BY LEON B. CREWS
Sentinel Staff Writer
Apostle Tami Robinson says she is willing to go on record that she did nothing wrong in applying the state’s Adverse Possession law.
Apostle Robinson, founder of Well Pavilion Empowerment Center, was charged along with another woman of illegally taking over abandoned homes and moving families into them under the state’s Adverse Possession law.
Apostle Robinson has filed a lawsuit against the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office over her arrest and the arrest of Samantha Magras-Gavin, the woman she acquired one of the homes for in October 2012.
“Right now, we haven’t received any court dates, and I’m happy to say Samantha is still a member of my church,” said Apostle Robinson.
“However, her husband is upset about the impact this has had on their relationship and image. I think they are trying to destroy our credibility and make us sound like some kind of heinous criminals.
“I did my research thoroughly before I started this. I read articles about others who had done it the wrong way, but I later discovered they were following the same law as I was. Authorities just don’t like this, and I believe they trump up charges to justify their actions.”
Apostle Robinson feels if she can call the Hillsborough County Property Appraiser’s Office about the Adverse Possession procedure, and do it exactly the way they tell her, how can that be illegal?
“I filled out all of the proper paperwork with the Property Appraiser’s Office, and at no time was I told this was illegal and unconstitutional. Give us the rules on how they say it’s supposed to be done before we follow the guidelines that are available now.
“We’re not being told at any point of the process that we’re violating the law. They let us go through the entire process, ad as soon as someone moves into a home, suddenly it’s illegal.”
Apostle Robinson said this has impacted her ministry tremendously, and she has lost some members, as well as her reputation being ruined unjustly.
“I’m about social and economic empowerment for people who have been denied that right. I’ve been a mortgage broker for 12 years, so I know what I’m doing.
“With this process ongoing, I can’t go back to work as a mortgage broker until this is resolved. I feel it’s all intentional, and we’ve been tried and convicted without due process.”
Apostle Robinson said her goal hasn’t changed in trying to help those in need.
“I desire for this system to be a fair system. Don’t trump up charges because you may not like the process, or the fact African Americans are taking advantage of it.
“I believe if we had found abandoned houses in the inner-city, we wouldn’t be having this problem. Because we did this in upper middle class areas in the suburbs, it’s a problem. To me, that makes it racial.”
Apostle Robinson said they all have become knowledgeable about the process, and to some that is something law enforcers won’t tolerate.
