Evictions

[Wendy]

Chrissy,
We own an all age mobilehome park. Some of our residents have lived there for 25+ years. They've raised their families in the park.
On occaison we are faced with the 'adult' children of these residents being left in the moblilehome after their parents pass away or move to assisted care facilities.
Some of these 'adult' children won't qualify to reside in our park on their own because they aren't working or are involved with drugs, crime or criminals from outside the park. In many of these situations we are forced to evict the 'adult' child.
What preventative measure can we take to avoid the eviction process in these cases? We loose the rent and utiltities they owed but could not pay, they trash their mobilehomes so we have to haul them out of the park. They have no assets or wages to attach for our cost recovery.
And, because of the length of time it takes to evict a resident, these 'adult' children play havoc with their neighbors and our managers until they are removed from the park.
We have several of this type of eviction each year. I want to break this cycle and get ahead of this loosing battle.
Wendy

[Chrissy Jackson]

Sure, I have a suggestion. First, a caveat . . . this cannot be fixed overnight. Second, you must be thorough and methodical in your steps to overcome this problem, and it is indeed a problem.

Make a copy of the application currently on file in each of your resident files. Send it to each resident's home along with a cover letter. The letter should say that you are currently in the process of updating your files, want to make sure that residency and contact information is correct, emergency contact information, etc.

I am assuming here that your current Guidelines (rules) require all residents to apply for residency?

Then, in your letter, ask them to change anything that is incorrect, list anyone else not on the application form that is living there, and to verify all other information AND to return it to you. Mail it so they get it about the 25th of the month, that way you are more likely to get it back on the first when they pay rent.

Keep a map of your community and highlight the ones that are returned to you so you know when you have them all back.

Anyone who is living there, but was not on the application you sent out should be informed that they need to come to the office to 'formally' apply for residency.

Going forward, when an adult child moves out, quickly get an updated and approved application on file for the remaining family members. That way the one who moved out cannot come back in unless they re-apply for residency.