Man, autistic son evicted from HUD home

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - A Mobile man said he isn't sure where he and his 4-year-old, autistic son will be able to lay their heads Sunday night.

Lloyd Herbert said on Sunday, Oct. 14, he and his son are homeless after they were evicted from their Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) home in Mobile.

Herbert has experienced a lot of difficulties since he left Mississippi following Hurricane Katrina. The latest blow came when he was evicted from the home he's lived in for the past six years.

The house's contents, some broken, were strewn across the front yard after the eviction process.

"The gentleman, I understand, was just doing a job. The Sheriff's Department doing his job, trying to obey orders," Herbert said.

When he moved into the HUD house Herbert thought he would someday buy the home. But, that didn't work out either. Now, evicted and left to live on the street, he and his child have hit a wall.

"It's very difficult. We thought there would be a little bit more provisions out here, but there isn't. I've tried every source. I've tried the housing. I've tried everything, and everything is shut down," he said.

Evictions are common in Mobile, but when State Representative Napoleon Bracy found about about Herbert's situation he felt he had to act.

Bracy said he wants to make sure the disabled child is not left on the street.

"When I went over and saw how bad it really was and saw that he really needed a place to stay. His four-year-old son was now homeless because of this, and his son was special needs, and it was just a situation where we just had to do something," Bracy said.

Bracy contacted Housing First, an organization dedicated to helping the homeless. He said the group has a veterans program and is working on a solution for Herbert and his son "first thing Monday morning to try to make sure that they don't remain homeless"

Thanks to Bracy and others, most of Herbert's personal belongings are now in storage. He's hopeful he and his child will soon have shelter.

For now, they don't.

"I have no family or family support here.  This is the first time I'm really coming out, where I need a little bit more than I can offer, because it's just out of my league now," Herbert said.