Bismarck, North Dakota News

" I have lived in a trailer court for 9 years and i don't mind it one bit. The 3000 i spend on lot rent is a horse a piece if you add taxes and garbage and sewer as to owning a stick house. My neighbors are easy to deal with (i just don't associate with many of them). The snow removal does not bother me either( I'll just drive my truck if too bad). And if someone were to call me trailer trash they would leave with a fat lip. As far as the management I could care less what they do (wich is nothing) because if something needs to be fixed i do it myself or if a tree needs trimming i do it myself. It's simple if you don't like your situation MOVE, and don't expect others to run after you over every little whining complaint you have. "

" Why not make mobile home park owners:
1. Have "In Court" maintained playgrounds as laws state?
2. Disregard grandfather laws on any and all tennants, rules and policies (Good for one, Good for all)?
3. Make mandatory road improvements year round and not just speed bumps?
4. Pay to remove all diseased trees within the court promptly and without hesitation?
5. Follow the three strike rule and enforce it equally?
6. Help in the non-labeling of "Trailer Trash" by cleaning-up courts, tennants lots and visual areas?
7. Stop telling lies about ordinances stating temporary or perminant car-ports/garages aren't allowed, just state that it's the courts decision.
In the real world Jeff, slum-lords exist, and the rich didn't get rich by being fair or honest. Finally, city, county or mobile home park whinners or wanna-be policy changers will always be somehow delt with by ignoring, removal or extermination!
Welcome to Corporate America Jeff, keep in mind that if you want to move, you can take your home with you and not have - to rebuild! "

" If you think you want to get out of your mobile home and buy a stick home whatever you do check property tax rates before buying in Mandan. I used to live in a court in Bismarck but wanted to have a garage so I bought a 2000 model 16X80 with a 1 1/2 car garage in Mandan on my own lot and in the 6 years I've lived here my taxes have gone up about $500 to almost $1900 last year! My lot isn't that large either, just enough room for the right-of-way on the sides and about 20' extra front to rear. As for snow plows, I don't believe I saw a single plow all last winter. Sure, they sanded a few times but NEVER plowed all winter.

As for "

" yea i agree i have lived in mobile home parks all of my life , and if you break the rule then u are out. i live on a public street and in my lease it says that we have two parking spaces but the cops tell me that we can not have the vechile towed and if we do then we would have to pay for it. my thing is respect your neighbors do as you would want to be treated. I got a notice the other day for something in my yard that had been there for weeks and i never got that notice until i got new neigbors living next to me but down the street someone can have something in there yard for a month and it is stil there . and they never come to clean the sidewalk if it is a public street then the city should have someone come and shovel the side walks and do th grass there. the court that i live the rules are never enforced and they are just getting worse. "

" I have been there. I lived in the nicest looking trailer park in North Bismarck for many years. The winter roads were horrible. We used to back up out of our driveway and slide down horizontally with our vehicles before we could turn our wheel. Horrible. Had many close calls with sliding into signs and cars parked on the road. Lot rent went up every year for street maintenance, but the landowner who was a house builder said he didn't have the means to put sand down. Whatever!! I have now since moved out of town, but still can't believe that the city hasn't stepped in when he won't maintain hazardous roads. "

" I've lived in mobile home parks that were nicer than some of the 'stick-built' parts of town. You can't do anything you want to do but that's the way it is living anyplace. I've seen covenants for fancy neighborhoods right here in Bismarck that said you can't even have flowers in your front yard and that your boat or camper can't even be parked in your own driveway.

Look for what's good about where you live. It could always be much worse. Or move to someplace that is more to your liking. "

" The city should be able to enforce the owner of the parks to keep up their property like they do home owners whose property is not kept up! If the owner does not keep it up fine them or condemn it take the property and fix it then sell it to another owner! Just because the renters don't pay city taxes the owner does and should be held accountable for the way it looks just like any property owners is supposed to do! They own property either keep it up or shut them down!
I am fortunate because we own not only our mobile home but the lot it is on but I have had to live in another park that was not so great but I could not afford a house or apartment at the time because of my child's medical needs, so to those of you with crappy attitudes about people who live in mobile homes think before you speak besides after watching alot of these "new" homes built near me I would rather live in mine because it is better built then these new ones are! "

" why does a single elderly woman pay the same lot rent as a family of 5? There should at least be a discount for less water use. Less showers, less dishes, less clothes. $15-$20 can be a lot for someone on a fixed income. And make sure when they plow not to plow in the driveway of single moms and elderly folks. And if you see it done anyway, get your butt out there and shovel them out. Pay it forward. "

" I wished that everyone would have to live in a mobile home park for at least one year of their life. I think that only then, would they understand what it feels like to be treated as a "less than" person. Does it really matter where you live? I take care of my yard and put just as much effort into my home as I would if it were a "stick" home. Please don't label people living in trailer houses. We are trying to put lives back together and pay our bills, just like you... "

" but I bet each one of you complain if the park owner raises the rent so they can afford to fix things? Why don't you just buy your own land and take care of it and quit complaining "

