Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
L&W Memorandum to Boazds <br />March 13, 2001 <br />Page 2 <br />On February 7, Environmental Health Supervisor Tom Konsler made a site visit to determine <br />whether the mobile homes had been vacated. He was unable to verify vacancy however <br />confirmed that an additional five systems with 12 mobile homes connected to those systems were <br />failing. On February 9, 2001 the health department verified that the mobile homes in the seven <br />spaces were no longer being occupied. The mobile homes remain on the lots, however the <br />plumbing has been disconnected. <br />Current Status <br />While the mobile home pazk owners have not been willing to shaze the names of the tenants of <br />each of the homes, we have been able to determine through neighbors that five of the residents <br />are now living with relatives. The whereabouts of the other two residents is unknown. <br />Mr. Konsler visited the pazk on March 8 and found that the five systems in eazly February aze <br />still discharging sewage to the ground. In addition, two of the previously noticed systems aze <br />still discharging sewage to the ground. The owners will receive an official notice next week to <br />vacate those spaces 60 days from the date of the notice. The residents of the mobile homes <br />subject to the notice far vacating will receive a copy of the notice the same day the owners <br />receive the actual notice in order to give them the fu1160 days to make alternate housing <br />arrangements. For any residents that need assistance relocating, the Housing and Community <br />Development Department will work with them to explore the limited options that maybe <br />available. <br />A separate informational letter (attached) is being distributed to all residents of the L & W <br />Mobile Home Pazk today. The water conservation methods may help stave off further failures of <br />the remaining six systems in the pazk. <br />The owners of the pazk have indicated an interest in connecting to Durham water and sewer, but <br />have indicated that the expense of building a lift station and the connections to the homes is too <br />expensive for them to bear. Katie Kalb with Durham Water and Sewer, has indicated that there <br />is no barrier to connection of the pazk other than financing the construction. In response to a <br />request to explore Orange. County financing options, the county attorney's office has laid out <br />some issues of concern in the letter of Mazch 6, 2001 to John Link. <br />I.on. -term Issues and Plans <br />A work group has met several times to discuss possible support mechanisms or alternatives both <br />to this particulaz situation as well as taking a longer term view of the likelihood that a similar <br />situation will present in the future. Members of the work group include Taza Fikes, Annette <br />Moore, Ron Holdway, Tom Konsler, Harmony Whalen, and myself. <br />One of the overriding issues in this situation and in many other mobile home pazks in the county <br />is the age of the mobile home itself. In general, mobile homes that were purchased prior to 1990 <br />are not able to be relocated to another mobile home pazk because of the age and condition of the <br />home. Existing mobile home parks generally do not have a large number of available spaces, <br />even for new homes. <br />is <br />