The entire modular home park has been sold to a land development company called Abour development
"Meadows mobile home estates" park management states that land developers plan to use the properties to develop one acre home sites, for new homes.
There has been no advance notice or advisement, other than a letter delivered to our home This is quite a shock that the park has not been for sale and no sales were pending. We were told by Mr. Pelton, and his wife, in person when we first considered moving into the park, personaly that he had made legal provisions, in a trust, that the park residents were not to be displaced and the land sold from under them to developers by his heirs even after he died. This was the final reason why I agreed to buy my modular home in 1997 and then have it placed it in the park.
We were told by our Mayor repeatedly stated a policy that in the event the park was sold, it would not be allowed to be rezoned to another use, the residents and their homes would not be displaced, and upscale housing would not be developed there under any circumstance. Mayor also told everyone present, including the park manager and a representative of the park owners, that if he were elected as Mayor he would see to it that the park should stay as it was. Which he did not follow either.
I am angry about the lack of warning and reassurances that no such sale was planned or impending, the tremendous and unexpected economic loss to the residents of the park is devastating. There are many elderly residents living on fixed incomes that have no means to relocate, with or without their homes.
For those that are able to finance a move, many older homes, a primary asset of the residents, will not be allowed to move onto other modular or mobile home parks within Salt Lake County and will be become worthless. All of the homes, new and old, have suddenly and drastically lost much or all of their value, although most of these homes are still being paid for by the residents. For example, I have about $75,000 owing on my home. The cost to relocate, if a place can be found, approaches $10,000. Thousand of dollars in property improvements I spent when moving onto the lot will be lost as well 7,000 to tear down the other old trailor that was there.
People who are already trying to sell their homes will now be unable to sell them. Pull-off modular homes, homes that have no property due to an immediate need to move them off of a lot, have relatively little value. I am unaware of any modular home or mobile home parks within Cottonwood Heights, which I would be able to relocate her home to.
Even if relocation is done, parks of near comparable quality have monthly rents typically several hundred dollars higher. For many of theresidents, who are on fixed or limited incomes, this will be crushing
and may force them to choose between paying rent and starvation doing surgery.
The right to buy and sell private land in a free enterprise system. It is about greed, without regard to the consequences and economic disaster it places on other people, who have no voice in the matter.
The personal gain of a few will be offset by the catastrophic economic loss to the many, the current residents who will be displaced, with or without an alternative place to live. Any potential tax advantage to the city will be very short term. The loss of sales tax and other local taxes, due to loss of the residential population, since there will be a much lower density housing and lower population on the same land, will end up losing the city tax much needed revenues in the long run.
The Pelton's and the Thortans did not let us know about the impending sale which they are suspose to by Utah state law. They gave not one dime for the move. Displaceing mostally the elderly and infirmed we even have a 100 year old lady who will soon be homeless.
I hope God will bless them with the same humility that they have heaped us someday so they can understand how it feels.
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