LakewoodLyre exclusive - The saga of Vesinos Unidos.

Nearly 100 homes are threatened with losing their peace-of-mind.

Close to B&I Shopping Center on S. Tacoma Way, behind an enormous ominous empty warehouse hoping to to be leased for Amazon-like distribution, planes fly a few hundred feet overhead all day long on final approach to McChord.

The Canterbury Estates homes received notices last month that the Los Angeles-based group plans the sell the property for future development. Then they offered to let the tenants buy it for "12-15 million". THEN seemed to shuffle when the tenants began to consider it.

The Hispanic residents created 'Vesinos Unidos'. On March 29th nearly 100 residents and supporters gathered to hear agencies and elected officials offer support.

Pierce County Councilmember Jani Hitchen spoke to the assembly.

"I was made aware of what was going on here, and immediately reached out to find out what were things that we could do... Many of you have lived here for decades, you've raised your children, and it's your home. And what is happening right now is not okay."

The Vesinos Unidos organizer, resident Martine Guiterrez, spoke about how he and others viewed the impending sale. He has seen federal agents target minoritiy leaders for deportation.

He said he was "...worried. And uncertain about what the future holds, especially because [his] family is so important to him. There's over 40 families here in this park for 400 people, and it's not just him at this point. A lot of people count on the possibility of purchasing this park..."

Hitchen pointed out, "We are thrilled that you are organizing, we are thrilled that you are standing up, and we are excited to see how we can help you. And it really does take people saying 'no', people saying we aren't going to let you do this. People saying we're tired of being taking advantage of and saying we're going to work together."

Vesinos Unidos is meeting with a lawyer to consider actions.