Families Have 90 Days to Leave Trailer Homes for Meta Data Center, but Some May End Up Homeless

A massive data center project in Kentucky is forcing people out of a neighborhood they have called home for years. Residents of Meadowland Village have been given 90 days to leave, but the money offered to help them move comes with a condition that could make leaving even harder.

The trailer park sits outside Maysville in Mason County, where tech giant Meta is planning a data center complex on roughly 2,900 acres. County leaders approved agreements for the project in October, clearing the way for what could become one of Kentucky’s largest industrial developments.

For the people living at Meadowland Village, that means finding new homes in a short amount of time. Some are elderly or live on fixed incomes, and local advocates fear that several residents could end up homeless.

Residents were first offered $20,000 to leave, according to a local human rights official. That amount later rose to $50,000 after protests. However, residents reportedly cannot collect the money until they have already moved or left their trailers behind.

Money Comes Later

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Jason Giles, a member of the Maysville Commission on Human Rights, told WKRC Local 12 that the payment conditions are creating serious problems for residents who cannot afford to move on their own.

“These individuals have to move or leave their trailers behind before they can even qualify to get that money,” Giles explained. He added that many residents simply do not have enough money to cover the cost of leaving.

Giles estimates that at least 10 residents face a serious risk of homelessness. His commission is working to help them find somewhere to go, though affordable housing options are limited in the area.

The neighborhood has already begun to empty. In WKRC’s report, vacant lots separate the remaining trailers. One resident recalled seeing children regularly playing outside, something that has largely disappeared as families have moved away.

A Costly Goodbye

Pastor Gregory Jones has lived at Meadowland Village with his family for eight years. Unlike some of his neighbors, Jones has already found another place to live and has started packing.

Still, the move is expected to cost him about $15,000. He believes residents should have received their relocation money sooner, giving them a better chance to prepare.

“They should have just given them a check on the closing day,” Jones told WKRC. He said that would have allowed families to arrange their moves before colder weather arrived.

Jones also hopes city or county officials will step in to help those who remain. Although he has somewhere to go, he worries about neighbors who are still searching for a new home.

Billions On The Line

The displacement comes as Mason County prepares for a major investment from Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram.

On October 13, the Mason County Fiscal Court approved agreements tied to the development. County officials have described plans for thousands of construction jobs, hundreds of permanent positions, and major upgrades to local infrastructure.

The project could bring billions of dollars in investment to the region. Yet residents of Meadowland Village face a much more immediate problem: finding somewhere affordable to live.

WKRC identified Dusty Porter as the seller of the mobile home park. When contacted by the station, Porter said he no longer owned the property and offered no further comment.

For Giles, the biggest concern is what happens to residents who cannot secure another home before their deadline arrives.

“There’s not a lot of places to put people,” he told WKRC. That shortage affects people looking for houses, trailer spaces, and emergency shelter throughout Mason County.