Wednesday, October 7, 2009
York, PA: Economic Human Rights Violations in Fair Valley Community, a mobile home park
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Fair Valley Community is a mobile home park in Central PA. Recently, the land has been sold to Multi Ventures Inc. out of Baltimore who renamed the land Fair Valley L.P.. They contracted a company to "manage the land" or, more accurately,push the residents out.
Many of the residents of Fair Valley community were not given a fair deal for their homes. Most felt pressured into making agreements to sell their home for way under its value. Some were offered $500 for their homes when to estimated value would have been 8,000 - 15,000.
They have been paying taxes on what the property is worth.
They are told that if they do not leave with in this given time frame, their home will be destroyed. many of the Trailers are too old to be moved. If the trailer is new enough to move then the average cost to move a Mobile home is 7,000.
Fair Valley is home to many elderly folks who don't have the resources to move.
Read more at our previous post:
Human Rights Violations Happening in York, PA
Many of the residents of Fair Valley community were not given a fair deal for their homes. Most felt pressured into making agreements to sell their home for way under its value. Some were offered $500 for their homes when to estimated value would have been 8,000 - 15,000.
They have been paying taxes on what the property is worth.
They are told that if they do not leave with in this given time frame, their home will be destroyed. many of the Trailers are too old to be moved. If the trailer is new enough to move then the average cost to move a Mobile home is 7,000.
Fair Valley is home to many elderly folks who don't have the resources to move.
Read more at our previous post:
Human Rights Violations Happening in York, PA
Labels: Cheri Honkala, Deb Rothrock, Fair Valley Mobile Home Court, Justin Watkins, Multi-Properties Inc., Multi-Ventures, Natashia Euler, PA PPEHRC
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Human Rights Violations Happening in York, PA
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Fair Valley Community is a mobile home park in Central PA. Recently, the land has been sold to Multi Ventures Inc. out of Baltimore who renamed the land Fair Valley L.P.. They contracted a company to "manage the land" or, more accurately,push the residents out.Many of the residents of Fair Valley community were not given a fair deal for their homes. Most felt pressured into making agreements to sell their home for way under its value. Some were offered $500 for their homes when to estimated value would have been 8,000 - 15,000.
They have been paying taxes on what the property is worth.
They are told that if they do not leave with in this given time frame, their home will be destroyed. many of the Trailers are too old to be moved. If the trailer is new enough to move then the average cost to move a Mobile home is 7,000.
Fair Valley is home to many elderly folks who don't have the resources to move.
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| Charlie Graham, an 80 year old veteran,has lived at Fair Valley for 35 years. His mobile home is too old to move. They offered him $500 for the trailer. He has no where to go. |
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| Eugene Livingston's trailer is in great condition, but its from 1969 and they said that is too old to move. He has no idea what him and his wife are going to do. He has been depressed since he found out that his home will be destroyed. even if they could move it, the estimated cost of moving a trailer cost $7,000. |
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David and Barbara Malone were told by the previous land owners a year ago to pay 2,000 to move their trailer 300 yards from an adjacent property to this trailer park. The same land owners turn around and sell the property they were just moved to. Now they are being told that it will cost 7,000 to move their trailer. They are both working, but still will not be able to come up with that kind of money in a couple months. |
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(From R to L)Natashia Euler, KWRU and PA-PPEHRC; Eugene Livingston, Fair Valley Mobile Home Community Resident; Cheri Honkala, PPEHRC; Deborah Roth-Rock, PA-PPEHRC and Fair Valley Mobile Home Community Resident. Deborah's home is to old to be moved. She has been advocating for the residents of Fair Valley to have more time and get fair options. |
Labels: Cheri Honkala, Deb Rothrock, Fair Valley Mobile Home Court, Justin Watkins, Multi-Properties Inc., Multi-Ventures, Natashia Euler, PA PPEHRC
Tenants Are Forced To Leave Their Mobile Home Park
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Original Article: http://www.fox43.com/news/wpmtfox43-troy-martin-mobile-home-08-09-2009,0,574858.story
Tenants Are Forced To Leave Their Mobile Home Park
Troy Martin Staff reporter
4:38 PM EDT, August 9, 2009
About 100 people live in the Fair Valley Mobile Home Court in York Township, York County. In July, tenants received a letter stating the trailer park was closing and they needed to move out to make way for new townhouses. Most of the tenants receive disability benefits, Social Security, or welfare and do not have the money to move or pay for another place.
"Shock and amazement that somebody could do this to another human being," said Jacquelyn Charlton, tenant.
Neighbors say the management group called Multi-Properties Incorporated has offered to buy their homes for a mere $500.00. The tenants say that's far below market value.
