Mobilehome park in recievership

[appletonbill]

The owner of the park I live in has been forclosed upon, and the park is supposed to go up for auction in April, unless He (the owner) comes up with the $300,000. Currently, the park is in rerceivership with a local law firm. The owner had a lot of homes he rented out, and didn't take care of, and rented to people who didn't have much for resources. Now, because of non-payment of rent, and other reasons (not complying with park rules), condemnation of homes, the park is slowly getting empty of renters. Some of the other home owners I have talked to, and I, are feeling like the last one's on the Titanic.

What I am wondering is. Do we have any legal rights? What someone buys the park, and closes it down as a mobile-home park, and wants to develop it for apartments or commercial property? My home is an older one, but not in bad shape. I don't think any of the other parks will let us move it in though. Is my only choice to walk away from it, with no compensation? Or sell it for scrap? Not looking for legal advice, just wondering if anyone has been in a similar situation.

[Greg]

You may want to do a google and find out who regulates mobile home parks in your state. you can then find out what the regulations state.
Many owners have been in your shoes, especially in beach front areas. Greg

[Mark]

My parents went through something real similiar in Florida. The Park was sold. The new owners wanted to build condos. The tenants banded together and spent thousands on attorneys. In the end they paid their attorneys and watched there houses be demolished without a dime for them.

Mark

[appletonbill]

You may want to do a google and find out who regulates mobile home parks in your state. you can then find out what the regulations state.
Many owners have been in your shoes, especially in beach front areas. Greg

Thanks for advice. We don't have beach front property, but the landfill is 1/2 mile east of us. Good thing the prevailing winds are westerly.

[appletonbill]

My parents went through something real similiar in Florida. The Park was sold. The new owners wanted to build condos. The tenants banded together and spent thousands on attorneys. In the end they paid their attorneys and watched there houses be demolished without a dime for them.

Mark

Not what I wanted to hear. That was what me and my neighbor were contemplating.

[Yanita]

Hi Appleton,

A few years back we lived in a park, new construction happening all around us. I approached the park owner about some info I had inquired from the city. It was info about a company that really wanted the land that this park is on.

Anyways, long story short, this park has over 200 hundred homes in, of the 50 or so that are owned by the park owner, no problem, he has several more parks that he can move the homes to...BUT, if your home is more than 10 years old it was not allowed.

He also said that in the event the park was sold everyone would have 30 days to get out...

Ever tried looking for land, getting all the permits in place, movers etc close on property in 30 days...

We lucked out, we had a 8 year old home with many nice upgrades, the park owner bought our home...we fell into a real nice deal where we are at now, but others unfortunately will not be as lucky as I.

Parks are closing all over the place here in Eastern NC, new development, McMansions, malls etc...no place for single wide homes, old or new. In the past year I have noticed that about all our MH dealerships have few if any single wides on the lots anymore. Everything is doubles and triples. They also really push the land/home packages.

I feel bad for all those put in these situations...

Please keep us posted with how things turn out for you.

Yanita

[Harry]

Hi

I wonder if this outfit has any answers for you:

Wisconsin Manufactured
Housing Association
202 State St, Suite 200
Madison, WI 53703
(608) 255-3131
(608) 255-5395 fax

Good Luck

Harry

[garrett_reukauf]

Found this site for ya too, much like Harry suggested with his reply.
This is the WIMHOA - Wisconsin Manufactured Home Owners Association. http://webpages.charter.net/wimhoa/

They have all sorts of helpful info on there site. On their homepage scroll down towards bottom, there is a "Breaking News" headline.
From what I can gather from their website, its an orginization for WI residents that are in the same prediciment you are in.
Hope everything works out for ya! I know it is a gut wrenching feeling to get a notice that your home is gonna be demolished and you have certain amount of time to get out. I lived in an apartment complex many years back and we got a notice that we had 45 days to vacate the property because the owners sold the land and it was going to be "razed" for a shopping center. We knew nothing was even in the works for this. The owners never said anything, infact the notice was posted on our doors and mailed to us, and it was from the development company that bought the property. All the resident were very upset and a felt betrayed by the apartment owners. And on the 45th day, the cranes and dozers were there at 7am. Fortunately, I had other resources to use.
Good luck man I hope things work out positively for you and your friends one way or another.

[appletonbill]

Thanks to all who responded to my post. It's nice to know we have the support and care of those in thew MH community.

We are going to be in prayer on this thing, along with some inquiries into some of the other MH communities in our area. The websites suggested in the reply's will be a great help. Everything is not "set in stone" yet, so I guess there is no need to worry about it. It's too bad about all the greed out there, that there are less and less places for people who can't swing a big house payment, and don't want to live in an apartment.

[Greg]

Now there is another possible solution. Depending on the size of your park and how committed everyone is, residents of the park could band together and buy it as a co op. It would take a lot of work and some leadership but it could be done. Greg

[Serena]

These folks got some outside help, and now have their own MHP--a miracle, when you think they could have been homeless. It's an amazing feat. http://www.peopleofhope.us/index.html

You're in my prayers.