Help Seniors and Veterans Save their Homes

This is Pacific Skies Estates, a seemingly idyllic community in Pacifica, California. This was a place where retirees, veterans, the disabled, and working class families were able to purchase and maintain an affordable home in a safe area, with breathtaking views. There are 92 homes, which used to be owned by tenants or by their families, cohabiting in a fun and quiet area just outside San Francisco. In 2010 the owner(s) of the park quietly changed hands, brought in investors, and began a systematic overtaking of people’s homes. The owners targeted all remaining homeowners and coaxed most of them into selling their homes for, in many cases, under market value in an exchange for empty promises regarding rights and "lifetime" low rents. As I write this, there are only twelve remaining homeowners. In September 2013 came their strongest effort to date and we faced losing our homes when the owners petitioned the city to raise our space rents by $1100 ABOVE our current space rents, in an effort to bypass the rent control ordinance put forth by the city of Pacifica. This increase was dismissed by a judge at a hearing, due to insufficient evidence by PSE to justify the hefty suggested increase. There is a shocking lack of records with regards to upkeep, maintenance and cash flow. The reasons they have given as a "justification" for this proposed enormous space rent increase were...improvements and enhancements (see photographs) and the need to get a 12% return on their investment, which is not typical in real estate investments especially in areas like the SF Bay Area.

Today, we still face losing our homes, while PSE tries to regroup and come after us again. It is still not over. They have now submitted another petition with a "new", different analysis. We have been disparaged by PSE, their public relations spokesperson calling the site of our homes “a privilege”, one she apparently does not believe that we are worthy of having. Their lawyer has made speeches regarding mobile homes as “glorified tin cans”, and likened residents to “Jerry Springer Guests”, while we are veterans who fought for liberty, civil servants who served and protected citizens and retirees who wanted to spend our golden years in peace. We have acquired lawyers from legal aid who are wonderful but have told us we need to raise $10,000 in order to procure a CPA to thoroughly comb through their (PSE) records. This amount of money is staggering for most, if not all of us, and we need your help. Please help us stand up to greed and the "profits over people" mentality. Thank you!

PRESS LINKS: http://www.mercurynews.com/pacifica/ci_24461379/mobile-home-owners-face-more-than-double-rent.html