Sun-Sentinel 02/13/06

We would like to thank Kevin Smith for this breaking story regarding the Rancho Margate Mobile Home Park.

------- Margate mobile home owners fear developer might leave them in the cold -------

By Kevin Smith
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

February 13, 2006

Margate -- Someday Rancho Margate mobile home park might be the answer to a trivia question about what occupied those acres off State Road 7 before the townhomes arrived.

But today, it's a community of 243 homes, each filled with uncertainty about what the next few weeks may hold. The current property owner has big development plans and the current residents are facing a vague future.

"Right now, we're in limbo," said Dale Climie, president of the community's homeowners association. He and several other residents of the park seemed resigned to their departure from the 55-and-older community, located just south of Sample Road at 2900 N. State Road 7, and they were waiting to hear more from the developer.

Broward County records show the property is owned by Celebration Pointe Townhomes Inc., which occupies the same Miami Lakes office suite as United Homes International. Robert Briele, listed in state records as a United Homes director, declined to comment on the property's future.

Margate city engineer Emil Esteban said last week there had been preliminary discussions about increasing the permitted density level of the property; however, no papers have been filed with the city. But for Climie, the future of the property is townhomes and the only remaining question is what assistance residents might get in finding new homes.

"The park's been sold, it's going to be torn down and converted to townhomes," Climie said. "Our concern is the future. They promise to be more than fair with us and we want to give them a chance to do that."

Some residents, however, doubt they will find similar units in South Florida's tight housing market. Genene Ellis has been searching real estate listings, but the cheapest one-bedroom apartment she can find will cost more than $700 a month, far higher than the $490 she pays to rent a spot for her two-bedroom home.

"I'll have to give up just about everything I own," she said. "And even if you get into an apartment, it's like moving into a mobile home park because you have no guarantee it's not going to go condo."

Many units of the park still show considerable damage from Hurricane Wilma.

"I got some money from FEMA, but I can't spend any of it because I don't know if they're going to demolish my house in six months," Bob Sicilia said.

Residents will gather for a meeting at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the park clubhouse, and Gladys Gerson of the Senior Citizens Law Project will offer information on what legal options the residents might have if the park faces demolition.

At least one resident didn't feel too good about his future.

"If you happen to know of any large cardboard boxes in Fort Lauderdale -- where there aren't any kids with baseball bats -- put them aside for me," Sicilia said.

Kevin Smith can be reached at kssmith@sun-sentinel.com or 954-572-2009.

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