Judge: Ross, Roger. They want to be together.. Harmony immediately raised space rent by $130.00a 32% increase that made rents unaffordable to families living in the park. Company officials said they have spent more than $250,000 over the past nine months, making improvements, including upgrading the sewer treatment plant, roofs, lighting in common areas and renovations to the laundry room. I went back to Anita and she only wanted to argue that I was at fault and she did nothing wrong. Judge: Ross, Roger. BBB Business Profiles are provided solely to assist you in exercising your own best judgment. Non-Profit Recent California laws offering rent control and just-cause eviction protections dont apply to mobile home parks, she said. In fact, we believe most all of the allegations are not only disingenuous but are outright falsehoods. Merrifield has been an expert witness in several cases where property owners requested increases for properties in cities that have mobile home rent control ordinances. Cancellation and Refund Policy, Privacy Policy, and After two tragic fires tore through Trails End Mobile Home Park in Fresno, the community could soon see new owners step in. Thank you for your interest in social justice! By continuing to use this website, you agree to UniCourts General Disclaimer, Terms of Service, Cleveland National Forest Foundation has a long history of challenging public agency collusion with sprawl developers that has ravaged forest, field and farm and left our cities bereft of transit, bike and walk infrastructure that would truly solve the housing and climate crisis, said Duncan McFetridge, director of CNFF. The only good thing is they are willing to give us our money back to leave the contract. Epsteins letter reminded the landlord the park is bound by that judgment. Judge: Ross, Roger. DocketCivil Case Cover Sheet filed by Braxton, Donna. Sports/Entertainment All Rights Reserved. Corporate Headquarters: addresses all significant issues raised by the complainant, includes appropriate evidence and documents supporting the business' position, and. Trucking Action Type: Complaint Unlimited Civil (over $25,000); Judge: Ross, Roger. But Thompson says Harmony Communities is also known for raising rates. As of late January, developers filed 26 applications to build 8,642 new homes under California's three-decade-old builder's remedy provision, setting aside 1,795 of those as low-income units. @ 2023 Harmony Communities. Action Type: Civil Case Cover Sheet; Judge: Ross, Roger. After an argument in her office she stated she is going to do nothing to make it right so me and my fiance drove down to corporate to talk to the agent's manager, Colleen C******, who always just wanted to argue. Use the search options below or click a state in the map below to view communities. She represents a group of about a dozen residents who are opposed to the sale and the rules that Harmony Communities plans to enforce, including not allowing dogs without leashes, requiring residents to clear the space between trailers of appliances, canopies, and other items. We understand that you contend that the tenant spaces in the park are occupied by recreational vehicles (RVs) rather than by mobile homes, and that the park is therefore exempt from San Rafaels Mobile Home Rent Stabilization ordinance, City Attorney Robert Epstein wrote. Contact Information 8912 Spanish Ridge Ave STE 200 Las Vegas, NV 89148-1312 Get Directions Visit Website (702) 478-8375 1/5 Average of 1 Customer Reviews Customer Complaints 4 complaints closed in. Receipt number 597503. The letter stated it was because the park was not profitable and a city ordinance had kept them from increasing rent, according to the Marin Independent Journal. }); Use the search options below or click a state in the map below to view communities. Proof of Service of Summons as to Harmony Communities, Inc., a California corporation served on 11/16/2020 by Substituted Service. Download Notice of Reassignment of Judicial Officer (RW) Hearing Type: Jury Trial; Court Room: 11B; Result: Vacated; Judge: Robert T. Waters; Participant: Donna Braxton (Plaintiff); Participant: Harmony Communities, Inc., a California corporation (Defendant); Participant: Matthew Davies (Defendant), Hearing Type: Mandatory Settlement Conference; Court Room: 11B; Result: Vacated; Judge: Robert T. Waters; Participant: Donna Braxton (Plaintiff); Participant: Harmony Communities, Inc., a California corporation (Defendant); Participant: Matthew Davies (Defendant). $(".custombox-content").bind("contextmenu",function(e) { We do not want to displace a single person with this rent increase and merely desire for the owner to make a reasonable profit and be able to provide safe and affordable housing for all of you.. Notice of Case Assignment / Scheduling Information, Notice of Reassignment of Judicial Officer (RW), Cases involving other labor matters not classified elsewhere, 790, 1750, 1790, 2750, 2790, 3750, 3790, 4790. The first hearings were supposed to begin this month, but both parties agreed to a six month-extension. Price and terms were agreed to but, again, they couldnt perform and ultimately backed out. While Harmony increased rent, they failed to fix an issue with the on-site wastewater system, forcing residents to pay higher rent while suffering with the overwhelming smell of sewage. She said the sewage system was malfunctioning for at least eight months, and the park was inundated with as smell of human sewage.. Defendants Harmony