A decrepit sewage sanitation system is a key part of the allegations.
It was problem back then, but it has turned into a criminal indictment of Joe Mangione, the owner of the community.
Per the San Antonio Current, the costs for Mangione could be more than money, which would be substantial.
It could also cost him his freedom.
“If convicted, Mangione could face a fine up to $1,500,000 and up to 30 years behind bars. He’ll also have to financially compensate the city for the cost of moving and housing his former tenants,” said the Current’s report.
Can a Troubling Local Issue, Have National Impact?
The manufactured home industry’s readers and researchers are aware that for years, MHProNews has spotlighted allegations against so-called ‘bad actors’ that periodically are made manifest.
The case of Magar Magar drew years of local attention, that MHProNews reported on. It finally attracted national attention when NPR spotlighted that community’s woes.
“Jail Him!” NPR’s “Mobile Home Park Owners Can Spoil An Affordable American Dream” Refuted
The Why Behind Industry Coverage of Good, Bad and the Ugly
The purpose of the Daily Business News is multi-layered in spotlighting such issues, and is at times, nuanced. Among the reasons for a pro-industry trade publisher to spotlight problems, not just good news include, but are not limited to:
2) When we defend the industry with others privately and publicly, holding industry accountabile provides credibility with objective, honest researchers,
3) The exception proves the rule that bad actors are the minority, not the industry at large.
4) To give pause to those in media that want to overhype issues that we are watching them, just as we are the industry. In the Magar Magar chapter, MHProNews held NPR accountable for overhyping the problem – making it sound like a common practice – just as we did the person in the story; Magar himself.
Time will reveal what the outcome will be for such an operation, and its owner.
Residents deserve good living conditions, as industry professionals said at the time about Magar Magar:
“Jail him,” said Kurt Kelley. “The situation is bad for the tenants, the community, the park industry, government officials, and even the crappy owner/operator himself. His park is probably now worth a fraction of what it would have been if maintained properly. This is a lose-lose scenario. And that’s why there are so few of these situations.”
As Tim Williams, Ohio Manufactured Homes Association told MHProNews then, “The NPR article creates a false narrative of uncaring manufactured home community operators…NPR didn’t even bother to contact the only industry trade association – OMHA – to obtain more than one side to their reference regarding the Ohio EPA director’s comments.”
Back to San Antonio…
In this latest matter in San Antonio, “For me, this is an opportunity to proactively show that if you are going to do business in the City of San Antonio and your business is to provide shelter for people, we are going to hold you to certain expectations,” Nirenberg said.
Local or national media may not be aware, for example, of San Antonio’s former mayor and prior HUD Secretary, Julian Castro’s kind comments about the manufactured home industry and its professionals.
Finally, by covering the ‘bad news,’ when MHProNews and/or MHLivingNews spotlight the good news and happy homeowners, that too has more credibility, because the coverage provided is authentic; balanced.
https://www.manufacturedhomelivingnews.com/manufactured-home-owners-satisfaction-survey-redux/
That there’s far more nicer communities, even older ones – and good community operators – is underscored by surveys like the above, or video interviews like the one that follows.
The Daily Business News will continue to track this troubling episode out of San Antonio. “We Provide, You Decide.” © ## (News, analysis, commentary – celebrating 9 years.)
(Image credits are as shown above, and when provided by third parties, are shared under fair use guidelines.)
