Rules, rules, rules

[Norma]

We live in a mobile home park owned by Great American Homes. We have a lovely lot on a cul de sac - lovely maintained yard (even in this drought) and this past week received a notice from the park to remove a plant in our back yard that has been there 5 years. Have since received the second notice (have been given 2 days to correct problem.) 90% of homeowners in this park are up in arms, disgruntled and unhappy. The park picks something as petty as a plant in a backyard to upset an owner in the park who pays their rent on time (even months ahead of time) has a lovely home, lovely yard, hardly ever any visitors and maintain a low keyed life style. Why would Great American Home try to deliberatly ruffle a homeowner. So, to anyone thinking of locating to one of their parks....forget it. You'll only feel like your constantly being harassed by these people and you will become one of the unhappy owners who only wants to get out.

[rmurray]

Just remeber...tough enforcement of the rules is what makes the place a nice safe place to live...It will add to the resale value of your home in the future...So bew glad they enforce them....Sorry it can be a pain once in a while...Good Luck...

[robert]

While your situation seems somewhat extreme, strict rules are welcome by me. They keep your neighbor from having a car on blocks in the lawn, a non-working refridgerator on the front porch, a 8 ft. chain link fence with barb wire keeping the barking pit bulls in check, the 6 ft high pile of compost in the front yard, or numerous other "weird" things people come up with. Chaulk it up to just one of those things you have to life with and be glad someone is there to enforce the rules. I have seen parks where anything goes... there not a place where I would want to set up my home.

[Rita]

Hi Norma,

I also live in a rental community, and we also have rules that do not seem to make sense. I'm sure all communities do. And I also get annoyed and wonder why some of these rules exist.

But I look around and realize that this community is neat and attractive, and I feel very safe here, as a female who lives alone.

I think you have to "pick your battles" in terms of deciding what is really important and worth getting hot about. Look at the big picture.

Good luck.

[Eddie]

You didn't say what kind of plant it was that you were told to remove. Maryjane? Cactus? Stinkweed? etc.

I agree with the others. Community guidelines for living are just that: they are intended to make living in a land lease community more favorable than living in a cheap, site built sub-division where there are virtually no controls on the residents.

Believe me, I have lived in such a place, and I prefer the m/h land lease community with all it's seemingly "silly" rules.

[Frank]

Hi
you need to take a photo of all the angles of the plant. And have neighbors with similar complaints get together and sue for harrassment.

[Seven]

Norma,
I don't understand why a plant in your backyard would hurt the community but I am a co-owner of a community and will tell a story from the other side. When we took over the park early this year, there were loose dogs running around, junk cars that didn't run and a multitude of other problems that had given the community a bad name. We changed the name and put out a 30-page book of the new rules of the park. It covered everything, but nothing changed. We had everyone sign a sheet saying they had read the new book of rules, still we saw no changes. In May, we passed out a flyer that said "Magic" will be performed in the park on June 1st. "...on that day, all dogs running loose and cars that do not run, are not tagged or have not moved in 30-days will disappear." Things changed. During the past few months, a few have moved away because of all the rules but everyone else in the park is grateful for all the changes. It seems like most everyone listed above agrees that rules do make a community a safer and nicer place to live. For what it's worth, we encourage everyone to have plants.

[nancy davidson]

You are lucky to have such rules. In my park anything goes; but, you live where you can afford to.

[Louise]

I am sooooooooo grateful for the rules at my park. I live in a very nice park, and I want the managers to keep it that way. I have had a few notices myself, that at first I wanted to get angry, but then I realized that it is their job to keep this place in tip top shape. I am paying top rent for my lot, I want to be proud to live here.. By the way, what kind of plant is is? Its a pain but be glad for the rules.

[Chrissy Jackson]

While I certainly advocate Guidelines [rules] and the enforcement of them, this does sound a little extreme. And . . . for all of you . . . while a manager is charged with enforcing the Guidelines, you should be aware that they are also charged with explaining them. So, if they ask you to do something you don't understand, ask them [in writing] why they want it done, and ask them to reference the specific Guideline you are violating. Community managers are not omnipotent; they only have the power to enforce the Guidelines for the community. They cannot make you do something that is not a requirement under the current Guidelines. If you don't get satisfaction from them, take your question higher up the ranks.