Communities, Inc. and Mathew Davies' Answer to Complaint by Donna Braxton (amount over $25,000) filed by Davies, Matthew; Harmony Communities, Inc., a California corporation. California Rural Legal Assistance attorney Mariah Thompson tweeted Wednesday about Harmony Communities CEO Matt Davies' federal conviction on marijuana charges in 2013 and his assault conviction in 2019. The lawsuit filed last Monday alleges Harmony has allowed taxes and bills to go unpaid, has hired family and friends for unnecessary work and defied arbitration and judicial rulings that. The area has experienced significant wildfire losses40 structures burned down during the Cocos Fire in 2014, burning a majority of one developments project area and reaching the border of another. DocketSummons issued and filed. , He added that Shady Lakes is available for purchase. "If they have really strict rules, I don't think anybody can live by them," said 32-year-resident Patsy Rajskup. Case Details Parties Documents Dockets Case Details Judge: Ross, Roger. I visted the house every day as it is STILL currently being built. $(document).keydown(function(e){ Thompson described the $200 monthly increase as brutal.. I do think you will all agree that a property needs to make a reasonable amount of money in order to stay in business and that the new rents are incredibly affordable and fair to all, said the letter, which is unsigned. The lawsuit was . We would happily engage with a non profit who was able to perform and transact at a similar price point.. Share Its insanity, this notion of being able to increase the rent just obscene in my opinion, Mason said. The company also said they have not filed any evictions. Judge: Waters, Robert T.. Rent increases are done on an annual basis and are generally in line with inflation. Davies received a five-year prison sentence in the marijuana case, which received national attention. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Rancho Santa Fe Review. Our work impacts farmworkers, individuals with disabilities, immigrant populations, LGBT communities, women, children and families in rural areas. Jacqueline Arsivaud, chair of the Elfin Forest Harmony Grove Town Council, argued that neither project will provide affordable housing. Why is this public record being published online? The new rules dont take this into consideration, one resident noted, adding They are also on a fixed Social Security income. The company quickly proved the Golden Hills residents' fears correct, applying 50-percent rent increases and issuing a 12-page single-spaced list of new park rules. Residents asked not to be identified by name in the lawsuit and also asked not to be named in this story over concerns of retaliation and possible eviction. Your questions and concerns are important to us. "I don't think we moved into a gated community where they can tell you exactly how you can have your yard," said resident Patricia Shawn. Cancellation and Refund Policy, Privacy Policy, and After adding new utility fees that had been parceled out and another increase, in some cases rent had climbed over 100% since 2019. The owner of Shady Lakes LLC is Bruce Davies, the same owner of Harmony Communities. Judge: Ross, Roger. 838 West Hastings Street, Suite 300 | Vancouver, BC V6C 0A6 | 604-669-2663. A plaintiff can make any allegations they like, but that does not make them true. What the residents want for Harmony Communities is to stop a number of unlawful business practices.. And the best part of all, documents in their CrowdSourced Library are FREE. She admitted fault of the company and offered us a washer and dryer for the mistake.. a washer and dryer for compensation of a completely wrong house. My TERRIBLE agent, Ana Anita M********** told me to not worry about it. Now there's a plan to the sell Trails End to property company Harmony Communities. It is not a recreational vehicle park, subject to a different statutory scheme, he wrote. CRLA, Inc. only has offices in the state of California and only provides legal services for claims that arose in California. This case was filed in Fresno County Superior Courts, Fresno County BF Sisk Courthouse located in Fresno, California. At a time when local news is more important than ever, support from our readers is essential. Attorney, Sanjay Bansal, retained for Donna Braxton . INSANELY HORRIBLE COMPANY! Action Type: Request for Dismissal; Judge: Waters, Robert T.. Request for Dismissal - Entire Action as to Donna Braxton, Harmony Communities, Inc., a California corporation, Matthew Davies Entered. 2011 - CRLA Web design: LaserCom Design, San Francisco Photos by David Bacon & CRLA archives, ABOUT USMission & VisionBoard of DirectorsVictories Jobs & IntershipsVideosContact Us 2017 - CRLAWeb design: LaserCom Design, San FranciscoPhotos by David Bacon & CRLA archives, SUPPORT USDonateEventsCy Pres AwardProBono AssistanceFoundation & GrantsVolunteer, RESOURCESCOVID-19En EspaolCRLA NewsPress ReleasesPublicationsMedia, Visit CRLA.org for all our latest news & information, Visite CRLA.org para conocer nuestras ltimas noticias e informacin. However, a month before closing, I was told by the lender, ******************, that I failed to disclose I owed the **** which was false. The affiliates of Harmony Communities paid $9 million for the property, county documents show. When someone does move, it is common they will sell the unit to the property owner. The lawsuit, filed Dec. 19 in Fresno County Superior Court, involves numerous residents at the mobile home park, only identified collectively as Grupo Comunitario De San Miguel Cuevas. San Miguel Cuevas is the town in Oaxaca where theyre originally from. The Judge overseeing this case is Cullers, Mark. BBB asks third parties who publish complaints, reviews and/or responses on this website to affirm that the information provided is accurate. The next court hearing is on March 30. 