"Give us a break and give us what are place is worth," said Charles Graham, tenant.
"They have the law on their side, so we have to move out, we don't have a choice, but the rotten payment they want to give us of $500.00, that sucks," argued Eugene Livingston, tenant.
The management company has offered tenants $2,000.00 to move their homes, but most are too old to move. Debra Rothrock says it's not fair to be kicked out of her own home.
"I'm on disability, I don't have enough funding, I can't get loans to pay for the moving of my home, my home is to old for me to move, so I'm screwed, now I lost my home I don't have one now," said Rothrock.
FOX43'S calls to Multi-Properties Incorporated were not returned.
Tenants have until January 15, 2010 to move out of the mobile home park.
Copyright © 2009, WPMT-TV
Tenants Are Forced To Leave Their Mobile Home Park
Troy Martin Staff reporter
4:38 PM EDT, August 9, 2009
About 100 people live in the Fair Valley Mobile Home Court in York Township, York County. In July, tenants received a letter stating the trailer park was closing and they needed to move out to make way for new townhouses. Most of the tenants receive disability benefits, Social Security, or welfare and do not have the money to move or pay for another place.
"Shock and amazement that somebody could do this to another human being," said Jacquelyn Charlton, tenant.
Neighbors say the management group called Multi-Properties Incorporated has offered to buy their homes for a mere $500.00. The tenants say that's far below market value.
"Give us a break and give us what are place is worth," said Charles Graham, tenant.
"They have the law on their side, so we have to move out, we don't have a choice, but the rotten payment they want to give us of $500.00, that sucks," argued Eugene Livingston, tenant.
The management company has offered tenants $2,000.00 to move their homes, but most are too old to move. Debra Rothrock says it's not fair to be kicked out of her own home.
"I'm on disability, I don't have enough funding, I can't get loans to pay for the moving of my home, my home is to old for me to move, so I'm screwed, now I lost my home I don't have one now," said Rothrock.
FOX43'S calls to Multi-Properties Incorporated were not returned.
Tenants have until January 15, 2010 to move out of the mobile home park.
Copyright © 2009, WPMT-TV
Labels: Cheri Honkala, Deb Rothrock, Fair Valley Mobile Home Court, Justin Watkins, Multi-Properties Inc., Multi-Ventures, PA PPEHRC
Fair Valley residents band together to stay put in York Twp.
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Fair Valley residents band together to stay put in York Twp.
PETER MERGENTHALER The York Dispatch
Posted: 09/09/2009 10:49:06 AM EDT
As the deadline to move out approaches for residents of Fair Valley Mobile Home Park in York Township, the neighborhood is banding together.
At a news conference Tuesday, Cheri Honkala, national organizer for the Philadelphia-based Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign, said her organization is working with attorneys and outreach groups to extend Fair Valley residents' moving deadline and get more compensation for their homes.
"These residents matter," she said outside the York Township municipal building Tuesday afternoon. "They're human beings, and they should be treated like human beings."
Property owner Multi-Properties Inc. of Baltimore notified tenants in mid-July that they have until 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 15 to move or
Cheri Honkala, back to camera, national organizer for the Poor People s Economic Human Rights Campaign, stands outside the York Township municipal building during a protest Tuesday. (Peter Mergenthaler Photo)
vacate their homes. The company has offered to refund two months' rent and $2,000 toward the cost of moving to another mobile home park if tenants agree to leave by Nov. 30.
Should residents decide to stay longer, they would be refunded two months' rent and receive $500 to turn over the title to their units.
Not enough: Though several Fair Valley residents have moved out since or are in the process of doing so, many of the remaining residents are bristling at the offer, which they say undervalues their homes.
Dave and Barb Malone, who relocated to Fair Valley about two years ago after an adjoining trailer park was closed, said their home has been assessed at more than $17,000. If they give it up, they should get far more than $500 in return, they said.
And moving the home -- even to another site in York County -- would cost thousands more than the $2,000 Multi-Properties has pledged to pitch in, Dave said.
"Where's the justice?" Barb said.
Multi-Properties Vice President Richard Hantgan said the money is an incentive to work cooperatively on exchanging the title and isn't meant to be considered an offer to purchase the trailers.
"The $500 wasn't an attempt to buy people out for a low amount," he said. "Seeking a title is a slow and arduous process. We have people who've abandoned their trailers and left town, and we didn't want to chase them."
'Screwed': Whatever the rationale, the money is small comfort to Charlie Graham, 81, who has lived in the neighborhood since his wife died 32 years ago.
"This is my home," he said. "We're getting screwed."
