Owner of Hermantown mobile home park plans for closure
Unable to provide repairs needed for city compliance, the owner of as mobile home park in Hermantown announced closure plans. Last week, we got the latest update on what was happening over at Maple Field. The court has ordered the landlord to present himself in person on April 8th for an evidentiary hearing.
54 lots fill the mobile home park known as Maple Field. The location rents 46 mobile homes units with the remainder of the dwellings occupied by owners who pay to lease the space in the park. Recently, tenants have been receiving notices of termination as the owner of the park seeks to close the park because of the hazard living conditions.
Hazardous living conditions
The place has fallen into disarray as over a year ago, the city of Hermantown received complaints about hazardous conditions. Upon investigating, the Building Official of the City of Hermantown, found that there were indeed hazardous conditions in not only one unit but majority of the units.
State partners and Hermantown Officials visited and found that the units were not in a complaint state. From serious electrical hazards, fire doors blocked, bolted, or not even having steps outside fire doors, caused the units to not be up to code. The city approached the owner several times throughout the last year and required repairs. With “the only actual financial expenditure we’ve seen go out towards park repairs is approximately $900,” said Brandom Holmes the Building Official.
The units remained in a hazardous state. As some continue to have open sewage on the ground and some trailers, with people still in them, who have fallen through their bedroom and living room floor. With no signs of progress, the issue went to court. Holmes explained how things went with the court.
“The courts have issued several orders, primarily requiring that the landlord initiate repairs, comply with permitting requirements based on state and federal law, that the landlord rehoused those people in hazardous units.”
Owner plans to close park
To this date, only four people have been rehoused. When a handful of tenants received notices of a month to leave before termination. When the media reached out, Steve Schneeberger, had the statement below to say.
“I bought Maple Fields with the hope of fixing up units to provide high-quality budget housing. I was not, however, given no notice of the extend of structural issues and repairs that had gone unaddressed for years.”
He went on to say: “I can find no pathway to bring the operation of Maple Field to current city of Hermantown requirements. After more than a year of looking unsuccessfully for creative solutions to keep Maple Field open, I made the difficult decision to close the park. I Have greatly valued out tenants and will continue to work to help them find new housing for our community”
The city of Hermantown has been working alongside local businesses to help provide and make sure that the people who live in Maple Field do not suddenly become homeless. Those who own and are leasing are protected by Minnesota law of an at least a year notice to leave, but those on monthly leases are in a more precarious situation.
Right now, there are no permits since the court ordered permits to be applied for have even been applied for. Engineers have not assessed the units for safety. The city of Hermantown had another hearing with the court asking them to issue an order to make sure their previous orders are followed through with. There has been no response for the court so far, but it is expected soon.
The court has granted the city of Hermantown’s request and has ordered the landlord to present himself in person on the 8th of April for an evidentiary hearing where he must show good cause, or he will be held in contempt of court for failing to comply.