South Florida Sun Times 10/27/2007

A TOUGH DECISION 10/27/2007

Faced with having to find a new place to live, Tower Mobile Home and RV Park residents ponder an uncertain future!

The stories are heart-wrenching. They pull at you in a way that you never would expect. It's the human side of being displaced at an age when most of your energy is spent on remaining healthy and making doctor appointments. Welcome to the Tower Mobile Home and RV Park. A place where the majority of the 85 residents are on fixed incomes, and the thought of ever having to move again is daunting, at best. They are on breathing machines, use walkers to get around, and a trip to the bathroom is often exhausting and wears them out for an entire day.

A few months back, residents of this chunk of real estate to the east of Peter Bluesten Park, and to the west of the Hallandale Beach City Hall and Police Station, were informed that the city, which bought the property from Dixon Perry Smith, planned to build a park, adjacent to Bluesten Park. That was not good news to one of the few existing mobile home communities in the area. Not good at all!

Each resident of the park would receive a year to get things in order and would be awarded $5,000 to relocate. Fair to those who have some savings and relatives to help, but for people like Veronica Kerns, it is like taking a knife and stabbing her through her heart. Disabled and not able to get around much, Kerns, a native of Philadelphia, would have to move from the only "home" she's known since 1969. That is something that her mind is not on doing – at all.

"What do think I'm going to do with $5,000," Kerns asked. "I get $600.00 a month to live, and nothing else. I will literally be out in the streets with no place to go."

Dramatic? In many places in the country, you could move into an affordable home. Property values and home and condo prices in our area happen to be among the 10 highest in the nation. So, just taking $5,000, and then of course, the $600.00 to $800.00 a month that social security provides, is not going to go far at all.

Terry Murphy is in the same boat as Kerns, although younger than most of the current residents at the 55 and over park. Murphy, a five year resident, doesn't see a silver lining.

"I am not here to start the blame game, but nearly every resident is on government assistance," Murphy said. "When city officials mention affordable housing, what do you think they are talking about. It cost you almost $1,000 a month to live in any type of apartment, and most of them are located in areas you cannot go outside."

This is one of those issues that doesn't come down to who is right or wrong. The City of Hallandale Beach owns the property, and of course, they can do whatever they want with it. That's how life is. What probably is the bigger issue is the amount of money that was settled on. Some in the city insist the $5,000 is higher than what developers would pay. That could be, but there is more to it.

Having been to New Orleans and riding through the Ninth Ward is an experience. But when the city said that they will tear it down and redevelop a good portion of it, there were 2% of the families that occupied any dwelling. At the Tower Mobile Home and RV Park, there are 85 families. Eighty-five faces that go with this story. That's the part of this you hate to see.

Vice Mayor Bill Julian worked hard to get the residents more money. He also suggested that some of the property should be converted into a modular home community, where these units would truly be affordable. The ordinance would need to be changed to allow modular homes, which have been upgraded through the years.

At the same time, Mayor Joy Cooper continues to see if there is more assistance Hallandale Beach can provide to these residents as well as others who should be in the same situation one day.

"I fully understand what these residents are going through," Mayor Cooper said. "I want to let them know that we are always trying to do what we can to assist in relocating to apartments or other mobile home parks."

For author and investor Joe De Falco, who has been a lifelong thoroughbred racing fan, the opportunity to purchase his trailer came two years ago when he spent $21,000 on a regular structure. By the time this gifted writer had finished upgrading his "mobile home," he had added three rooms, hurricane-proof windows, a three-ton air conditioner, outside storage sheds, new flooring, ceilings, walls and an outdoor sprinkler system, the Long Island, N.Y. native put in over $50,000.

He had seen the property, told the owner he would give him cash and the deal would be done by the end of the day. He did, and from his 223 St. John St. venue, can see the same Gulfstream Park where his horses run.

De Falco's love affair with trailers and mobile homes can be traced back to his days of shooting film. On locating sets often provided a chance to live in impressive mobile homes. He felt that it was the perfect place to live.

Because he was tired of parking garages, nosey neighbors and people wanting his advice on horse racing, he decided to purchase the trailer and get away from it all. He has money and still owns property, but this is more than just an issue to him.

"I have put so much into this home, it's an insult that all I am getting out of it is $5,000," De Falco explained. "As an investor, I fully understand the city had to do what was best financially, but there were other ways to do this without coming off as so hostile to people they never talked with."

"Maybe they should meet some of the residents and look them in the face to tell them they will have to find a new place to live," De Falco added. "It's tough to deal with life in general, but when you have cancer or cannot walk, you see things in a much different way."

De Falco's neighbor Don Unzicker knows exactly how it feels to see all his hard work go down the drain. Also on a fixed income, Unzicker has put money, time and effort on making his mobile home stronger. The $5,000 that he will receive is not even going to cover the expenses he out into his home.

"People move to a place like this because it's quiet, affordable and safe," Unzicker said. "Take that away and most of our lives are going to be turned upside down."

Two years ago, I wrote a story about how unsafe mobile homes were in our community, which is still true. I still stand by the fact that the government, and not the City of Hallandale Beach, should step in here and do something.

I know that Mayor Joy Cooper and City Manager Mike Good are doing everything they can for these people and keep to their budget that is designed to run the entire year, but at a time when health care is soaring along with gas prices and nearly every other good and service, it's time to look in another direction.

We need to help these people. If you have any suggestion on how to make the transition easier for these people, I want to know! They want to know. Contact me here at the newspaper or via E-Mail at sfsuntimes@aol.com

South Florida Sun Times

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