# Florida Mobile Home Park Owner Bans Food/Meal Deliveries To Occupants



## WhatInThe (Jul 19, 2015)

A new Florida mobile home park owner bans food & meal deliveries from a local church food bank with the owner/property manager saying they shouldn't need assistance. One tenant was threatened with eviction for getting a delivery. The occupants are paying rent for space and many are elderly owning their home.The literature says assistance will be provided if needed(something about if people are destitute they will get assistance for them).

http://www.bradenton.com/2015/07/18/5900854_palmetto-mobile-home-park-bans.html?rh=1

The new owner/company is Glucklich LLC. Sounds like someone has plans for the land and not the tenants. Forced gentrification 101. Disgusting.


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## Shalimar (Jul 19, 2015)

That is beyond appalling.


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## WhatInThe (Jul 19, 2015)

Here some information on the new owner as pointed out in article.

http://www.businessobserverfl.com/print/california-investor-buys-carlyn-estates-mobile-home-park/

Buyer is Glucklich LLC from Sunset Beach California. With the principal being a Tonia Sonju. Purchased for 5.2 million dollars. Looks like it was remortgaged already.

Apparently the new owner started in Compton California in 1977 as an Apartment Building Operator.

http://www.corporationwiki.com/California/Compton/compton-afcom-inc/40227495.aspx


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## hollydolly (Jul 19, 2015)

Well there's probably more than one side to this story so I'll refrain from comment ...but I do have to make a comment about the woman who seemed to think that everyone has a family who can afford to feed them if their going hungry...and of course we all know that just isn't so...


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## WhatInThe (Jul 19, 2015)

hollydolly said:


> Well there's probably more than one side to this story so I'll refrain from comment ...but I do have to make a comment about the woman who seemed to think that everyone has a family who can afford to feed them if their going hungry...and of course we all know that just isn't so...



Apparently the new owner did clean up the place a bit and got rid of or reduced some of the drug problems. But I'm not sure if the existing tenants signed a new lease since the new owners took over. It is a month to month arrangement meaning the tenant probably has fewer rights than someone who has a yearly lease. The article says the prospectus not lease says no food deliveries without permission.

The women in the video is just as bad as the owner. No matter all of the 'story' or details this is still basically the gentrification of that park, every time a tenant moves out they can raise rent or not re rent until they have enough space for building/s.


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## BobF (Jul 19, 2015)

There are plenty of people that do not need free food but take advantage of that service when they can.

We do need to have services for those unfortunate folks and also to keep the unneeded from ripping off the truly poor folks.   I knew of some in Boulder Colorado that did that pretend starvation stuff.   That was years back and I hope they have cleaned up that mess there.


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## WhatInThe (Jul 19, 2015)

BobF said:


> There are plenty of people that do not need free food but take advantage of that service when they can.
> 
> We do need to have services for those unfortunate folks and also to keep the unneeded from ripping off the truly poor folks.   I knew of some in Boulder Colorado that did that pretend starvation stuff.   That was years back and I hope they have cleaned up that mess there.



The food bank says it's not just about being poor many seniors simply can't prepare their own food. I heard many food banks are tougher to deal with than the government when it comes to their food let alone delivery as far as qualifiers. Just to go into a food bank and get food off a shelf requires full financial disclosure with many organizations.


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## SifuPhil (Jul 19, 2015)

Mobile homes are an oft-targeted demographic. Their leases are nothing like regular homes, their residents tend to be easily-intimidated elderly and right now there is a hurricane of activity urging investors to buy parks and increase rents.


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## AZ Jim (Jul 19, 2015)

One of the reasons it's so easy to take advantage of mobile home residents is mobile homes are not real property, they cannot be mortgaged.  The people who put out the money to own the mobile do not own the land, so they are stuck if they can't get a buyer for their coach and become easy prey for greedy owners.  I know when in California you cannot mortgage a Mobile but I am not sure about other locations.


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## BobF (Jul 19, 2015)

WhatInThe said:


> The food bank says it's not just about being poor many seniors simply can't prepare their own food. I heard many food banks are tougher to deal with than the government when it comes to their food let alone delivery as far as qualifiers. Just to go into a food bank and get food off a shelf requires full financial disclosure with many organizations.



And that is why they are hungry.    Those are the conditions I was referring to for getting food handouts.   All this needs to be designated and enforced.   Those phoneys I spoke of in Boulder are the ones that cause problems for those really on the list of eligible for help.

Food banks and charities like the Salvation Army kitchens are not the same but have the same goals for the hungry.    Feed those that deserve it and need it.


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## oldman (Jul 20, 2015)

SifuPhil said:


> Mobile homes are an oft-targeted demographic. Their leases are nothing like regular homes, their residents tend to be easily-intimidated elderly and right now there is a hurricane of activity urging investors to buy parks and increase rents.