A Navy veteran of World War II, Graham has undergone a host of surgeries and other medical procedures since an accident in 1983, when he was struck by a vehicle while working on a used Chevrolet car lot.
Since then, he's had several knee replacements and operations on his neck and left foot. His son has offered to take him in at his home in the Poconos, but Graham said that would put him 24 miles from the nearest doctor, VFW or American Legion post.
In York County, "I can just get on the phone, and in five minutes," an ambulance arrives, he said.
Why, what's next: The company decided to close the park for a variety of reasons, Hantgan said. Revenue from tenants' rent isn't enough to cover some of the costs of owning the property and streets, and Hantgan said natural gas pipes throughout the park were in "terrible condition" when Multi-Properties acquired the neighborhood early this year.
"It's a process that we really inherited," he said.
Law requires the company to offer only 30 days' notice, and the company isn't forced to extend any financial assistance to residents, Hantgan said.
But by offering some money and connecting residents with area resources -- including communities for seniors and other mobile home parks in the county -- Multi-Properties is working to allay concerns, he said.
"We're trying to work with them. We're trying to give them time. We're providing financial contributions," he said. "It's above and beyond what's been required."
When the park is closed, Multi-Properties will begin moving toward some sort of for-rent or for-sale residential community. That process includes mounting a study of demand in the area and waiting for the real estate market to rebound, Hantgan said.
-- Reach Peter Mergenthaler at 505-5439 or pmer genthaler@yorkdispatch.com.
PETER MERGENTHALER The York Dispatch
Posted: 09/09/2009 10:49:06 AM EDT
As the deadline to move out approaches for residents of Fair Valley Mobile Home Park in York Township, the neighborhood is banding together.
At a news conference Tuesday, Cheri Honkala, national organizer for the Philadelphia-based Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign, said her organization is working with attorneys and outreach groups to extend Fair Valley residents' moving deadline and get more compensation for their homes.
"These residents matter," she said outside the York Township municipal building Tuesday afternoon. "They're human beings, and they should be treated like human beings."
Property owner Multi-Properties Inc. of Baltimore notified tenants in mid-July that they have until 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 15 to move or
Cheri Honkala, back to camera, national organizer for the Poor People s Economic Human Rights Campaign, stands outside the York Township municipal building during a protest Tuesday. (Peter Mergenthaler Photo)
vacate their homes. The company has offered to refund two months' rent and $2,000 toward the cost of moving to another mobile home park if tenants agree to leave by Nov. 30.
Should residents decide to stay longer, they would be refunded two months' rent and receive $500 to turn over the title to their units.
Not enough: Though several Fair Valley residents have moved out since or are in the process of doing so, many of the remaining residents are bristling at the offer, which they say undervalues their homes.
Dave and Barb Malone, who relocated to Fair Valley about two years ago after an adjoining trailer park was closed, said their home has been assessed at more than $17,000. If they give it up, they should get far more than $500 in return, they said.
And moving the home -- even to another site in York County -- would cost thousands more than the $2,000 Multi-Properties has pledged to pitch in, Dave said.
"Where's the justice?" Barb said.
Multi-Properties Vice President Richard Hantgan said the money is an incentive to work cooperatively on exchanging the title and isn't meant to be considered an offer to purchase the trailers.
"The $500 wasn't an attempt to buy people out for a low amount," he said. "Seeking a title is a slow and arduous process. We have people who've abandoned their trailers and left town, and we didn't want to chase them."
'Screwed': Whatever the rationale, the money is small comfort to Charlie Graham, 81, who has lived in the neighborhood since his wife died 32 years ago.
"This is my home," he said. "We're getting screwed."
A Navy veteran of World War II, Graham has undergone a host of surgeries and other medical procedures since an accident in 1983, when he was struck by a vehicle while working on a used Chevrolet car lot.
Since then, he's had several knee replacements and operations on his neck and left foot. His son has offered to take him in at his home in the Poconos, but Graham said that would put him 24 miles from the nearest doctor, VFW or American Legion post.
In York County, "I can just get on the phone, and in five minutes," an ambulance arrives, he said.
Why, what's next: The company decided to close the park for a variety of reasons, Hantgan said. Revenue from tenants' rent isn't enough to cover some of the costs of owning the property and streets, and Hantgan said natural gas pipes throughout the park were in "terrible condition" when Multi-Properties acquired the neighborhood early this year.
"It's a process that we really inherited," he said.
Law requires the company to offer only 30 days' notice, and the company isn't forced to extend any financial assistance to residents, Hantgan said.
But by offering some money and connecting residents with area resources -- including communities for seniors and other mobile home parks in the county -- Multi-Properties is working to allay concerns, he said.
