In response to the Friday letter regarding mobile home parks, I would like to state that there is more than land ownership involved. ("County plan unfair to property owners.")
As a mobile home owner in a senior park, we pay a rental fee that includes the cost of sewer lines and basic TV. Other than that, the amount pays for the rent of the land. Over the last 10 years, our fees have been increased by 35 percent. We have no option but to pay these increases, which in turn meet the rising costs of the tax assessment. We pay for our own electricity, water, garbage, taxes on our homes -- including fees for schools, fire and emergency agencies, while maintaining the grounds around us.
Underlying all this is a good faith commitment that the owner will maintain the rest of the property without the threat of selling it out from under us. Since, in our case, the owner collects nearly $612,000 a year from 99 units, it would seem the situation is very profitable. Expecting to collect $200,000 for a plot of land at Mariner Mobile Park is simply greed. This is especially true since most seniors have a fixed income (while costs are not), and no available resources to meet such conditions. The motive for such an offer could only be interpreted as disrespectful and patronizing.
There may be no legal obligation on the part of the owner to be more accommodating, but there certainly is an obligation to social consciousness rather than social engineering.