Phil...Just curious, but why do you think that is? I own a beautiful condo down there, but haven't been down since March. I will be going down shortly, just before I leave for Europe. I have friends that live in a mobile home parks, which one was a co-op and they sold it three years ago. The new owners have raised the rent that last three years 4%, which is the maximum allowed by Florida law. This year, they were also assessed another $15.00 per month to help pay the rise in real estate taxes. Many of these old-timers, like me, just cannot afford to pay these ridiculous fees. My friend called me the other day after he got his notice of the impending raise in rates and was hurting emotionally. It's just him now. His wife died last year. He is 91 and does not get enough SS to survive on now, has no assets, like an IRA and really just lives month to month. I met him while fishing about 7 or 8 years ago and we became good friends. He's an old codger with a wonderful sense of humor and gets around like he's 60 and not 91. 

After talking it over with my wife, I invited him to come live with us, telling him that he would only be responsible for his own food and laundry. He has a daughter in Minnesota and she invited him to go live with her, but he refuses because of their winters. He also turned me down. He said that he will have about $60.00 left over each month after he pays his bills and buys his food. It's like he said, after the raise next year, he will be down to even at the end of the month and that just isn't going to work. I think he pays about $700.00 a month in lot rent. I pay $330.00 a month in maintenance fees for the condo.


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## oldman (Jul 20, 2015)

AZ Jim said:


> One of the reasons it's so easy to take advantage of mobile home residents is mobile homes are not real property, they cannot be mortgaged.  The people who put out the money to own the mobile do not own the land, so they are stuck if they can't get a buyer for their coach and become easy prey for greedy owners.  I know when in California you cannot mortgage a Mobile but I am not sure about other locations.



In Florida, if you own a mobile home and it is situated in a co-op, then yes, you can get a mortgage because it is considered real property. However, you can only mortgage the price of the share in the co-op, but not the home. (Or, something like that.)


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## Pappy (Jul 20, 2015)

The main reason I bought our mobile home, in a community, is that we bought the home and the lot. Even though it is a over 55 park, the city owns the streets and maintains them. We borrowed on our place just like buying a regular home. We pay taxes on the lot, very little amount, and can do almost anything to our place without restrictions. We also have a HOA which is not mandatory to join, although to belong, we can use the clubhouse with other members,
We did not want to rent the lot as one is at the mercy of the owners or association. It is happening all around us. The rent is getting so high that folks are selling their homes for half what they paid for them. Luckily, ours holds its value and has increased in value a bit.


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## oldman (Jul 20, 2015)

Pappy...I don't know how much you paid for your lot, but my friend said he originally paid $40,000.00 per share in the co-op. His lot rent fluctuated between a low of $175.00 to a high of $305.00. This included, water, trash pickup and lawn maintenance. When the co-op decided to sell, all they saw were dollar signs. Each co-op member received $73,000.00, which meant they paid capital gains on $33,000.00. When I decided to buy in Florida, I was really considering a mobile home because I could have bought a really big luxurious home for less than I paid for my condo, but decided that I wanted something more permanently structured. 

The owners in the co-op were so willing to sell because they could not find anyone to buy their home. The average used double wide home sells for about $30,000.00 and then you have to add the $40,000.00 for the share. It is hard to find a buyer at $70,000.00 for a used mobile home. I paid $88,000.00 for my condo and pay $330.00 per month maintenance fee, which covers, water, trash pick up, lawn maintenance and outside building repair. I do pay taxes and insurance, so yes, it does cost me a pretty penny to maintain that home that I use maybe 3-4 months a year, but the kids also use it, so we get about 5-6 months a year use out of it. However, my $88,000.00 condo is now selling for over $100,000.00, so I am doing OK.


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## Pappy (Jul 20, 2015)

Lots are small, but we have great neighbors. No one behind us adds to privacy. Home is 24x53, 2bd, 2 bath. Enclosed Florida room and attached laundry room and workshop. Taxes about $300 per year and insurance is high, hurricanes, $1200 a year. Value, last time I checked, 75,000 to $78,000. We purchased in 2000 at a much lower price. We love it here and such a nice park.


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## Shalimar (Jul 20, 2015)

Pappy lovely pics, what type of water is this? A pond, a canal etc?


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## Pappy (Jul 20, 2015)

It is a drainage canal. Florida has canals all over as it is so flat, the water needs to go somewhere. There are fish and turtles in it. And, once in a while, a gator. A good place to get rid of stale bread. Turtles love it.


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## ndynt (Jul 20, 2015)

I can relate to that lady's situation. Looked into selling my home and buying a small park model mobile home, in Florida.  Even with paying cash for the mobile home....the lowest lot rents would have taken most of my income.  With not enough money left for all normal expenses...much less food.  And I am sure many seniors are in the same situation that I am.