" Hey how about so called management saying they require background checks on people and still the bad one's get in, i for one take care of my house have done many home improvements and keep my yard and pets in check and i certainly do not allow my kids to roam at all hours of the night, it is the one's who do not care about there property regardless they rent or own that make it bad for the rest of us who call our Mobile Home HOME!!!! "

" It's called pride in ownership!!!!! "

" REX did not submit the post labeled "rex". "

" If where you live is not up to your standarts why not move ? "

" There's an easy way to tell which mobile home parks have good rules and enforce them and make an investment in the property. Just drive through the various parks in town and you'll know. "

" If you want to see a moblie home park that is maintained properly check out L&H in Mandan. These people clean the streets as the snow is falling and really seem to care about how the park looks. Very nice,clean and quite. "

" You're not paying CITY taxes, you're paying county taxes, check the statement that is sent, says right on the top COUNTY, therefore the city has no obligation to clean your streets. Take it up with the owner of the court or the court manager. Get your neighbors involved or do like others and myself did, save your pennies and move. I moved out of town and could not be happier. "

" Not all parks need change,however, some parks could use a good makeover. I am an independent contractor and so I can appreciate the comments made by the letter writer. I can tell you that many park managers do care about their parks and have the streets maintained, trees trimmed and street lights kept in working order. And some park managers do little if anything for their residents and the park shows it. I get calls from some managers that really care about the cosmetics of the park while other managers do nothing but take their money to the bank. It really does boil down to having a manager that is willing to spend money in keeping things up. "

" Jeff, I live in a mobile home park, and I agree with some of your problems. Why have rules if you aren't going to enforce them? I have lived in 2 different mobile home parks and have to tell you, of the 2, Centruy Park is the best as far as street maintenance is concerned. I'm not saying they are great with other things, although when I've had a question or complaint it has been addressed. I am sure every mobile home owner in Century Park has their own opinion, I'm only saying that for me, it is MUCH better than the last one I was in. When I have a question or complaint, I talk to them on a calm level. I've never been dissapointed, as a result. "

" I also am a mobile home park resident. I also agree with Jeff about the lack of street maintenance and snow removal, but I don't think there is anything the city can do about it because it is private property. It is the park owner's decision whether or not to allow garages, car ports, dogs over a certain size, etc. It is also true that if you complain you are labled a trouble-maker and the park owner will have no problem evicting you if he doesn't like you. Every year they raise the price of lot rent because of so called "operational costs" for garbage services, and maintenance and yet my street has a pot-hole in front of my house that has been in need of repair for the last 5 years and when it rains there is a small lake because the water sits there for days. If I could afford to move I would in a heart-beat. "

" Jeff, I lived in a mobilehome park for many years and struggled with the same issues you represent. I found that the majority of the owners were not interested in keeping up with the snow in the winter. This despite the fact that lot rents increase yearly. I have since moved to a country home and take care of my long driveway myself, I couldn't be happier. "

" Jeff, what does the city have to do with this situation? The owner of the mobile home park owns the roads in the mobile home park. That is why the park owner hires an independent contractor to remove snow and sand the roads. Why whine about the city? To assist with your other issues, regulation and rules are simpler in Emmons County. "

" Every place I've ever lived, or considered living, had a set of rules about how they operate and what I could do. Apartment complexes, mobile home parks, and subdivisions. Even way out in the country miles from anyone else. At the very least there are city and county regulations and ordinances. I've always found it better to find a place that meets my needs and with rules I can live with than to try and change all the rules after I moved in. Everyone likes different things so it's good that there are so many different places we can decide to live. "

" I used to live in a mobile home park, and I feel your pain. How well your park is maintained is up to the manager. A good manager makes all the difference. What I found interesting in visiting with friends living in other parks is if we had a rule change, the same rule would change in my friends' parks, too. It seems managers from all the parks would get together and agree on rule changes. So it is pointless to move to a different park. I suggest you save up your pennies like I did for years, and buy yourself a small house. You will be much happier not being under control of a mobile home park manager. "

" Dubbles - you are correct with the street maintance and upkeep. Mobile home parks are private owned property. The owner(s) of the park(s) are the ones that keep the streets clean and repaired along with what they will allow or not allow on their property. Even if you own a mobile home you are only renting the land where it sets. If your landlord isn't doing their job consider moving. "

" Aren't mobile home parks private property and the " rules" up to the management? The city is not responsible for parking and snow removal. I'm pretty sure that the city ordinances don't prevent you from having two large dogs either. Maybe you can find the correct authority to complain about. "

" Jeff, some of the problems are that the streets in most mobile home parks is private property not public property, therefore the city has no responsibility. Example- I live in a house, what you are asking for the city to do would be like me asking the city to plow my driveway. They wont, its not their property. I however would expect the city to plow and sand all city streets leading to the mobile home park. If the streets inside the park are bad, that is something you need to take up with the owners or property management company that operates the park. IF talking to the owners does not help, then the only thing you can do is move. Its too bad that the owners dont want to keep up their property. "