Park Owner Sues to Have Senior Community Made All-Age
The owners of Napa Olympia Mobilodge in American Canyon, California, are suing the city to cause it to convert the mobile home park from seniors only to an all-age community. In 2006, owner Ken Waterhouse announced he would lift the age restrictions at the park. And it has been nothing but posturing, city measures to block the conversion, and lawsuits since.
Waterhouse, who bought the park in 2005, is suing the city, claiming that the park has not been a senior park for years, since past owners did not do a census of residents’ ages, as required by law. As a result, he wants the park to be open to all ages. Rents in the 200 space park are around $450 per month. Stick-built homes in the market are between $320,000 and $650,000. Many seniors contend that if the park becomes all-age, they have been harmed, since they bought their home with the assurance that it would be a senior park, and cannot afford to move.
“We’ve hired an attorney to go over the lawsuit” said Larry Asp, President of the American Canyon Manufactured Homeowners’ Coalition, a group that represents the park’s residents.
Frank & Dave’s Analysis of This Story:
Expect to see more of these type of news stories, as park owners try to expand their customer base to soak up vacancies. There are many parks out there that are designated “senior only” which are no longer in demand by seniors, and the only way to fill vacant homes and lots are with families – and they are unable to move in due to age restrictions. If someone said to us “do you like senior parks?” we’d say “sure, as long as it’s not limited to seniors”. You can still have a senior park with no age restriction, if that’s the way that the demand takes it. But you want to be flexible to react as markets and trends change.
Tags: 55 + Mobile Home Park, mobile home park and US Recession, Mobile Home Park Bankruptcy, mobile home park business, mobile home park business operations, mobile home park city inspectors, mobile home park investing, mobile home park opportunity, mobile home park tenants, Senior Mobile Home Parks
mobile home park investing | Frank Rolfe | 
March 26, 2010 11:08 am
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By John Merchant, JD, March 26, 2010 @ 8:40 pm
Some of those Srs undoubtedly now have actions against those MHPs that promised them Sr. MHP Status before they moved in and now find that status is changing, at the will and whim of the MHP owner.
By Terri Pardo, March 29, 2010 @ 9:04 am
I’ve been buying, rehabbing & selling 55+ mfgd homes in my area for more than 10 years. Private, for profit Parks have always allowed under 55+ buyers when they own or are selling a home.
As a Florida licensed real estate sales associate, not a day goes by that I am not explaining to a senior seller that their property is worth less $$ due to the limited occupancy. It my market it is the old fashioned supply and demand economic principle.
By Mike, March 29, 2010 @ 2:46 pm
Frank and Dave state that 55 and older communities are not in demand. I beg to differ. My new 150 lot 55 and older community took longer to fill than I thought it would but now I have 150 home owners who take great pride in their homes and this community. Older people have better ethic’s than younger, 95% of my rents are paid before they are due, and the other 5% are paid on time. I am planning another 55 and older community now.