MHWeekly » Mobile Home Park Flood

Mobile Home Park Filling Up With Water

Frank Rolfe — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:45:22 +0000

The Chimney Park mobile home park in Mission, Texas is filling up with flood water – and half of the mobile homes in the park are already under water. Nancy Martinez, a park resident, said “I didn’t think it was going to be that deep. I rolled up my pants and the water came up to my waist by the time I got up to my trailer.”

Only three tenants live in the mobile home park year round – the others live there only in the winter, and live out of state.

“It’s probably a foot deep inside my trailer. I didn’t open the door because we got sandbags in front of it” said Martinez. At least one resident has moved their mobile home to a competing park that does not have flooding issues.

Frank & Dave’s Opinion of This Story:

Before you ever buy a park with floodplain issues, you’ve got to have a handle on what your worst case scenario is and how you would deal with it. Having waist high water is more than a small problem. Destroying people’s trailers while they are out of town is not good for tenant retention. Flood plain is a scientific concept – it’s not subjective. Figure out what the worst case scenario is on any property with flood plain, and see if you can handle it. If you can, fine. If you can’t, don’t take the gamble.

Iowa City Proposes To Build Levee To Protect Mobile Home Parks

Frank Rolfe — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 16:00:36 +0000

The city of Iowa City, Iowa is considering building a 2,700 foot long levee to protect the Baculis and Thatcher mobile home parks from flooding. With 160 combined lots and around 400 residents, the city believes that the levee is the best way to protect these residents from the type of floods that were experienced in 1993 and 2008.

The levee will cost around $4 million to build. If everything goes as planned, the levee could be in position by the end of 2011.

Frank & Dave’s Opinion of This Story:

Who would have ever believed a story like this? Ten years ago, most cities would have cheered to think that flooding would force a mobile home park out of business – now they’re willing to spend $4 million to keep them open. What the heck happened? Most cities have realized that mobile home parks deliver excellent affordable housing, and are much more desirable than lower-income apartments.

Mobile Home Park Sues City Over Flooding

perryburget — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 18:09:46 +0000

Huntington Shorecliff’s Mobile Home Park is filing a lawsuit against the City of Huntington Beach, California over recent flooding at the park. The park contends that the city drainage pipes are too small to handle the volume of water that occurs during extensive rains. They are seeking at least $1 million in damages.

During recent flooding, the park had damage, as well as tenants’ personal property. Those tenants have sued the mobile home park. The park is claiming damages which include loss of revenue during the period the park was flooded.

Frank & Dave’s Opinion of This Story:

You don’t see a story like this very often. Normally, it’s the park’s flood plain zoning that is being blamed. But you can have parks that are not in the flood plain impacted by heavy rains as well. Even the best drainage plans rely on storm sewers or creeks that can be jammed with debris and fail to operate. Whenever you buy a park in a low-lying area, particularly near a body of water, you have to make sure that you have 100% awareness of what the possibilities are if some type of flood device malfunctions. You don’t have to be in the flood plain to have liability issues with flooding -as this park demonstrates.

Residents of Silver Village Park Return After Flood

Frank Rolfe — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 17:28:20 +0000

Residents have started to return to Silver Village Park, in Silver Creek, New York, after a devastating flood washed away the entire 35 lot mobile home park.
“It’s a miracle that everyone got out” said resident Barb Amrozowicz. “The girl next door to me said “you’ve got to get out”. When I stepped down off my bottom step, it was over my knees.”

All of the mobile homes in the park were destroyed, including the park office. Following the flood, the park had to replace all of its infrastructure at a cost of nearly $200,000. The park now has 11 occupied lots, after the rebuilding. “I think it was a freak thing” Amrozowicz said. “It hadn’t happened in a hundred years. I don’t think it’s ever going to happen again”.

Frank & Dave’s Analysis of This Story:
Can you handle this? Complete loss of income, $200,000 out of pocket, and then only 11 units occupied, down from 35? If not, don’t buy a park in the floodplain. Maybe it won’t happen again. But would you invest your life savings on that gamble?