Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Legislation is needed to help mobile home owners

By (Letters)
Published June 4, 2006

Re: Residents' fears come true: park sold, story, May 17.

Bay Pines Mobile Home Park has been sold. Once again a mobile home park has been purchased by a developer, uprooting the residents from their homes where they had planned on spending the rest of their lives. Not only have they taken their shelter, they have taken everything from them that they have worked for all of their lives.

Why is it that nobody seems to care except for the affected residents, who have no choice or say in what is happening to them? The government doesn't care, the county doesn't care, the cities do not care and the land owners and developers certainly do not care. The residents are supposed to walk away with a mere pittance to either move their home, which can never happen, and even less if they just have to walk away. What is a person to do with $2,750? Where are they supposed to go?

Why is the government, whether it be local or state, not taking action to change the laws? Why are the politicians not proposing legislation to correct this abominable situation? Why is the law allowing developers to basically steal the homes from under the residents, not compensating them in any way for the value of their home? Why is it that "I want it so it's mine" is an acceptable way to treat mostly seniors?

Just because someone lives in a mobile home they are not second-class citizens and should not be treated as such. You read and hear so much about seniors being scammed, big companies or businesses stealing thousands of dollars from them for services not completed, and seniors being taken advantage of by illegal actions. Why is this any different?

Mobile home owners pay exorbitant insurance premiums to protect them from disaster. There is no insurance to protect them from the vultures that swoop in and take their homes from under them. Why? Because nobody seems to care!

The plan that is in place to find affordable housing within 10 miles of a mobile home owner's current location, with the developer supplementing the rent for two years, is probably an impossible task. Where is this so-called affordable housing? If the developer had to give this money upfront to displaced residents as well as the property owner giving these residents compensation for their pain and suffering, maybe things would be different. Hitting them in their pockets rather than in the homeowners' pockets would make a difference.

The almighty dollar is more important than the lives of so many people. The sad part is that, evidently, nobody cares.

Wrongful arrests cause headaches and waste

Re: Arrest of wrong woman prompts review, story, May 30.

With total respect for what law enforcement faces daily and likewise for the number of times criminals claim innocence, we have to develop safeguards to prevent future instances where the county will likely pay out wasteful monetary damages. I can only imagine the helplessness of being unfairly accused, arrested and incarcerated, and the subsequent headaches to clean up the paperwork.

Discrimination runs deeper than fire chief

Re: Report finds fire chief was biased, story, May 17.

Oops, he stepped in it this time and can't shake it off. Clearwater fire Chief Jamie Geer has been found guilty of discrimination by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. No surprise Chief Geer has no comment.

Might I add that it's admirable how the city leaders defend their chief? However, they are the very group that has hired the temperamental hothead. To go against him would be admitting their shortsightedness. Remember this, all the denial will not change the commission's finding: guilty.

Sadly, City Manager Bill Horne's master's degree in Human Resource Management hasn't helped him here. The subjective judgment he and Geer made will now cost the community money.

With more than 40 personnel decisions made, none of them to hire a minority, where is balance? Horne's reply is, "he (Geer) and I have talked about increasing his diversity," further adding, "we won't compromise quality and competence." Mr. Horne, clearly you agree there is not enough diversity, and your second comment suggests you can't find qualified minorities. Mr. Horne, if you don't provide opportunity and look, you'll never find.

I suspect more will follow because you can't teach an old dog new tricks. What began as a contractual debate years ago has turned into a win-at-all-costs battle the city administration has waged on its firefighters. A plethora of actions against his men and women has taken place and goes without a public mention.

Now, the latest turning of the screws: Geer twice denying firefighters the opportunity to partake in the Muscular Dystrophy Association boot drive. This boot drive is about helping special-needs children in our community.

Where will it end?

New Port Richey

[Last modified June 4, 2006, 01:17:19]