Midfield mobile home park closure
Not the best kept secret - that is the closure of the Midfield mobile home park.
A number of news stories over the past few years regarding the aging underground infrastructure in the mobile home park but one has to wonder how much of this announcement has to do with the current value of this land plus how much more in tax monies the CoC could realize in having this land redeveloped. Sort of like McCall Lake golf course (city owned), Highland golf course (privately held), Shawnee Slops gold course (privately held) - all of which are going to or will soon be redeveloped into new communities/light industrial/warehousing that will generate more long term revenues (taxes) for the CoC than the current uses. The current owners also make some money as well. The issue with Midfield is more troubling I suppose although no one held a gun to anyone who purchased a mobile home in that park and the writing has been on the wall for a number of years with respect to that park. Sucks though that a home owner there may not realize any gains because of potentially no where they can move their home and a mobile home that doesn't sit on a piece of rented or owned land is not worth much as the titled land (whether rented or owned) is what creates value in a mobile home. Quote:
|
Wow! Why is the city spending $20K X 173 when this was all rented land / leased spaces?
|
A better question is why won't they spend the money to fix the water and sewer lines?
Or is the City planning on letting this land go fallow forever, because it's just "too expensive" to fix whatever's wrong? What happens to my own SFH house in 40 years, and my water and sewer lines are old? Is there something unique with water and sewer lines for trailer parks that they can't be repaired? |
looks to me that the original developer saw the project as a short -term proposal and cheaped out on the infrastructure back in 1968. Now it's a 10 million project to replace that infrastructure. (about $55,000 per home)
Complicate the matter with ongoing hassles to raise the pad rentals up to market rates -- a heated discussion btw midfield residents and city officials for about 15 years now. |
Quote:
|
Quote:
The site won't stay fallow for long. |
Quote:
|
Quote:
Many units will have to be moved to dig up pipes |
So basically instead of what's being reported so poorly, the real issue is "trailer parks are freaking expensive to maintain in the long run".
|
I don't get why this is such a big issue, these people have 3 years to move!
|
Quote:
Quote:
"Instead of spending $xM on replacement of the pipes within the mobile home park the city has decided to spend $yM to provide for moving allowances for the current residents" Where x is dramatically larger than y. |
Quote:
|
Quote:
Which is still significantly less than 3 years |
Quote:
|
Quote:
I think it's the lack of alternatives that is making this an issue. Kinda like if we shut down a large senior's home with 3 years' notice, but had no replacement facility being built. |
Whatever the circumstances of the site there is no excusing the city re-nagging on the new location. If there were even a debate over whether or not another form of city controlled affordable housing should be eliminated without replacement the mayor and council would be fighting their way to the cameras to name and shame the proponents of the policy. It would be called exclusionary and elitist. We would be reminded the city is for everyone.
In any event, pipes can be replaced under pads. It's called lateral pipebursting. It is pretty straight forward and not very expensive. Three years or three days is sort of a moot point when your effectively being evicted from the city. "We don't want your kind" is sort of the vibe it gives off. |
Quote:
|
Quote:
|
Quote:
After all, if there is demand for affordable housing someone will step up. |
Quote:
IMO I'm sorry to hear that these folks are losing their plots, but at the end of the day the landlord (the city) shouldn't be held to responsibilities no other landlord would be. I haven't heard of an out cry like this regarding a condo conversion, though it's likely that some cases have affected as many or more people. If the city had signed some sort of agreement to allow usage in perpetuity then there might be a case here, but if it's similar to any other rental/lease agreement it's unlikely that the residents can even have a reasonable expectation that they could stay or be provided alternative locations if their current location was closed for some reason. As to the city re-nagging on the new location, was anything signed with the residents? This is a bit like expecting the Green line to be built before funding is secured or for that matter anything in the 10 year capital plan funded or unfunded. The city has the discretion to re-prioritize projects or cancel them altogether at anytime, even after construction has started and you as a citizen have no recourse against them. Lets put it this way, no resident of the park should have planned on the new location until it was ready for them. P.S. Isn't this something that you preach when we discuss the NCLRT being on the books for years? |
All times are GMT. The time now is 7:39 AM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.