Five Independence County residents say in a lawsuit that the city of Newark is discriminating against poor people by banning the placement of certain mobile homes.
The ordinance was passed in 2015 and prohibits mobile homes from being built within city limits if they are appraised at less than $25,000 for a single-wide and $35,000 for a double-wide. The lawsuit, filed in federal court, alleges that because the ordinance doesn't mention health or safety standards, it's a method of keeping low-income residents out of the city.
Veneda Marshall, one of the plaintiffs, rents out four mobile homes in Newark to supplement her husband's Social Security income. Marshall, 61, said she called Equal Justice Under Law a few months ago for help filing the suit. Equal Justice is a D.C. group that provides "pro bono assistance to those most in need," according to a news release.
"They are totally discriminating against mobile homes and people that own them and people that live in them,” she said.
Jim Cunningham, the mayor of Newark, said he is still investigating the lawsuit and was not prepared to comment. Cunningham, the city and the city recorder are all named in the suit.
Equal Justice filed a similar lawsuit regarding mobile homes in McCrory, and the city repealed the ordinance and settled for $20,000 last year, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette previously reported.
Read Thursday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.
Reporter Linda Satter of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette contributed to this article.