In Chatham County, Georgia, a “voice of the viewer” report on a local TV station appears to have uncovered a bad actor.

According to WSAV TV, their coverage of lingering storm damage that was causing safety concerns for residents of the Highland Woods Mobile Home Park led to a county inspector paying a visit.

 

“We found a lengthy violation history at Highland Woods long before the hurricane hit,” said Bob Sebek, Chatham County’s Zoning Administrator.

Thirteen year resident Carla Law contacted the TV station to report that a home behind hers, smashed by a tree, remained wide open more than six months after the incident.

“I’m thrilled about the fast response from the inspectors,” said Law.

“I think she’s taking pictures of the abandoned homes that, broken glasses are out of, the broken windows, the doors not being secured.”

And, there’s the violation history.

“Highland Woods had 88 violations on record since 2002. Last year there were 10, 14 violations were cited in 2015, and in 2014 the trailer park [sic] received 48 violations,” said Sebek.

Law says that A & W Ventures, the company that owns and operations Highland Woods, would address required fixes by performing just enough maintenance to meet code.

“They boarded up a few windows and they’ve nailed a few doors shut, and like I said, they do enough to pass what they have to pass,” said Law.

Resident Joan Wells also received an interesting response when she took her issues to the management office in the community

“I was told to work it out with her neighbors,” said Wells.

“It may be my neighbor, but it’s not my job to go and tell my neighbor, what to do their house or their yard…because I do not rent lots.”

Sebek says that he spent more than an hour on site at Highland Woods, and that the evidence collected is being processed.

“The record indicates the management historically waits until they’re on the verge of a court appearance before violations are addressed and brought up to code,” said Sebek.

Calls to A & W Ventures by MHProNews for comment were not returned.

As Daily Business News readers are aware, the majority of manufactured home community owners strive to run clean, safe communities and adhere to all of the rules. Occasionally, there are those that look to take advantage, and we have covered a number of stories of so-called “bad actors,” including a recent case in Chapmanville, West Virginia. That story is linked here. ##

 

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Submitted by RC Williams to the Daily Business News for MHProNews.