Women evicted from home now living in front yard

HOUSTON (FOX 26) - Neighbors in a northwest Houston subdivision are raising concern about two women who were evicted from their rental home but have continued living in the front yard for the past week. 

Through the pouring rain and extreme heat, the Meyer sisters have had only a tree for shelter in the front yard of the home they were renting on Ebony Lane. 

"Thank god this tree is here, because it actually provides pretty good shade," said Tricia Meyer. "It's kind of pioneer days type thing, you know."

Meyer and her sister have been sleeping in chairs under the tree, and a bush on the side of the house serves as their rest room.

"It's disturbing to homeowners," said one woman driving past the piles of boxes and furniture in the front yard of the home Tuesday.

"I know they need help, and I called the church," said another neighbor. 

"She hasn't paid me rent since May," said the landlord John Campbell. "She doesn't have my permission to be on that property, but at the same time, I'm not requiring her to leave the property if all she's doing is protecting her personal belongings."

"The landlord has been nice in letting us stay here," said Meyer.

Meyer says she and her sister were offered shelter at Star of Hope, but they declined to take the help due to their pets.

"The constable basically said we can take those to the dog pound, and I can't stand the idea if I can't get them back that they could be euthanized," said Meyer.

Campbell said he expects the sisters will be able to move back into the home as soon as he gets confirmation from an attorney that the money from their deceased sister's estate is available to pay the three months' worth of rent that is overdue.

In the meantime, the Meyer ladies say they are grateful to neighbors who have brought them food and water.

A spokeswoman for Adult Protective Services sent FOX 26 this statement:

APS is actively working this case! They are refusing to go to a shelter and refusing our help at this time but we aren't giving up! We will be assessing their mental health moving forward and trying to get them to accept our help! APS was out there over the weekend checking on them and trying to get them to come to a shelter. But they were still refusing.