Mobile Home Park Sale Splits Community

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What's striking about Medford Farms and the Village of Glen Falls is that everything is so well maintained.

Few neighborhoods, block after block, can boast of the manicured lawns, clipped hedges and well kept homes.

The two parks, run by the same owner, are home to about 300 manufactured housing units for seniors 55 and over.

After Medvil Co-op members received word the properties were on the market, earlier this year, a majority of members voted to move ahead with the purchase.

But about one-third of people in the park don't belong to Medvil.

Park manager Bob Loizelle says a major concern among opponents is nobody in the Co-op knows what they're doing.

T.3
2:35 it's like me buying a mortuary, I don't know anything about burying anybody, and I would hate like hell to buy one, b/c I wouldn't know what to do.... my feeling is I rather see a company that knows what it's doing buy the park and make it better htan it is today.

Part of what makes people like Loizelle nervous is the property's price tag.

The Co-op has matched a 10.5 million dollar offer that the owners have received from a private company.

Medvil has told residents to help cover the loan and other costs; rents would have to go up.

And that scares a number of tenants, many who are retired, living on a fixed income.

A long-time resident, who calls herself Sarah, says the jump in rent would force her to go back to work.

T.13
:30 that would about double my rent, than what I pay now. The way it's been since I've been living here is was the rent went up gradually with the cost of living. So I figured I would be able to stay here. b/c every time I would get a raise in my social security, I would get a raise over here, so it would always even out. So I thought I could stay here until I died.

Rents at the park vary widely.

Some pay as little as $196 a month, others pay as much as $350.

Rent spikes such as Sarah's are a concern to park owner Beverly Kilmartin-Marino.

Kilmartin's attorney Scott Harris says that’s why she is inclined to take Chicago-based Hometown America's 10 and a half million dollar offer.

T.25
1:11 Hometown Am. Is better financed, is professionally administered, has success in administration of its parks in multiple locations, K. would favor doing a deal with Hometown Am.

Harris says, park owner Kilmartin considers herself a friend, not a landlord, to the people who live in the parks.

He says, through the sale, Kilmartin wants to leave a legacy of compassion.

That's a desire Medvil Chairman Jimmie Purselley has a hard time taking seriously.

T.30
:03 if the park owner is so concerned about the welfare and the rent increases, it's the price of the property that is driving the rents. And if they are that concerned about it, drop the price of the property and the rents will go down. It's as simple as that.

The sale of Medford Farms and the Village of Glen Falls has become legally complicated.

The Co-op has filed a lawsuit to force the owner to sell to it.

Medvil attorney Ovide Lamontagne says while the owner has a contract with the Chicago-based Hometown America, that contract actually gives his client the right to purchase the parks.

T.26
:23 the purchase and sales agreement made it very clear, if M. could match the offer of Hometown, the sale would go through to M. and that hasn't happened. What has happened is the owners are trying to change the essential terms with is Hometown...and to try to add material terms now....we believe...either are going to make it very difficult for the COOP, or make it almost impossible for the coop to go forward and buy these parks, by adding these terms that are new.

People aligned with Medvil are just as concerned about their future as those opposed to the Co-op.

Eddie and Grace Poland moved into the park about 7 years ago.

T.1
:13 we've put a lot of money into the driveway, into this property, we take care of the bushes, the flowers, and we put in the big two car, carport, the whole driveway and walkway. Well, if we had to move we would get nothing back...the land is theres....

The Polands say they have invested tens of thousands of dollars into the improvements and beautification of their property.

The two, who are in their late 60's, both agree, their biggest concern is that Hometown America would buy the park, and eventually turn the place into condos or a golf course.

T.1
2:22 it's just the fact that the Coop, we would be able to trust. We would work together. We would know what's going on. With the other outfit, we wouldn't...I know the people in it, b/c we are in it. And I would have a say. We would have no say with Chicago, that's too big a business for me.
The Poland's, and other Co-op proponents worry rents under Hometown America would be much more expensive than anything the Co-op is considering.

To help ally that fear, Hometown America met with residents earlier in the year and promised to limit rent increases.

Tenant Roger Buxton was impressed with the company's offer.

T.7
4:18 if you figure that we are at $295 and it goes up $15 the first year, and then $15 the second year, and like Hometown has guaranteed us, it won't go up more than 6% from then on, it's going to take a long time for us to get to where M. wants us tomorrow.

But promises of rent control can be exaggerated.

Some in favor of a Hometown deal believe the firm would not increase rent more than 6% a year, after assuming ownership.

However, according to a document from Medvil's attorney, after four years there are no rent protections.

The current owner's attorney says the terms of that contract have not been finalized.

A lack of trust is at the heart of the dispute that is pitting neighbors and friends against each other.

Some don't trust the Co-op, some don't trust the company. Regardless of who ultimately ends up owning the mobile home park, the process will leave its mark on years of good relations.

For NHPR News, I'm DG.