To the Editor:
Well, they’ve done it this time. This mobile park and many others have been bought by two different investor groups from California. All of us have been seething over the rent increases in the last several years.
Over the last three years our space rent has been increased a total of $150 a month over an already high space rent. What’s worse is water and trash used to be included and now none are. The rent is at least $220 a month above the two highest parks in the area. After researching, I found that the two highest parks are also owned by the same group of investors. Some of the residents in this park are 85 to 90 years old and most are on Social Security fixed income. The tenants here own their own homes and many thought they could live out their days with minimal space rent increases in a senior park.
Several of us are trying to sell our homes and the space rent is so high that homes are sitting on the market for months. As soon as prospective buyers hear what the monthly space rent is, they walk. If we can’t pay the high rent and can’t sell, what are we to do? Is their intent for us to just leave and then take our homes?
Something has to be done through our state legislators to put a ceiling on rent increases in manufactured home parks, as well as apartments and other rentals, with a lower cap on senior rentals who are mostly on fixed incomes. We are all captives and are like sitting ducks. Let’s get the word out, appeal to our legislators, lobby for this cause and fix this atrocity.
It has now gone beyond a problem. It is become inhumane and should be considered criminal. Sure, if this would cause a hardship, a senior could file for Medicaid with the state, but how long would that take and should our state pay, once again, while the greedy fat-cats get richer on our backs? Help people. Let’s do something!
Debra Martinez, Keizer