Fill out this form to email this article to a friend
Mobile home owners may fight for $18,383 each
The buyer of the Golden Lantern said the offer hinged on a zoning change.
By ANNE LINDBERG
Published November 26, 2006
Homeowners at the Golden Lantern Mobile Home Park are threatening to sue a developer if they aren't paid for their homes as promised. The Golden Lantern's homeowners association had settled with Triax, the development company that bought the park in late October. Each mobile homeowner was to receive $18,383. But the developer rescinded that offer, saying it hinged on a rezoning change that would allow Triax to build condos, apartments and a small retail center on the 19.6 acres at 7950 Park Blvd. The county reversed the zoning change after discovering that it didn't advertise the public hearings properly. The mistake meant Triax would have to go through the arduous process again, and it lost financing for the project. Triax has decided to close the park and let it remain vacant for a while. In a statement, mobile home owners said it is unfair for Triax to get out of paying when, ultimately, they think Triax will seek and receive a land-use change. "We, the members of the Golden Lantern MHP HOA, are not going to sit back and watch a greedy landowner/developer take our settlement and throw it away and give us $1,375 or $2,750 for our homes when we settled for $18,383 each in return for us agreeing to go forward and not fight for our homes anymore," according to an announcement from association members. "Someone has to stop these greedy developers. All we asked for was fair market value for our homes." The statement added: "What they have done to us is WRONG in soooooooo many ways. This stinks. It smells so bad, it makes Red Tide smell like a high-dollar perfume." The statement was signed by Laurie Cherry and Christy Short, two homeowners association leaders, and pledged to sue Triax official Kevin Voss. Homeowners have been given until May 15 to leave the park. State law requires the developer to pay owners $3,000 for a single-wide and $6,000 for a double-wide if they can be moved. If the mobile home cannot be moved, owners of single-wides will receive $1,375 and owners of double-wides will get $2,750. Ed Armstrong, the attorney for Triax, and Voss, a Triax officer, did not return several phone messages asking for comment. But Tampa attorney Joe Magri, who represents the Golden Lantern owners, said the suit may not have to be filed if the issues can be settled amicably. "There will be a lawsuit if these homeowners have their rights violated and that agreement is taken from them," Magri said. "Whether that will actually happen at this point is something beyond our control." Magri said he is urging all parties to do the right thing and expects to know in the next couple of weeks if a lawsuit will be necessary.
[Last modified November 25, 2006, 22:32:20]
Share your thoughts on this story
Comments on this article
|
by Robert
|
11/28/06 01:33 AM
|
|
The land can not be rezoned until the city follows s723.083 finding local affordable housing available to the client population, only then can the land be rezoned and the the park closed under s723.061 see Resourses AG opinion at www.corallakemhp.com
|
|
by Robert
|
11/28/06 01:27 AM
|
|
If park is zoned T-1 or M-1 for trailers it can only be closed under s723.061 for change of use and there is no other legal use before rezoning. Only two lower court cases have allowed closing before rezoning and s723.083 so fight. corallakemhp.com
|
|
by Aaron
|
11/27/06 01:28 PM
|
|
did you forget about all us renters in this park that sob gave us 15 day eviction we have to be out by Nov 30 woooohooo happy holidays to me and my family who can buy gifts now with the cost to move and all I hope he rots in ..good luck to you
|
|
by Naomi
|
11/27/06 01:23 PM
|
|
God bless you... I hope someone wins they already took my home and I got $1375 wow didnt go far couldnt pay to move into anything but maybe a box
My fingers are crossed I hope you all win
|
|
by Nancy
|
11/27/06 08:31 AM
|
|
sounds to me like Gene works for Kevin Voss ?? Gene the county has been doing the ads for meeting the same way for 30 yrs Voss was told by ast co attn they can side step the Charlie issue just an excuse not to pay by Voss GREEDY GREEDY GREEDY!!!
|
|
by rhonda
|
11/27/06 01:14 AM
|
|
This article is so full of holes. Who told you the county's expectations? If Triax or the attorney wasn't available, then who told you Voss was closing the park? Did you speak to his financial backer as well? Why don't you get the story right?
|
|
by Gene
|
11/26/06 04:48 PM
|
|
One individual forced the issue and won, but all his neighbors lost. Now all that can be done is to follow the State LAW. A law that provides minimum protection.
|
|
by nancy
|
11/26/06 10:22 AM
|
|
Kevin Voss want to leave out the affordable housing part of his land use thats why he wants it recinded we need the affordable housing left in Kevin voss is a greedy person $1375 isnt going to pay 1st last and deposit on something else!!!!!!!!!
|
|
by nancy
|
11/26/06 10:19 AM
|
|
what you failed to mention in this story is that the county is still going thru with there land use change its set to be done by March of 07 Kevin Voss wants to recind his land use change and reapply (his financing is still in place till june of 07
|
|
News
Fifty years ago, they were screwed-up kids sent to the Florida School for Boys to be straightened out. But now they are screwed-up men, scarred by the whippings they endured. Read the story and see a video and portrait gallery.
Print
Email story
Comment
Email editor