2022-09-06, Fresno County Superior Courts | Other | The County General Plan requires that whenever a large General Plan amendment project is proposed, an affordable housing element must be included. Harmony Communities spokesperson Heywood Jablom issued the following statement: Shady Lakes has completed close $1,000,000 in repairs and upgrades to the park over the last 4 years, including water and sewer systems upgrades as well as numerous road and lighting repairs. Additionally, Harmony Communities allegedly didnt maintain the common areas at the mobile home park in good condition. It quickly became clear living conditions were unsafe. Some family members have gone out to work in the fields to make up for added costs. Hearing Result: Vacated Judge: Waters, Robert T.. Case status updated to Disposed. Snowfall reaches 15 feet in some areas of Yosemite National Park, At least 36 dead, 66 injured after trains collide in Greece: officials, Neighbors help each other during power outage in Madera County. A case management conference is scheduled in court for this case on April 22, according to court records. "Then when that happens, rent tends to be lower. The problem is buying it at a price that would allow residents to bring rent down. She belittled my fiance and I because we look young and said how their error was a small problem in the world and that its not a big issue. Harmony Communities, Inc., (Harmony) a Stockton-based corporation that operates more than twenty mobile home parks throughout California and Oregon, took over Shady Lakes in April 2018. They will do everything they need to do in order to pay the rent, Thompson said. Roger Ross in Department 11B. But a court-appointed receiver says selling to Harmony Communities is the best route to bring the community up to safety standards, as the company plans to invest $300,000 into improvements. The park continues to operate at a loss and requires ongoing cash infusions by the owners to keep the park open. Action Type: Civil Case Cover Sheet; Judge: Ross, Roger. Judge: Ross, Roger. Company representatives denied the claims in both cases. Water bills range anywhere from $50 to $200, Thompson said. WordPress Download Manager - Best Download Management Plugin, Copyright 2023 The Business Journal. 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She previously worked for the Phnom Penh Post in Cambodia and the Las Vegas Review-Journal in Nevada. On 05/09/2022 this business's accreditation in the BBB was revoked by the BBB's Board of Directors due to failure by the business to adhere to the BBB requirement that Accredited Businesses meet and abide by the following standards: This business is in an industry that may require professional licensing, bonding or registration. She said it is common for those ordinances to be challenged. And a notice given to a resident at Shady. We believe in charging a fair market rent as well as providing subsidies to those in need. Copyright 2023 KFSN-TV. explains why any relief sought by the complainant cannot or should not be granted. Members of El Grupo Comunitario own their homes and have lived in the park for years or decades renting the space where their home is located. Judge: Ross, Roger. Customer Reviews are not used in the calculation of BBB Rating, BBB Business Scam Alert: Out-of-Town homeowners con contractors with fake checks, Need to file a complaint? We are not asking the tenants to move. 2020-08-06, Fresno County Superior Courts | Personal Injury | Do your own research and see all the red flags yourself. Not only were they told, they were also given several bank statements which clearly showed a monthly payment to the **** The lender declined the loan. Corporate Headquarters: 838 West Hastings Street, Suite 300 | Vancouver, BC V6C 0A6 | 604-669-2663 Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. Shady Lakes is a small company, without the resources or ability to undertake a task of translating hundreds of pages of documents. Healthcare Transmission and receipt of the information in this site is not intended to solicit or create, and does not create, any attorney-client relationship between CRLA, Inc. and any person or entity. One concern Thompson has is that Fresnos rent control ordinance has not been tested in courts. For more information on CRLA, please visit: www.crla.org. West. Action Type: Case Management Statement; Judge: Waters, Robert T.. Case Management Statement filed by Braxton, Donna. In the deposition process, it came out that the rent increase is part of Harmony Communities business practice to bring the property up to market rates, said Thompson. Glassdoor gives you an inside look at what it's like to work at Harmony Communities, including salaries, reviews, office photos, and more. Park of San Rafael are pushing back against a slate of rent hikes by the management. In a statement to The Bee, company representatives denied many of the residents claims. The anticipated target price for the tiny homes is expected to be around $89,950. Judge: Waters, Robert T.. Request for Dismissal filed by Braxton, Donna. 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