained  Elbert Turbeville, Attorney For The Greater Lake City Community Development Office, Turbeville And Reddeck Law Office Of Lake City. “We were just trying to get the mobile homes moved off so we can develop the property.”

Turbeville says about 20 people still live on the land and 10 mobile homes have been abandoned. The development office says they plan to build affordable housing units on the site.

“They are in agreement,” explained John H. Whittleton Sr., Attorney Wedgefield Residents, Professional Legal Services Of Columbia. “People need time and opportunity and the wherewith all to move and find suitable housing. We don’t want to make a bad situation worse.”

Whittleton is defending about 25 residents for free. He hopes to help people move before February and raise money to help people that cannot move.

“There are also homes that are so old and at a condition that you can’t move them,” said Whittleton.

Yamiekia Robinson says the Judge’s ruling was fair.

“With the holidays around we were hoping they would they would push it up,” said Robinson.

She hopes the weather in January will allow more people to move.

“You cannot move a mobile home when it’s wet. From the area it’s wet to the area it’s going to because that could cause damage. We already had one that was damaged,” said Robinson.

People of Wedgefield will meet tomorrow at the Ron McNair life center at 7 p.m. to brainstorm ways to help people find a place to stay or move.