Had a couple tenants now tell me their neighbors are using or dealing. For dealing, obviously I am having police drive through for a couple months now (nothing yet). One is afraid for their safety.
But as for drug users scaring off my high-quality tenants (park is seen as going downhill), what should I do?
Legally, I understand I can probably evict, however there is nothing in current contract about drugs, so most likely answer in my mind is to not renew these people’s contracts, which will force them to sell their home I suppose.
If you want to change the direction of the reputation they got to go. I had a meth issue about 4 yrs ago. Usually relatives of my screened residents slip in and the lowlifes follow. Get an attorney on the Notices quick. If you’re a day off on the Notices judge will let them stay. Dont delay and hope it will go away. Any unapproved guest must go also unless backgound checked.
Add a rule about drug use and distribute the new set of rules to your tenants and post them at your office. You probably have a 30 wait period before the rules take effect. It’s tough to prove that people are using. Your best bet is to not renew their lease.
I had this problem years ago. I evicted the dealer and he took his trailer out and then moved in with his girlfriend who also lived in the park. I evicted her and he would then come into the park nearly day and lay on a relatives lawn, selling drugs to people who would drive through the park. Contacted the Police, who told me I needed to evict everyone in the park who he was related to or visited. He had 6 different Mobiles where relatives lived plus friends. I offered the Police buildings where they could set up camera/s and film the drug deals, the police basically wanted nothing to do with it. I almost came to blows with the guy more than once, kicking him out of the Park, but he would soon return. Finally he died, and all his relatives in the Park took up a collection and flew his body back to Mexico. I ended up evicting 6 trailers to get rid of the drug problems, And those spaces sat empty for several years because our rejection rate went up to about 95% to keep the Park safe and clean. It finally is once again full but no matter how good we screen, we always get one tenant who is obnoxious. I keep my rents low and try to appeal to the elderly on fixed incomes and families with good work histories. Singles have been bad news for me. My Park is paid for, bought it in 1978, so I can afford low rents in exchange for good people.
Lawyer up before you file anything or serve any notices. In my jurisdiction you can’t just evict someone because someone else says they are committing a crime.
What is happening that is making them scared for their safety? Is this a very sheltered community where the only experience with drugs they have is from movies? Because unless they’re outside waving guns in people’s faces and threatening them, I don’t see why they are so concerned. Most drug users/dealers try to stay to themselves and not be seen. I’m just questioning what they are actually doing to warrant them losing their home - is it because they have displayed dangerous actions and intentions, or is it simply because Karen has a feeling that her young neighbors might be smoking a doobie before bed because his hair is too shaggy?
Drug deals sometimes lead to conflict. I have multiple tenants complain of the issue with multiple other trailers possibly dealing/using, and were even afraid to report in fear of retaliation.
I had a drug dealer neighbor once. Never would I want such a neighbor like that again.
Besides, I think if you are an upstanding citizen, you just dont want or feel comfortable about illegal activity so close.
@Unclebob9
Your comment “I can afford low rents in exchange for good people” is the opposite of what I have experienced. In my experience the higher I raise my rents the better quality people I attract.
In one of my parks, the rents in 2000 were $310.00. We had mostly low-income folks who couldn’t afford to fix up their place. Now in 2021 the same park the rents are $882-927. We now attract retired Nurses, Retired Contractors, Retired FireFighters, and families with incomes in the +$40K range. We require 3x the rent to move in.
During the same time period, new homes in the park went from selling for around $60k to now they go for $120k. The park is much nicer and so are all the residents.
Keeping your rents low is actually a disservice to all your residents. How are you supposed to pay $100K to fix all the roads if you are barely scraping by with these low rents?
I am not an advocate of just Jacking up the rent. I am an advocate of Quality Affordable Housing. It is our job to balance out the quality and the affordability. In the park I mentioned, we spent several Million dollars improving the property over the past 20 years. All of the improvements were paid for with income that was generated by the rents. My reinvestment ratio was very high for a number of years. We earn the higher rents by providing a higher quality product. It’s a win-win.
When the rents were low we had a bad tweaker problem. As the Rents went up, the quality of the park went up, and the value of the homes went up. Almost all the tweakers left because they could now sell their home for $20-30K instead of $5k. They took the money and ran. I did have to evict a few of them too.
Nicer Park = Better Residents = Nicer Homes = Higher Rents = Nicer Park = Better Residents = Nicer Park… You get the idea.
SDGuy some of the very best information I have every seen in over 35 years in the business. We know when buying a park if their is a drug problems–part of DD. Have never signed our name on a park with such issues or similar problems. Presently the good parks are not for sale, if you have an exception we are owner-operators ready to purchase…
I have experienced the exact same as SDGuy suggests. Onlinefun your misguided approach keeping rents low because you can afford to regrettably is the root cause of your problem in attracting quality applicants.
You are not attracting good people by offering low rents, it is attracting losers.
Low rents attract bad tenants. High rents attract quality tenants. This is just facts.
Every time I take over a low quality park, rents get raised, utilities get billed back, and many evictions happen. I’m ruthless. Then slowly but surely the tenant base changes and you have a winner property. No other way works and don’t let other investors convince you otherwise that you are evil for raising rents. They can mind their own business.
A while ago, we had a building with drug dealers and their customers showing up at all times:
We gave the key to an efficiency to the local police for a comfort station;
The police placed a sign announcing their presence;
Made a couple of arrests, and then drug dealers disappeared.
So the questions are, if rent prices on nearby apartments is comparable to mobile home rents, or other nicer parks have lower rents, then what keeps people in our park?
Second, when you raise rates, do you have high turnover?
If the problem is that bad, then the bad tenants must go. It is very simple. At the next lease renewal, do not renew. If they overextend the term, then file eviction.
If they pay late, then file eviction before the term ends.