"We're trying to work with them. We're trying to give them time. We're providing financial contributions," he said. "It's above and beyond what's been required."
When the park is closed, Multi-Properties will begin moving toward some sort of for-rent or for-sale residential community. That process includes mounting a study of demand in the area and waiting for the real estate market to rebound, Hantgan said.
-- Reach Peter Mergenthaler at 505-5439 or pmer genthaler@yorkdispatch.com.
Labels: Cheri Honkala, Deb Rothrock, Fair Valley Mobile Home Court, Justin Watkins, Multi-Properties Inc., Multi-Ventures, PA PPEHRC
Mobile home park residents fight back
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Mobile home park residents fight back
Fair Valley Mobile Home Court residents have hired a group to help them get more time -- and maybe a better deal -- to move.
By GREG GROSS
For the Daily Record/Sunday News
Updated: 09/08/2009 11:34:16 PM EDT
Some Fair Valley Mobile Home Court residents after fighting back after learning they are being evicted from their York Township trailer park.
"This is not how we treat our neighbors. This is not how we treat our elderly," said Cheri Honkala, a member of the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign, a Philadelphia-based group that fights for people living in poverty.
Residents and their supporters held a rally and news conference before the township commissioners meeting Tuesday night outside the township municipal building.
Honkala asked township official to hold a public hearing so commissioners can hear residents' stories. She also said lawyers are looking into the legality of the process used to evict the residents.
The park was sold recently to the Maryland development and property-management companies Multi-Properties Inc. and Multi-Ventures.
The park boasts 39 lots, 35 of which have homes on them. Honkala said about 100 people's lives are being disrupted because they are being forced to move.
About 30 residents and their supporters attended the meeting.
"All we want is more time," said Deb Rothrock, a park resident and campaign member.
A letter sent to park residents in July stated they would be given $2,000 to help cover the roughly $6,000 bill to move their homes. Residents also have the option to collect $500 if they choose to leave their trailers at the park when they move.
Residents must leave by Jan. 15.
However, many of the trailers are too old to be moved, Honkala said, and some would likely be destroyed if they were hauled.
During the rally, one resident pleaded for help from anyone with a truck who can help him move his home and belongings.
Justin Watkins, a youth pastor at Grace United Methodist Church in Millersville, said he has created a Facebook page to garner support for the residents.
"For a people of faith, this is not right," Watkins said. "This is unjust. People don't treat people like this."
If you go
What: A "reality tour" of the Fair Valley Mobile Home Court
Where: 2505 S. George Street in York Township
When: 10 a.m. Sept. 29
Fair Valley Mobile Home Court residents have hired a group to help them get more time -- and maybe a better deal -- to move.
By GREG GROSS
For the Daily Record/Sunday News
Updated: 09/08/2009 11:34:16 PM EDT
Some Fair Valley Mobile Home Court residents after fighting back after learning they are being evicted from their York Township trailer park.
"This is not how we treat our neighbors. This is not how we treat our elderly," said Cheri Honkala, a member of the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign, a Philadelphia-based group that fights for people living in poverty.
Residents and their supporters held a rally and news conference before the township commissioners meeting Tuesday night outside the township municipal building.
Honkala asked township official to hold a public hearing so commissioners can hear residents' stories. She also said lawyers are looking into the legality of the process used to evict the residents.
The park was sold recently to the Maryland development and property-management companies Multi-Properties Inc. and Multi-Ventures.
The park boasts 39 lots, 35 of which have homes on them. Honkala said about 100 people's lives are being disrupted because they are being forced to move.
About 30 residents and their supporters attended the meeting.
"All we want is more time," said Deb Rothrock, a park resident and campaign member.
A letter sent to park residents in July stated they would be given $2,000 to help cover the roughly $6,000 bill to move their homes. Residents also have the option to collect $500 if they choose to leave their trailers at the park when they move.
Residents must leave by Jan. 15.
However, many of the trailers are too old to be moved, Honkala said, and some would likely be destroyed if they were hauled.
During the rally, one resident pleaded for help from anyone with a truck who can help him move his home and belongings.
Justin Watkins, a youth pastor at Grace United Methodist Church in Millersville, said he has created a Facebook page to garner support for the residents.
"For a people of faith, this is not right," Watkins said. "This is unjust. People don't treat people like this."
If you go
What: A "reality tour" of the Fair Valley Mobile Home Court
Where: 2505 S. George Street in York Township
When: 10 a.m. Sept. 29
Labels: Cheri Honkala, Deb Rothrock, Fair Valley Mobile Home Court, Justin Watkins, Multi-Properties Inc., Multi-Ventures, PPEHRC
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