Charles Crane/MDN Parkview Mobile Home Park and Western Village were purchased by subsidiaries of Delaware based Homes of America, LLC at the end of 2021.

Some residents of the Parkview Mobile Home Community received a rude awakening on Sept. 1 when they received notice from the mobile home park’s owner that lot rent would be increasing to $695.

Current residents who spoke to The Minot Daily News confirmed that only residents who owned their trailers received the notice, which also mentioned plans in the coming months to renovate homes and improve common spaces, along with furnishing updated leases for all residents. Comments from current residents indicate this is a hike of around $250, an increase of more than 50%. The increased lot rent will come into effect on Oct. 1, 2022.

Parkview and the Western Village trailer park communities were purchased on Dec. 28, 2021, by two entities incorporated in Delaware and New Jersey. The two companies share a parent company, Homes of America, LLC. The transition of ownership and management was rather rocky, with lapses in communication and the presence of a locally based manager. Former residents who moved after the initial sale told The Minot Daily News that it was a struggle to even inform the company that they had sold their trailers.

According to one Western Village resident who asked to remain anonymous, they haven’t received any formal communication from the new owners since the letter informing them of the sale back in January. The resident said they were disheartened by the Parkview increase, because if their rent were to follow suit it would be around $750.

“I’ve been talking to four others, and we’re hoping to be just be bought out if that is the case,” the resident said, “There’s lots of old people here. I don’t know how they’re going to do it.”

Kent French, director of governmental affairs at the North Dakota Manufactured Housing Association, was shocked to hear the news of the rent increase, but said it was just one in a myriad of complaints and concerns surrounding Minot area mobile home parks.

“I have a folder on my desk just for Minot,” French said, indicating that other communities around the state have had to take a backseat due to the influx of issues coming out of the Magic City.

Per North Dakota law, an out of state company running a mobile home park in the state is required to have a local manager if the park has more than 26 units. A local office must also be operational on the fifth business day after the change of ownership, have a designated phone number that’s manned during business hours, and have an operational emergency phone number. At this time, it is unclear who the current local property management are for the two properties, or if a local office is maintained.

However, French indicated that despite contacting the owners of the properties and informing them that they are violating North Dakota law, there is very little a fine that can’t exceed $1,000 can do to motivate these out of state management companies to change their ways.

“I’ve reached out to legislators about this. The Attorney General needs to be brought in. Unfortunately, the law has no teeth,” French said.

The number listed on the rent increase notice initially led to a voicemail. A later attempt was answered by a Parkview MHP, LLC representative, who said they had no comment before ending the call.