Harper, Taylor Propose Consumer Protections for Mobile Home Owners

This would be a great law. Living is like living in a world where rent goes up, fees are given with out recall.

Hello, I have written you in the past and you did reply. I gave you the owners name Jeff Harlan owner of Springton court (glenmoore Pa )and hidden valley (coatesvile Pa) I do want to tell you. He has one office in coatesville for both parks. The office here in Springton court is just a building. with a sign office. It is never open and no phone number. If anyone out siders come to the office I am sure the couple across tells them it is closed. (They are good friends wtih the ouwner) I wanted to tell you this in case somone does check out my claims. The news one is people are mailing the rent checks and told it was late. If the owner does not like you he can just say its late and the people pay the extra 50 dollars because they are scared. We are paying 10 dollar for indoors cats. That is 10 dollars per cat. We are a 65 and over park this made it very hard on people. It is just a mess. No act 261 is posted I have spoken to a few neighbors and they looked at the lease and it stated they were given a act 261 when in fact they werent’t. There are no current leases just rules. What is a person to do they paid for a home they have to sign a lease even if it says they received the act 261. The people that have moved in since to took over ownership 7 years ago they do have leases. He did have the ones like me that have been here for years and years just sign a monthly fee years ago. He just raises it and sends us a letter, in the last case 15 days notice, though regular mail. This is one big mess. I do think the office needs to be open and act 261 posted. Its the law, extra 50 dollars a month for a person not the law. Rasing rent on a 15 day notice not the law. Again everyone is scared. Thank you I would love to talk to you
Thank you

Lost my home…Vanished!

Filing following Complaint with Tom Corbett:PA Attorney General

PASTE COMPLAINT

“After unsuccessfully trying to sell Mobile Home, located at 17 Alpark Ave. Pittsburgh Pa 15216, I posted an ad on Craigslist (11.08.09). The category was ‘Free Stuff’ and offered a free Mobile Home provided it was moved. Prior to that I placed a similar ad in ‘The Pennysaver’.

Unbelievable how many inquires I received as result of Craigslist posting. On Monday (11.09.09) I met with two of those respondents to show them home. Much to my surprise home had vanished. I believe those responsible are, The International Union of Boilermakers Local 154, the new owners of Alpark Terrace Mobile Home Community.

The residents of Alpark received written notification dated April 9, 2009 telling us to ‘Vacate’ by September 30, 2009. This was not an Order of the Court, but was signed by JM Maurizi Esquire acting on behalf of Union. (included)

An agent for the Union, Joe Fontana, acting in his capacity of Park Manager widely circulated the intention of the Union: was to shut off utilities on September 30, 2009. (Joe Fontana is the brother of Pa Sen. Wayne Fontana whose District includes Alpark Residents and Union Headquarters)

I believe there were at least 17 home owners and property tax payers affected by this turn of events. And, some of them raised additional concerns during this time.

Billing for water topped the list. Your office addressed this issue with previous owner Jane Mercer in early 2008. Your recommendations were incorporated into our bills beginning in March 2008. After sale to Union water bills soared. I protested to Union in writing, requesting that they do not deviate from previous billing practice. (included) They refused and continued to bill some for water and giving free ride to others. And, again I protested.

We were instructed to make checks payable to: Boilermakers Local 154 Building Fund, in a letter signed by Coleen Walsh, Building Manager. (included)

Money that should have been used for Park Maintenance was being siphoned into what I believe to be a tax exempt account. That money would have been better spent installing water meters on homes that were getting free water at the expense of those being charged.
These actions caused the son of one resident to proclaim; the Union, knowingly sending out incorrect bills, is an act of ‘Mail Fraud’. (This person’s opinion should not be disregarded, as he once ran for U.S. Congress.)

While that sums up the nuts and bolts of my complaint, I feel compelled to raise the intangible concern of Union influence on local politics as it applies to Alpark residents both as property owners and tax payers.

A Petition was filed with the City of Pittsburgh’s Zoning Board of Adjustments requesting a non-conforming variance. It was signed by an agent of the Union: Stannizo, a very well known entity in City of Pittsburgh government As a result adjoining property owners were notified and a public hearing was scheduled. (ZBA Case #109-09 in early June.)

I attended that hearing and protested by raising a ‘point of order’ prior to testimony. I objected to the exclusion of Alpark Residents from the notification process on the grounds that we were adjoining property owners most adversely affected by any change that would turn Park into parking lot.

I further stated that we were systematically and categorically denied due process. My protestations were deemed to have no merit and my request to reschedule hearing was denied. It is my opinion that the methodology employed by the ZBA reeks of Union influence, given signature affixed to petition (Stanizzo) and economic prejudice.

Interestingly, both ZBA Board Members attending were dismissed shortly after hearing. Decision was due 45 days after hearing. I have yet to be contacted by ZBA in writing. It was my understanding that all that testified were to be contacted in writing.

In this correspondence I have mention protesting actions by both the City and the Union on at least 3 occasions. Protestations are a Civil Liberty: Constitutionally guaranteed and left unexercised will further erode confidence of the many who feel left out of a process they believe favor the rich and influential.

I have an existing concern that the ’disappearance’ of home may be retaliatory.

Additionally, future concerns: as an employee of the City of Pittsburgh I am vulnerable to Political and Union influence. As anyone involved with Unions and Government knows all layoffs are political.

And we also know that Union PAC’s benefit Politicians both incumbents and those challenging, from Council Members to Judges…

These are my concerns.”