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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMobile home parks move from mom-and-pop to corporate
By JENNIFER BROWN and KEVIN SIMPSON 2 hours ago
DENVER (AP) In the Aurora mobile home park where she lived for 16 years, eviction notices kept coming to Petra Bennetts door -- for unauthorized guests, lack of insurance, late rent. They were bogus threats to make the single mother leave. And eventually, she did.
In Federal Heights, Karla Lyons waitressing wages are eaten up by a constant stream of home and yard repairs ordered by her park manager, including removal of a giant maple tree that fell on her patio roof and crushed it. She would move if she could afford it.
And in Boulder, Greg Gustin carries a knife in the pocket of his jeans while on duty as manager of a 1950s-era mobile home park that is one of the sketchiest spots in town. When a resident was accused of strangling his wife last year and leaving her to die in the managers officer, Gustin pulled surveillance video to defend himself to police.
Across Colorado, where the housing crisis impacts both rural and urban towns, the strife between mobile home park residents and park owners is approaching a boiling point. The business model -- in which homeowners pay lot rent to park their houses on someone elses land -- exposes the immobility and economic vulnerability of tenants who cant afford to move or live anywhere else.
https://www.apnews.com/de31aa729f514f48b934bf23ebd3f641
Vinca
(50,170 posts)the very first thing they do is raise the lot rent to levels many of the people can't afford. It's a horrible situation for these people. They can't afford to pay the lot rent, but moving a mobile home that's been there for years on end can be prohibitively expensive. The only alternative is to eat the loss and walk away. It seems the most vulnerable are always easy pickings for the 1% whether it's big pharma or mobile home park conglomerates.
Wounded Bear
(58,440 posts)being bought out by hedge fund managers with some extra cash. Then they operate like the epi-pen guy.
onethatcares
(16,133 posts)who can afford to move a home that has probably been without tires and wheels since the late 60s and has a multitude of other homes around it with very narrow roadways. Plus there are all the amenities that are attached to them, water, sewer, power along with carports and screen rooms.
Then they have to have a place to move it to............fat fucking chance............even if they could afford to pay for the lowering of power lines along the way.
But those new condos sure look spiffy with them guard shacks and stuff. really spiffy.