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Orphaned teen barred from living with grandparents by senior housing association

An orphaned teen is being barred from living with his grandparents.
Generic room inside apartment (Getty/Kwanchai Khammuean)

ARIZONA (WTHR) — An orphaned teen is being barred from living with his grandparents.

Melodie Passmore told NBC News that her 15-year-old grandson, Collin Clabaugh, had been living with her since before his parents died in 2019.

In a Facebook post, Passmore said she was hoping The Gardens at Willow Creek, a senior housing center where she lives, would let him move in.

An attorney representing the homeowner association said in a statement that Collin "does not meet the minimum age requirement of 19," NBC News reported.

Passmore lives in the 55 and older community with her husband, Randy.

"The board appreciates the difficulty of these circumstances but must balance the interests of all parties involved, the Passmores, and all other owners who purchased property in an age-restricted community expecting the age restrictions to be followed," the statement obtained by NBC News said.

Although Collin had been living with her beginning Christmas 2018, the senior housing community wasn't aware the time.

In May 2019, she received a letter informing her that Collin needed to move out. Then on Jan. 5, Passmore said her attorney received a letter dated Dec. 5, 2019, from the association's board of directors, informing her that the Passmores are expected to be in compliance with the association's age restrictions by June 30, 2020," NBC News reported.

Passmore posted her frustrations to Facebook.

"So next time you want to rag on me remember to ask yourself if you have compassion and want to see him happy and living with people who love him or would you rather he be in foster care because some lawyers are trying to push his grandparents around and intimidate us," she wrote.

The attorney representing the housing association contact Passmore earlier this week stating the association would be willing to work with the family but did not specify if Collin would be able to stay.

Passmore told NBC News she would not be intimidated.

"I know rules are made to be looked at and adjusted," she said. "I will fight this tooth and nail."

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