HARRISBURG – April 8, 2013 – (RealEstateRama) — Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane today announced that the Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection has filed a lawsuit against the owners of a Centre County mobile home park over allegations that they violated the Manufactured Home Community Rights Act and the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law.
Kane said that Kenneth Mayes II and his sister Sharon Mayes, who own Hilltop Mobile Home Park in State College, Centre County, entered into a conditional sales agreement with Trinitas Ventures, LLC – a student housing developer – causing the residents of their mobile home park to relocate. Hilltop Mobile Home Park closed on Feb. 28, 2013.
The civil lawsuit states that the Mayes have not complied with the amendments to the Manufactured Home Community Rights Act, which requires that they pay relocation expenses to residents of Hilltop community.
Under the terms of the law, the Mayes are required to pay $4,000 in relocation expenses to residents who relocate a single section manufactured home to another location. Additionally, they are required to buyout the manufactured home of residents, who are unable or unwilling to find a reasonably suitable replacement site. Moreover, residents are not required to remove a manufactured home and are not liable for the costs of removing or disposing a manufactured home when a community closes.
The Mayes allegedly have provided relocation expenses to some mobile home owners, but not to others. Kane said her office is asking the court to require the defendants to pay or restore money to residents, who were forced to relocate as a result of the mobile home park’s sale. Additionally, the Attorney General’s Office is seeking an injunction to prevent the dissipation of the defendants’ assets upon the sale of Hilltop.
Kane encouraged homeowners who believe they are entitled to restitution in this case to file a complaint with the Bureau of Consumer Protection. Consumers can file complaints online at www.attorneygeneral.gov or by calling the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-800-441-2555.
The civil lawsuit was filed in the Centre County Court of Common Pleas. The case is being handled by Senior Deputy Attorney General Joseph Betsko of the Attorney General’s Antitrust Section and Senior Deputy Attorney General Michael Gerdes of the Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.
