LOYALTON MOBILE ESTATES MOBILE HOME PARK was discussed at the Sierra County Board of Supervisors’ meeting held in Downieville on Tuesday, July 5. County Planning Director Tim Beals stated until the permit status gets resolved, the County is in limbo. He said the State position is the notice of suspension gives the County the ability to move forward, adding it seemed odd they were “dancing” with a property in a suspension that the County doesn’t have the permit to operate. Supervisor Paul Roen spoke with Assemblyman Brian Dahle’s representative who stated the notice of suspension is as far as the State goes and from that point forward it falls on the County. Auditor/Tax Collector Van Maddox echoed what Roen said as he heard the State told Dahle it was now a County problem. Beals stated the County has a property without an owner who is “missing in action” and a self appointed park manager, who is charging people for rent and waste disposal. He stated the park manager is not supposed to be doing these things when the park is under suspension. Beals said the park manager has now retained an attorney. Beals felt he would need some pretty clear direction from the Board, adding, at the end of the day it was a violation of the zoning code as he is operating without a permit. Beals continued that there was a mini storage on the property, which was further complicated by four or five units in the City of Loyalton. Maddox said potential buyers looked at the property and determined it wasn’t worth running as a park in the condition it is in. The buyers said they needed to have enough units paying rent and didn’t see it as viable. Maddox said a great deal of the tenants are far behind in state taxes. Maddox felt the park needed to be empty before it would sell and thought what they could sell it for would be closer to raw land. Supervisor Jim Beard said he is still getting many complaints about extension cords strung all over. Beals said they have the ability to go in and do inspections and issue a health and safety order. He added that following through on this order would include a hearing and then removing people. Beals wanted the Board to be aware that this is where this issue was heading. He stated he knows there are illegal fireplaces in trailers as well as illegal additions to the trailers and huge environmental health violations. Supervisor Scott Schlefstein felt they need clarity from the State on what they are allowed to do. He said the mobile home park was in his district, adding he’s had a lot of concerns and sleepless nights over it. Chair Lee Adams thought the issue needed to go to an adhoc or standing committee to work with the Auditor, Planning Director and Health and Human Services Director. He said new County Counsel David Prentice brings some experience regarding a similar issue that occurred in Alpine County.
Prentice said the issue with the State is they see the liabilities so the State suspends and does nothing else, adding they are dumping it on the County. He recommended that from here on this item be a closed session item and asked the Board not to discuss it anymore outside of closed session until they come up with a plan. It was decided that Supervisors Schlefstein and Beard would be on the committee.
LETTER OF INTEREST:
To: Van Maddox, Sierra County Tax Collector
Re: Loyalton Mobile Home Park
Dear Mr. Maddox:
As you know, this firm represents Ernest Rimmer, resident and manager of the Loyalton Mobile Home Park. The purpose of this letter is to put you, and by extension Sierra County, on notice that any further attempts to force the residents of the Loyalton Mobile Home Park out of their homes will be promptly met with legal proceedings.
The Loyalton Mobile Home Park residents have been in a state of fear and worry for a long time, due to the fact that the Park owner Steven Griggs, has abandoned the Park. This has resulted in continual decline in a maintenance of the Park, mounting utility bills, ongoing uncertainty about the future, introduction of squatters to the Park, and other problems the residents have had to deal with. The County, and yourself, are well aware of these issues. The existence of squatters and other individuals who have no right to reside in the Park is a health and safety issue the County is disregarding, despite the fact the residents have attempted on multiple occasions to have the squatters removed.
The Park has been up for tax-sale auction on multiple occasions, and has not sold. Despite your ability to reduce the minimum bid to a price that would attract a buyer the County has chosen not to do so, due at least in part to your belief that the property will sell for a higher price as raw land. The primary problem with
this approach and plan is that selling the Park property as raw land will displace all of the residents, approximately 35% of whom are disabled individuals, and many others who are elderly, The vast majority of the residents do not have anywhere to go if they are uprooted, and this callous approach to the lives of approximately 60 people is frankly disturbing. This approach also neglects to consider the damage that will be done to the businesses in Loyalton who depend on the purchases of the Park residents, as the residents comprise approximately ten percent of the people in the Loyalton area. The additional problem with this belief and approach is that converting the Park to raw land will take substantial funds.
Multiple individuals have also informed our office that there is an attitude amongst individuals in County government that the Park residents “need to go.” The identities of these individuals will for now remain confidential. Where exactly the County wants the residents to go is unclear, but there seems to be a prevailing attitude that the Park residents are lower class individuals that the County would prefer to be rid of. This attitude is also subtly evident in the audio recordings of the Board meetings online.
The recent action prompting this letter is the fact the County has requested the Department of Housing and Community Development to permanently revoke the Park’s operating permit. This is also evident from the County’s July 5, 2016 agenda record. I will be absolutely clear; this solicitation was unwarranted and inappropriate, and if it continues it will further make the County squarely liable for any and all relocation expenses incurred by the residents. We are also informed that numerous factually inaccurate statements have been made in conjunction with the solicitation.
