Neighbors rally to help 90-year-old widow facing $150K in house-related fines

A 90-year-old widow in Sarasota, Florida is in a tough situation involving her home and the fines being levied against her by the city, reports the Herald-Tribune.

Marie Louise Sikorski now owes roughly $150,000 for code violations, and while her neighbor Miles Gomis has worked on making the fixes, officials in Sarasota will not acknowledge them, notes WWSB.

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According to city rules, a licensed contractor must do the work and Gomis does not qualify.

Meanwhile, the total owed continues to rise at a rate of "hundreds of dollars" per day.

As Sikorski is on a fixed income of $1,000 per month, her options to rectify the situation are limited, if not nonexistent.

Her dilemma has captured a great deal of attention on social media, and Tom Barwin, the City Manager, has since announced he's willing to work with the widow.

He told WFLA that the city offered to extend a loan to Sikorski, but it was not accepted.

The manager also commented, "Our magistrates here have a solid record of being extremely fair to people and it is not unusual to waive fines."

Sikorski is due to appear in court on June 23rd, according to the Herald-Tribune.