Hi guys,
We’d like to do something nice and permanent for our park residents. I’m working on connecting them with a local food bank, we would make an annual donation to the food bank in exchange for them dropping off at the park.
I’m look for some other ideas on ways to increase the happiness of the park residents and also the communal feel of the park itself. If anyone has had great success with this, it would be fun to hear what you did and replicate the work.
Happy Holidays. Will
Hi Will,
A few weeks ago I made a post about installing a playground set in a park that I have a lot of empty space in. The main roadblock I’ve run into so far is a ‘commercial’ set is quite expensive (whereas a ‘residential’ grade set is quite affordable).
One thing I’d suggest is asking your manager if he/she has any suggestions. Sometimes their recommendations will be silly, but sometimes they’ll be good.
I have one manager who loves hosting parties, and in the spring will host a BBQ and invite everyone in the park (the park spends ~$200 on supplies and food). The manager will also throw a Halloween party each year. I’ve found the park sponsoring this is relatively cheap while boosting the manager’s motivation since it’s something she enjoys, and probably helps build more community goodwill.
You mention connecting with a food bank - is your park mostly lower income or fixed income residents? If they are, I would caution you from having events where there is an expectation of having them spend money. I’ve got a senior property I manage (not a mhp) and our christmas gift exchange signup list is very short because they don’t want to spend $10 on someone they don’t really know because many of them have only $10 a month after regular bills.
I’ve also found that monthly events don’t take too quickly and they always complain.
Check out some of the local housing centers for seniors. They may offer free bingo calling every so often in exchange they get to market their property/services.
Keep the park clean and enforce the rules and residents will be ecstatic. Whether you like it or not most people that live in a park most often have always lived in a park. They do it for economic reasons but also because they know of nothing else. I have found the more you get involved into their personal lives and start getting closer to them the more apt you are for disappointment and the more you get away from running the park as a business because you feel sorry for Your residents. If you want to do something nice make corporate donations to something you are involved with in the local community and that will go much further.
That’s how I approach this subject as well.
Wilbus, back when i had some rentals (mhp in my near future) I purchased the “entertainment” discount book for each resident. Cost me $300-ish but they loved it. I purchased them from the local football team fundraiser so i got double the warm fuzzy feelings. Other than this, I think White trash gator has the best answer.
This is a great idea! While I agree that enforcing rules and keeping the park quiet is best practice, I would like to go just a little further than that. I’ll try the discount books, thanks Steven!
Agreed! Empowering the park manager with $200 for community betterment is a great thing to do. Thanks Noel. Will
glad you liked it. You buy the first round.
We do two holiday parties per year – usually something like Halloween and Easter. In the past our manager has arranged for the fire department to come by for a little mini-parade.
We also just installed a kiddie play structure (like a house, not a jungle gym) and an arbor/pergola for a shady place to gather. At another park we put in soccer goals. Don’t let the negative nannies talk you out of doing something nice for people. People are people. Also, having a play structure for tots allows you to be stricter about those ugly plastic play slides & plastic s**t toys that people have in their yard.
My Tenants would be insulted by me getting The Food Bank involved. Have the Parties.
This is a great idea! While I agree that enforcing rules and keeping the park quiet is best practice.
Have to disagree here. In the park where my parents live, people sell their suburban homes as they age, and buy a mobile home to downsize because it’s just easier, no yard maintenance, etc. Younger people move in due to divorce. Business people buy mobile homes because it’s just easier and cheaper too.
Blanket statements are just not helpful or truthful in all cases. With lot rents in the $800-$900 a month range, few “low income” folks can live there forever.
@Brandon where did you buy your soccer goals? Also, did your residents destroy them quickly? My park manager is concerned that if we invest in soccer goals (even high quality ones) that our residents will break them. Curious to your thoughts here…