"Mobile home residents express growing exasperation over allegedly increased utility charges"
In the small town of Oelwein, Iowa, residents of Lakeview Mobile Home Court are expressing growing frustration over their living charges. The community, owned by Crown Communities LLC, based out of Wyoming, has seen a significant increase in rent and fees during the past two years, according to John Mathews, a resident who has lived there for two years.
Mathews describes the emotions of the residents as going "way past frustrating" and states that anger is an understatement. Many residents in Lakeview Mobile Home Court are on fixed incomes, and the increased costs threaten to force many to move. Some homes in the community already have "For Sale" signs in front of them.
Crown Communities LLC, the property owner and manager of Lakeview Mobile Home Court, has raised rents and fees three times during Mathews' two-year stay. In addition, residents are now required to pay for water and sewer, with each resident predicted to pay around an additional $100 per month for these utilities.
Mathews expresses a desire to prevent Lakeview Mobile Home Court from disappearing due to its being his home and a place where he has made friends. He is not alone in his sentiments, as several other residents are also considering selling their homes out of desperation to leave.
Crown Communities, LLC has not yet responded to KCRG's request for comment. This dynamic reflects broader concerns common in mobile home parks where corporate owners seek to maximize profits sometimes at the expense of longtime residents who have limited housing alternatives.
For those affected by these changes, the future of Lakeview Mobile Home Court remains uncertain. Local news outlets and community advocacy groups in Oelwein might provide more precise details or official statements from either residents or Crown Communities LLC.
- The sudden surge in rent and utility fees, combined with the requirement for residents to pay for water and sewer, has made personal-finance management increasingly difficult for many residents of Lakeview Mobile Home Court who are on fixed incomes.
- Despite the growing frustration and potential displacement of residents due to financial hardships, Crown Communities LLC, the owner of Lakeview Mobile Home Court, has shown no signs of decreasing its focus on business-finance growth, reflecting a broader trend in the mobile home industry.
