Coral Lake Mobile Home Park

In 2003 the Commissioners and City of Coconut Creek Florida began a series of acts that would conclude in 2006 with the mass eviction of over 200 families from their manufactured home community.

This site was at the forefront of the fight at the time and now stands alone as the only known historic collection of freely accessable articles, Attorney General Opinions, Commission and P&Z meeting summeries, documents, lawsuits, public comments, and more.

Included is some news reports and commentary on other manufactured home communities that were also being destroyed by cities in league with developers around the same time frame.

The former Coral Lake Manufactured Home Community currently exists as a half finished town house construction project.

If you own a mobile or manufactured home within the boundaries of the city of Coconut Creek, your home is in danger.

The city of Coconut Creek has written your park out of their Comprehensive Plan for the future. Their goal is no mobile home parks within city limits. This means your park will have to go !!!

First on their list is Coral Lake MHP, 4701 Lyons Road, Coconut Creek, Florida 33073.

Despite being here first in our area since 1974 the Coral Lake Park is under attack by code enforcement for the single purpose of building up fines to the point where the city can threaten foreclosure forcing the park owner to sell to any developer who will redevelop the park into an acceptable townhouse community for Coconut Creek.

• A two year moratorium on mobile home park redevelopment.

• All mobile home parks included in the Comprehensive Plan.

• All mobile homes added to the HUD affordable housing inventory.

• All mobile homes to have commercial land lease state protection.

• To have all code enforcement fines against Coral Lake dropped.

• Fair market value to be paid for change of land use eviction.

What's it all about: Florida law fails to protect mobile home park residents who own their homes and lease the land. Where once we were assured fair market value when the use of the land was to change, we are now offered pennies on the dollar to abandon our homes to the bulldozers.

What about the fines: We own our homes and lease the land. The park has wrongly assumed liability for home owner fines it is not responsible for and as a result we are losing our homes. The fines need to be dropped and the park reinspected and any fines applied to the owners of the items in violation. We have an Attorney General's legal opinion on the tax sticker fines, they are not the park's problem for the law Florida Statute 193.075 does not require a sticker as sticker-less mobile homes automatically become "tangible property" and are taxed as such.

What can be done about it: Local mobile home owners need to let the city of Coconut Creek know we expect them to fix their mistake and protect their citizens not take advantage of them when it comes to developers wanting to destroy our homes.

What's in it for you: Our goal is to save our homes and to put a stop to this nonsense. We paid for our homes and should enjoy the right to live in them like any other honest citizen in this city. If we fail you are next on the chopping block.

What about the Governor: Letters have gone out to all locally elected officials, representatives and governor Jeb Bush, asking for help, only form letters have come back with a few replies that leave the reader wondering if they read any of what we wrote. "i.e.: Our city is extorting our landowner into destroying our homes please help us." reply: "You need to discuss this matter with your city officials, we will soon reply to your request for relocation information. (a request we didn't make)"

What about relocation: Relocation is expensive. Most mobile homes that have settled look like they've been through an earthquake when moved not to mention the cost of storage and living expenses while the house is moved. The state fund pays less then half the cost of moving a mobile home if it can be moved successfully at all.

Can we fight city hall: This isn't a battle, it's about doing the right thing for the citizens of Coconut Creek. We live here, work here, children attend school here, this is home only they've mistakenly written us out of the comprehensive plan as unwelcome guests in their city.

How can I help: Take a few minutes to write or send an email to your elected officials letting them know your concerns about the land being sold out from under you and demand they protect you from such abuse. Ask the City of Coconut Creek Commissioners to protect the mobile homes at Coral Lake.

What about the FMO: The Federation of Mobile Home Owners is the only voice speaking for mobile home owners the state listens to. Join the FMO. Ask your neighbors to join the FMO., If they can't afford the minimal cost offer to pay for their membership. The more FMO members the louder our voice in Talahassee. Do it today.

Why don't you buy the park: No money, no HOA Home Owners Association, that opportunity has flown and besides the same fines would fall on our heads if we owned the park.

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