Trail’s End Mobile Home Park resident: Fresno leaders must stop sale to disliked owner

Harmony: Without conflict, in unison, together, peace. I see none of that with the company that is set to purchase our mobile home park, Harmony Communities.

I don’t know where to begin.

I could tell you how I feel. I am too numb to even try right now. We at Trails End Mobile Home Park were led to believe that Harmony was here to help us, to clean up the park. They wanted to get to know us. Well, I guess they did. They went about it the wrong way, though.

You don’t get to know someone by being pushy, aggressive, dictatorial, almost like a bully, with their sidekicks to back them up. Then you continue to get to know that person by taking people’s personal stuff without asking. Since June 9 — the date of the second fire — my neighbor Maria and I have not had gas. She recently just got electric. She’s hooked up into the office, which is right next to me. The office hired a private company to get their electricity, so they get service when they need it.

This is day 326 with no hot water for cooking, bathing, having coffee, or soaking my feet. It’s a pain to boil water for every little thing you need.

No gas for a year. Could you do it and not go crazy? Maria has four kids and pets and went without for so long! I had a fractured ankle back in August. I had therapy for my left foot and had a bicycle accident and broke my right one! I don’t know how many times I had to boil water for my feet. Oh, and I need warm water to soak my dentures.

Fire hazards is why Harmony is supposedly “cleaning up” our yards. But, take a look at the huge tree between me and my neighbor. The trimming on the tree was not done by Harmony. My uncle had to have someone trim it last year, and I have been doing my best with the trees in the back. I was told “take advantage of Harmony’s service.” I tried. I left my cuttings for them to pick up, but it took them days, and all I heard was complaining. I hear their voices of laughter at me every day! I sit in my home afraid, sometimes afraid to go anywhere for fear they will take more of my things.

The city of Fresno is failing, in epic proportion, to help Trails End, and help solve the housing crisis. If the city does not intervene, residents fear the property will be sold to Harmony and they will be displaced with nowhere to go.

Harmony Communities Inc. (Harmony) is a corporate investment and acquisition firm with a well-documented history of acquiring low-income mobile home parks, increasing rent by 50% to 75%, implementing onerous and unreasonable park rules, and engaging in business practices that have been alleged to be racist, retaliatory, unlawful, and predatory. The city can take immediate action to preserve affordable housing, and the residents and their supporters have made it virtually risk-free. Trails End residents have identified two housing providers that are interested in acquiring the park. One of the proposed plans is for residents to acquire the park as a cooperative and the other is to sell the park to the Caritas Corp, which is prepared to acquire and manage the park. Caritas is a mission-driven affordable housing developer with a good record of working with residents and keeping rents affordable.

Fresno’s housing crisis is past a boiling point. We need bold action from city leaders now and for the residents of Fresno to hold them accountable. On Tuesday, May 10 at Fresno Superior Court at 3:30 p.m., please join us to hear the final decision for Trails End and decide next steps, because what Fresno needs is housing for all. Please don’t let Harmony take over.