The attempt to revoke the Park’s operating permit also bears the risk of driving away any potential purchasers of the Park, as you know the inability to reinstate the operating permit would be a deal-killer to purchasers. Rather than soliciting the State to permanently shut down the Park, I would think the County would be doing its best to find a capable, responsible owner and to place the Park up for auction again as quickly as possible. This is especially so in light of the fact multiple potential purchasers fitting this description have expressed an interest in purchasing the Park. Despite this it appears the County has done its best to avoid communicating with any of the purchasers, and refuses to auction the property again until winter 2016. This is unacceptable for the residents.
In closing, Mr. Rimmer and the other residents ask that the County assist them by doing everything possible to auction the property to a responsible owner at a reasonable price, as quickly as possible. Lisa Campbell, counsel for the Department of Housing and Community Development, has attempted to coordinate meetings and conference calls with individuals from the Department, County, and potential purchasers, which so far the County has refused to participate in. By copy of this letter to County counsel it is requested that Mr. Christian contact me to coordinate such a call so that everyone can discuss resolution of these issues.
If you would like to discuss anything do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Derek C. Decker
Krogh & Decker, LLP
Attorneys at Law
Sacramento, CA
Prentice said the issue with the State is they see the liabilities so the State suspends and does nothing else, adding they are dumping it on the County. He recommended that from here on this item be a closed session item and asked the Board not to discuss it anymore outside of closed session until they come up with a plan. It was decided that Supervisors Schlefstein and Beard would be on the committee.
LETTER OF INTEREST:
To: Van Maddox, Sierra County Tax Collector
Re: Loyalton Mobile Home Park
Dear Mr. Maddox:
As you know, this firm represents Ernest Rimmer, resident and manager of the Loyalton Mobile Home Park. The purpose of this letter is to put you, and by extension Sierra County, on notice that any further attempts to force the residents of the Loyalton Mobile Home Park out of their homes will be promptly met with legal proceedings.
The Loyalton Mobile Home Park residents have been in a state of fear and worry for a long time, due to the fact that the Park owner Steven Griggs, has abandoned the Park. This has resulted in continual decline in a maintenance of the Park, mounting utility bills, ongoing uncertainty about the future, introduction of squatters to the Park, and other problems the residents have had to deal with. The County, and yourself, are well aware of these issues. The existence of squatters and other individuals who have no right to reside in the Park is a health and safety issue the County is disregarding, despite the fact the residents have attempted on multiple occasions to have the squatters removed.
The Park has been up for tax-sale auction on multiple occasions, and has not sold. Despite your ability to reduce the minimum bid to a price that would attract a buyer the County has chosen not to do so, due at least in part to your belief that the property will sell for a higher price as raw land. The primary problem with
this approach and plan is that selling the Park property as raw land will displace all of the residents, approximately 35% of whom are disabled individuals, and many others who are elderly, The vast majority of the residents do not have anywhere to go if they are uprooted, and this callous approach to the lives of approximately 60 people is frankly disturbing. This approach also neglects to consider the damage that will be done to the businesses in Loyalton who depend on the purchases of the Park residents, as the residents comprise approximately ten percent of the people in the Loyalton area. The additional problem with this belief and approach is that converting the Park to raw land will take substantial funds.
Multiple individuals have also informed our office that there is an attitude amongst individuals in County government that the Park residents “need to go.” The identities of these individuals will for now remain confidential. Where exactly the County wants the residents to go is unclear, but there seems to be a prevailing attitude that the Park residents are lower class individuals that the County would prefer to be rid of. This attitude is also subtly evident in the audio recordings of the Board meetings online.
The recent action prompting this letter is the fact the County has requested the Department of Housing and Community Development to permanently revoke the Park’s operating permit. This is also evident from the County’s July 5, 2016 agenda record. I will be absolutely clear; this solicitation was unwarranted and inappropriate, and if it continues it will further make the County squarely liable for any and all relocation expenses incurred by the residents. We are also informed that numerous factually inaccurate statements have been made in conjunction with the solicitation.
The attempt to revoke the Park’s operating permit also bears the risk of driving away any potential purchasers of the Park, as you know the inability to reinstate the operating permit would be a deal-killer to purchasers. Rather than soliciting the State to permanently shut down the Park, I would think the County would be doing its best to find a capable, responsible owner and to place the Park up for auction again as quickly as possible. This is especially so in light of the fact multiple potential purchasers fitting this description have expressed an interest in purchasing the Park. Despite this it appears the County has done its best to avoid communicating with any of the purchasers, and refuses to auction the property again until winter 2016. This is unacceptable for the residents.
In closing, Mr. Rimmer and the other residents ask that the County assist them by doing everything possible to auction the property to a responsible owner at a reasonable price, as quickly as possible. Lisa Campbell, counsel for the Department of Housing and Community Development, has attempted to coordinate meetings and conference calls with individuals from the Department, County, and potential purchasers, which so far the County has refused to participate in. By copy of this letter to County counsel it is requested that Mr. Christian contact me to coordinate such a call so that everyone can discuss resolution of these issues.
If you would like to discuss anything do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Derek C. Decker
Krogh & Decker, LLP
Attorneys at Law
Sacramento, CA
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