Feds Throw the Elderly Couple Out of Their Home

What happened to the elderly couple at Lake Mead?

The 80-year-old man, along with his 77-year-old wife, could no longer live in their house. The cabin they owned sat on federal government property — and as long as the government was shut down, they had to live somewhere else.

Why were Lake Mead homeowners forced out?

The 2013 government shutdown affected many people living at Lake Mead in Nevada. People were forced out of their private homes because the homes sat on federal government property. Though property owners could still visit their homes, overnight stays were not allowed. In the case of this elderly couple, the Spencers, they had owned the home since the 1970s. They never expected this to happen.

The leaseholders argued that the properties were "considered vacation homes; one of the lease requirements to own a plot is people must have an alternative residence" — while the Spencers contended that it was still their property and they should be allowed in regardless of a shutdown.

Note: this story was reported by KTNV (Las Vegas) during the October 2013 shutdown; the original link no longer resolves. The shutdown ended on October 17, 2013, after which leaseholders returned.