Mobile Home Park Landlord Falls Into Foreclosure, Leaving Lot-Leasing Homeowners In The Lurch, Fearful Of Relocating, Facing The Boot; Moving Aging Double-Wides Not An Option For Most; Lack Of Funds Makes Buying Another Home Elsewhere Unlikely

In the town of Johnstown, New York, The Leader-Herald reports:

• Over a dozen residents in the Deer Creek mobile home park are confused and fearful of relocating after receiving a summons from Trustco Bank on June 16.
  
  Jacqueline Leto owns the property on 566 W. Fulton St., which is getting foreclosed upon.
  
  According to the summons, Leto owes thousands of dollars in debt to her mortgage, Nathan Littauer Hospital, Capital One, National Grid and several others. Tenants were notified of the foreclosure and depending on their rent or own status have months to relocate.
  
  There is no estimate to how long the foreclosure process will take.
  
  Abbey Wilson, a 17-year resident, who owns her double-wide has called several banks who say they won't finance moving a home that is over 15 year old. "We had no idea this was coming," she said.
  
  Many residents don't have the funds to purchase a new property or manufactured home.
  
  Wilson said there are 19 homes in the park, three of which are occupied by Leto and her two sons. Two of the homes are unoccupied. Wilson estimates that eight families own their double-wide.
  
  "A lot of these people are retired veterans, single parents, and there's a child that's deaf and another child with special needs. Most of them [the homes] hit the 15-year mark," Wilson said.
  
  Wilson said outdoor lights in the park have been shut off and the water gets shut off frequently when Leto declines to pay the bill.
  
  "The bank is saying that we will have to move our houses in six months, which we own, or they will tear them down," Wilson said.
  
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  "What do you do with a double-wide home when you have no place to go," [resident Renee] Gagne asked. "A majority of us own our mobile homes," he said. "If they are going to get me out of my house, it's going to be a lot. I have no place to go. I'm almost 70-years-old."
  
  The Town Board could not assist and advised residents to seek an attorney.

For the story, see Foreclosure may force out some residents of mobile home park in the town of Johnstown.