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## Shalimar (Jul 20, 2015)

Thank you Pappy, that is cool. Can you catch the fish, or is that prohibited?


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## Shalimar (Jul 20, 2015)

Nona, I love your avatar. You look luminous.


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## WhatInThe (Jul 20, 2015)

ndynt said:


> I can relate to that lady's situation. Looked into selling my home and buying a small park model mobile home, in Florida.  Even with paying cash for the mobile home....the lowest lot rents would have taken most of my income.  With not enough money left for all normal expenses...much less food.  And I am sure many seniors are in the same situation that I am.



Rents are an issue everywhere. Saw several stories over the last month on renters losing the economic battle. The housing crash actually caused rent increases because fewer can buy/get a mortgage. Many landlords use the rule of thumb that if your monthly salary is less four times the monthly rent they don't want to rent to you. In other words rent should be no more than 1/4 of ones income. Many are above that and have a stagnant income unable to keep up with inflation period.

People forget but a large chunk of Florida's economy is based on retirees with fixed or limited incomes. Throw in a huge immigrant population there is fierce competition for lower cost housing/rents. I knew people who purchased beach front condos for 200Kish right around the time of beginning of the boom(2000ish) with a maintenance fee of 300 a month, by 2005 it was over 700 a month with many in the complex relying on a buyout or pension. Many were told to sell but in a boom that means the next place you go will be high priced as well. Heard many in Florida retreated to Georgia.,


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## AZ Jim (Jul 20, 2015)

A local TV station went out and here is the video.

http://wfla.com/2015/07/14/8-on-your-side-are-seniors-starving-at-palmetto-mobile-home-park/


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## AprilT (Jul 20, 2015)

ndynt said:


> I can relate to that lady's situation. Looked into selling my home and buying a small park model mobile home, in Florida.  Even with paying cash for the mobile home....the lowest lot rents would have taken most of my income.  With not enough money left for all normal expenses...much less food.  And I am sure many seniors are in the same situation that I am.




Nona, I can relate too, they keep raising my rent by outrages proportions to keep up with market value as they claim, it's what they can fetch, so take it or leave it doesn't matter how long of or good of a tenant you've been.  I've seen tenants who were here some ten years evicted after they got fed up and protested their last raise, literally had to carry one guy out he was so fed up, I felt so sorry for him, but, he's doing fine elsewhere, a number of old timers have moved out in the past few years, they were long time residents here there's only a handful of people who were here when I first moved in now most people seem to move in and only stay, these days, for just one year, it's becoming a revolving door living situation here.  But thinking I'll stay put one more year, just too much trouble and expense to move this year, but for sure moving next year.  I know, I know, I said that twice before, but, I mean it this time.  




AZ Jim said:


> A local TV station went out and here is the video.
> 
> http://wfla.com/2015/07/14/8-on-your-side-are-seniors-starving-at-palmetto-mobile-home-park/



The story sickens me the Bradenton/Palmetto, mobile move isn't more than some 30 minutes from where I live


Click first story under local stories on the top right Palmetto mobile home:

http://www.mysuncoast.com/videos/


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## AZ Jim (Jul 20, 2015)

So many are just stuck.  They own their coaches and can't afford to move them, or have a place to move them, yet can't afford the outrageous space rents.


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## WhatInThe (Jul 20, 2015)

AZ Jim said:


> A local TV station went out and here is the video.
> 
> http://wfla.com/2015/07/14/8-on-your-side-are-seniors-starving-at-palmetto-mobile-home-park/



A mananger in a golf cart following a delivery truck???

This manager is out of control. Just start the darn legal proceedings and let it play out in court. At this point with publicity the residents might get some pro bono services.


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## AprilT (Jul 20, 2015)

AZ Jim said:


> So many are just stuck.  They own their coaches and can't afford to move them, or have a place to move them, yet can't afford the outrageous space rents.



This is true, a lot has changed, it wasn't this bad, the market has gone through a long this past decade, it will swing around again, for some it will be too late though for others some will reap the benefits of the the upswing in changes, not just the people at the higher percentile either.  Either way, I myself will be moving next year, I refuse to pay another increase, though the location is worth it to some degree, but most of the thrill is gone, I'm ready to move on to a less costly area, this place is expensive by a lot of standards.


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## WhatInThe (Jul 20, 2015)

One of the things I noticed is that this Glucklich LLC is one of 5 LLCs listed to the owner/manager Tonia Sonju licensed in Florida. Either they are trying to split the liability or they have other properties/business in Florida.

http://www.corporationwiki.com/California/Compton/compton-afcom-inc/40227495.aspx

Compton Afcon Inc includes:

Szerencses LLC

Ganbatte LLC

Sortude LLC

Fulu LLC

Park Village LLC

Comments on some of the news articles on this claim this a known slumlord in California although I can't find any citations or articles yet.


