Forum Tribune 02/17/05

We would like to thank Enma Leyva for her usual excellent reporting in bringing this story to the public.

--------------- Sale of mobile home park under contract. ---------------
by ENMA LEYVA
Forum Staff Writer

It's an issue cropping up all across South Florida. Folks who buy a mobile home typically do not own the land the home is on. That can be a problem when owners decide to sell.

Haydee Arroyo has been living in the Coral Lake Mobile Home Park in Coconut Creek for about a year. She invested about $15,000 in her mobile home and may soon have to move. She said she was never told that the park being sold when she bought her home.

The park is currently under contract to be sold and an application has been submitted to the city to rezone the property for a mixed residential area.

"I bought this to make a home for my children," she said. "I don't have any savings because all my money went straight for the home."

Arroyo is a single mother of three. She said when she found out about the meeting for rezoning, she cried.

"I don't know why anyone would do this," she said.

In the last couple of months, residents have either moved out or have been attending meetings at the community center in the park as they await what the future has in store for them. Hundreds of residents recently gathered at a meeting hosted by The Urban Group (not to be confused with The Urban League) in Monarch High School.

The group has been hired by owners of the park to assist residents with relocation in case the mobile home park is sold.

During the meeting, Howard Steinholz of The Urban Group attempted to answer questions, which were written on paper by residents.

He said residents would be provided with information on an individual basis. Some of the questions posed by residents were about the mortgages on their mobile homes, the schools where their children attend and the monetary problems they have.

"Hopefully, you'll reach out to us to help you, and that's something I'm looking forward to," Steinholz said.

Residents began to yell out questions during the meeting.

But Resident Melba Granados left early because she said it was a waste of her time.

"They were telling us the same thing as before, that they would help us find a place to live, we can do that by ourselves," she said.

Granados said she has been living in the park for about a year and a half and that her children have been attending Tradewinds Park Elementary for years. She said she doesn't know what she will do if the park is sold.

Other residents, who did not attend the meeting, said they have spend much more when they bought their mobile home than they will be compensated for by the state.

"I don't want to move out of here," Margarita McDonald said. "I bought this [mobile home] so my daughter could grow in in a house."

Although the fate of families is still unknown, some have made appointments with The Urban Group to see how they can be helped. (Unfortunately The Urban Group has been a budget that only allows for advice to be provided.)

One of the owners of the park, Todd Rosenzweig, said he had mixed feelings about what was going on, but park residents need to understand the park is a business.

"They don't own the ground," he said.

Rosenzweig said a fund might be established to help residents, but wasn't sure how much money would be in the fund.

Rosenzweig did not address the residents as they shouted for the owner to "show his face."

For more information on this meeting click here.

----------
Enma Leyva can be reached
at 954-420-0955,ext.330 by
fax at 954-420-0415, or by
e-mail at eleyva@tribune.com