Hickory
Over 200 residents from the Hickory Hills Mobile Home Park gathered at the Klecknersville Fire Hall March 9 to protest the manner in which Continental Communities of Chicago manages the park.
The violent propane explosion at 118 Hickory Hills Drive last month that took the life of William Neith prompted the meeting. Regan Friend, a Hickory Hills resident, spoke at the meeting. In his opening remarks, he read the details of a petition requesting Northampton County Court of Common Pleas to take over the administration of the park.
The petition detailed a list of management problems and oversights. The petition specifically asks the court to suspend unfair and deceptive practices perpetrated by Continental Communities. In manufactured housing parks, residents own the manufactured home and land is leased to each resident.
Park residents for some reason never formed a homeowner's association. Bonnie Shiller, another resident, introduced Randy Schaffer, president of Greenbriar Village Homeowners Association.
"If what happened at the park does not motivate you to start your own homeowners association, then you have only yourself to blame," he said.
Schaffer along with Tom Blackton, vice president of the Greenbriar Association, pledged to help residents set up their own association. Schaffer urged residents to work together with regional and national associations that have the expertise to prepare bylaws, provide legal assistance and posses political clout. The state recently amended its statutes to encourage the formation of homeowner's associations in manufactured home parks.
Residents took the microphone to recount various abuses. Donna Moser, who had the porch roof of her home collapse, said she and her husband were trapped.
"When we called the office, we were told there was nothing they [park management] could do," she said.
A neighbor helped remove the collapsed roof, but Donna's home was lost. Others reported that they were threatened and served legal papers for bringing safety concerns to management. Robert Kistler claims he was served legal papers because he reported that fire hydrants were snow covered and not accessible. Schaffer again urged residents to form a homeowner's association to protect their rights as homeowners.
State Representative Marcia Hahn, R-138th, fielded questions from residents concerning the state's role.
"The PUC [Public Utility Commission] and Labor and Industry are investigating," she said.
Residents questioned Hahn on why state oversight has been lax.
"We are always reviewing these laws and need input from you on things we need to address," she said.
Hahn and her staff addressed state assistance available to residents. Hahn asked that resident's file complaints with the Attorney General's office.
After the Feb. 14 explosion, several homes were taken off the park's central propane system and homeowner's installed individual propane tanks near their homes. Ten days later another leak was detected which resulted in 70 more homes without heat.
Continental Communities took no action or made any announcements after the second shut down. Residents, on their own initiative, contracted with local suppliers to have individual tanks installed. On March 4, the management company mailed a letter to residents informing them the park's propane system will shut down permanently April 4. The letter was received by most residents March 7, three-weeks after the explosion.
Resident's were upset about the lack of communication from the management company and felt some compensation was due for the expenses and the danger that they encountered. Local companies installed individual propane tanks for free, but the cost to fill the tanks for each home was over $500.
"Some of us don't have the ability to pay for that, especially after the bills we received for February's cold month," said one resident.
Although several residents indicated they asked for relief from the charges, management has not responded.
Chair of the Moore Township Board of Supervisors David Tashner took the brunt of comments about the lack of oversight by the township.
"We are an opt out community, so developers need to provide their own third-party inspections," he said.
Nina Malsch challenged Tashner's comment.
"The township has responsibility for its residents," she said.
Malsch was chair of the Zoning Board for years before she recently retired.
"Hickory Hills has always been treated like some third world country. The township always claims it can't do anything," she said. Surrounding townships have regular inspection intervals for commercially owned property. Malsch urged residents to demand the township inspect and approve all individual tank installations.
"You need to get them involved and OSHA or else they will say they are not responsible," she said after the meeting.
Residents questioned Tashner about the site of the explosion. The area is cordoned off with police tape, but, according to several residents, maintenance personnel from the management office routinely violate the line.
"The local fire chief turned the investigation over to the state fire marshall. He did not ask us to guard the site. If he made the request we would have sent someone over to secure it," said Tashner.
Hahn expects a report from the Fire Marshall early in the week.
Residents have a second meeting tentatively scheduled for March 23 to update residents on progress.
At the end of the meeting, a collection was taken to donate to the Klecknersville Fire House for the use of the hall. Firefighters donated the funds to Hilda Parsons, the companion of Bill Neith, who perished in the explosion. When Kathy Koch counted up all the one-dollar bills contributed, the total was $118, the same as the address of Parsons' home.