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## AprilT (Jul 20, 2015)

This Puts Tonia Sonju as principal:  http://www.businessobserverfl.com/s...nvestor-buys-carlyn-estates-mobile-home-park/

http://www.wysk.com/index/california/seal-beach/38nk9ta/compton-afcom-inc/officers

It's an investment company, they buy up properties like these all over the place, I don't know if they are slumlords or not. They have no vested interest that I can tell other than to profit off their investment as do most people in the market.  I guarantee you the end result will be most people will at some point when it all quiets down be moved to other pastures.  That's just the way things work here in FL, the owners in these type of instances usually win out, they know their rights and make full use of them one way or another.  That's just the way things go in today's climate and especially as we look at things from a capitalistic standpoint in today's society.  

The particular residents in the matter may end up getting their deliveries, but, slowly they will be moved out if that is the goal of the owners of the land/property.  I've seen similar hoopla and when revisited some time later when the news die down, the people are eventually relocated with usually with the aid of some charities or govt aide; at least some of the lucky ones don't end up on the street somewhere, it does happen here.  It is unfortunate, but, people are disposable is how so many see each other in such situations these days.  Your fault is how it goes, don't complain if you don't have as much disposable income to keep up with those at the top of the chain when it's all about growing a portfolio increasing bank holdings in the real estate market.


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## AZ Jim (Jul 20, 2015)

I agree April, if they want people out, they'll wear 'em down and drive 'em out.


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## WhatInThe (Jul 20, 2015)

This reminds of the water front mobile park several years ago I think near Palm Beach somewhere where the owners were offered a something like 250,000 each to move out of what was described as a sleepy village. Most residents turned it down not only liking the life but said where would they go in a market with inflationary prices. I know people that bought a 50K beach condo in the 90s offered 250K during the boom that said the same thing-where can I go? I knew an inland resident offered 350k for a 60k house but the investor would only pay if they could get the entire block to sell.

Forced gentrification is like an employer forcing one to quit a job so they don't have to pay unemployment or severance.


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## Giantsfan1954 (Sep 5, 2018)

Cant be mortgaged because they depreciate like a car.
They're made fairly crappy too,except the newer ones,pre-1990 nothing is a standard size,so windows,doors,sinks all have to be specially ordered or they cost a good bit more.
Lived in one in upstate NY for 17 years,never again.


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## Pappy (Sep 5, 2018)

Posted back in 2015



Pappy 




*Living the Dream*




































Join DateMay 2013LocationNYS and Florida wintersPosts12,586​

The main reason I bought our mobile home, in a community, is that we bought the home and the lot. Even though it is a over 55 park, the city owns the streets and maintains them. We borrowed on our place just like buying a regular home. We pay taxes on the lot, very little amount, and can do almost anything to our place without restrictions. We also have a HOA which is not mandatory to join, although to belong, we can use the clubhouse with other members,
We did not want to rent the lot as one is at the mercy of the owners or association. It is happening all around us. The rent is getting so high that folks are selling their homes for half what they paid for them. Luckily, ours holds its value and has increased in value a bit.​
*If our country believes in free speech, why do we have phone bills ?*
​


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## C'est Moi (Sep 5, 2018)

Giantsfan1954 said:


> Cant be mortgaged because they depreciate like a car.
> They're made fairly crappy too,except the newer ones,pre-1990 nothing is a standard size,so windows,doors,sinks all have to be specially ordered or they cost a good bit more.
> Lived in one in upstate NY for 17 years,never again.



Are you referring to mobile homes or RVs?   I believe mobile homes can be financed with a mortgage and any I have ever been inside had standard fixtures.   It's been years since I've seen a new mobile home but even 20 years ago they were furnished with "regular" furnishings and appliances.   My sister and BIL had a vacation lake house in Florida that was a mobile home and it was extremely nice and well appointed.


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## Keesha (Sep 5, 2018)

C'est Moi said:


> Are you referring to mobile homes or RVs?   I believe mobile homes can be financed with a mortgage and any I have ever been inside had standard fixtures.   It's been years since I've seen a new mobile home but even 20 years ago they were furnished with "regular" furnishings and appliances.   My sister and BIL had a vacation lake house in Florida that was a mobile home and it was extremely nice and well appointed.


Here in Canada mobile homes can be mortgaged also. The home doesn’t normally appreciate like other homes but I don’t think depreciate the same as automobiles do.


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## C'est Moi (Sep 5, 2018)

Keesha said:


> Here in Canada mobile homes can be mortgaged also. The home doesn’t normally appreciate like other homes but I don’t think depreciate the same as automobiles do.



Same here as far as I know.


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