A limited liability corporation formed by real estate developer, Brian Main and former WSU football player, James Darling, called KDB Investments, LLC recently purchased the Bayview Trailer Park. Purchased by Waterford Park Homes, LLC, then resold to the new group under the new name of “View of the Bay Mobile Home Park.” Eviction notices were sent out several months ago by Waterford Park, reiterated by the new purchasers, giving tenants just until the end of September to vacate, move the mobile homes and all other property.
As Sheryl Puckett, long time resident put it, “these people are gutting Bayview. It appears that another round of developers are coming here to exploit Bayview, with no concern for the human cost. It may be legal, but certainly not moral.” Darling, most likely fronting much of the money, is a former linebacker for WSU. He was drafted into the NFL nine years ago, and currently is with the Arizona Cardinals.
Many residents are either in poor health or financial straights. Most have lived in the well established trailer park for many years, and have nowhere else to go. While verbal statements attributed to the new owners, suggest that part of the existing park, fronting Corbin Street may stay as mobile homes, nothing has been offered to the residents. Since most, (two claim they were never previously served) current residents received the eviction notice, it is believed that this may be either mis-information, or a change of plan. The recent eviction deadline letter was undated, but was accompanied by a return receipt and received by all affected people Tuesday, August 21 and effective the last day of September. Two residents claim that they never were served the first time by either Bob Holland, or the corporation he heads.
Jack and Charlene Soppit have lived in their home, which has been built onto and is unmovable for 30 years. Jack has a serious heart condition that is life threatening. He has had a triple by-pass and has about 12% of his heart function left. The move will have the effect of killing this man. Due to the tremendous medical bills this couple has had to deal with, there are no relocation funds available to them. When daughter Nan was asked what would happen, she replied,”they will be on the street.”
We have subsequently learned that James Darling last played for Arizona in 2003 and is retired now from the NFL. He now tackles only trailer park residents. ...
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7 years ago
15 comments:
This is progress. Isn't this the American dream that you can be a big time sports star make a lot of money playing with your balls and then kick a bunch of poor people out on the street.
Some people can afford to buy and sell other people's lives and still sleep at night. Too bad they discovered Bayview.
It would seem that the community of Bayview might come together and try to help Jack & Charlene. Possibly a benefit or community drive to help with relocation for these two members of the community??
Norma Jean
30 years of rent?
He could be living mortgage free by now.
Rent is for suckers
Herb,
Could not find his name on the current AZ Cardinals roster.
We believe he is still with the Cardinals, but not on the roster, due to being placed on injured reserve.
The new owner has done nothing wrong! Why get down on on him?
Anyone who builds an add-on, to a trailer, on property he doesn't own, is the real problem!
Those people should admit they made a bad investment and move on.
I can't believe how cold the people are that have left comments. Alot of people can not afford to pay a morgage payment and living in a mobile home park is all they can afford. How dare you put these people down. They have worked all their lives and have provided for their families the best they can. I can see that the people that bought this park have not had to go through tough times...mommy and daddy provided for them. I live in a mobile home park, I also raised two children, and believe me they know what tough times and hard work is all about. Times were hard and food and shelter were what I wanted for my family....and by living in a mobile with my payment for my home being lower than renting a house or buying a house...I gave that to my children....I think your readers that wrote those comments should spend a week helping people at a shelter, people who have fallen on hard times and many of them not by their own doing. So you all can get a life and leave these people alone and let them live their lives in their homes and if you must take their homes...wait....let them leave their homes they way they wanted...at the end of their lives...not because you see dollar signs....and don't care that you are cutting their lives shorter.... you just don't understand what life is really about....it is not about money...it is about love and living...and money does not do that...
I think that there are some people that need to understand something. The purchase price of this trailer park was 1.6 million. The monthly rents brought in wouldn't cover the payments. Mr. Darling had no choice but to do something more profitable. I'm very certain that anyone who purchased this park would also close it. The people that live in these trailers should realize when Waterford Park put the land up for sale the park would be closing or their monthly rent would be getting ready to triple.
I agree. It is too bad that these people have to relocate and find another place to live... but why are we attacking Mr. Darling? Do we think that he should have bought the property for 1.6 million dollars and just let the people live there as he makes the payments? C'mon people! Mr. Darling should be the last person you are pointing fingers at. That is not Mr. Darlings responsibility. He also has a family and is trying to make a living. It is the chance you take when you rent.
Since I am still getting comments on this subject, I thought I would update it a little. First, the last comment suggested that James Darling deeded this "Improvement" so that he could feed his family. I am all in favor of everyone being able to not only feed themselves, but also, that they should have heat, shelter and such. Since I originally posted this, Mr. Darling and friends bought the Vista Bay Marina. Obviously, he is not down to his last dollar.
Since most of you don't know this, I will spell it out. I spent the majority of my professional life as a real estate and mortgage executive. The Trailer park would have penciled out as current use at $1,200,000.00. If, and none of you other than the buyer and seller really know, that he paid $1,600,00 0.00 which was the listing price. The $400,000 that is the difference, is between the current rental rates, and with a $50.00 raise in monthly rent, could have penciled out at the listed price. Everyone is assuming that the buyer bought at the listed price. That seldom happens. While I respect everyone's opinions out there, we must remember ghat many of you have no real estate background, and no basis for your story.
The editors of this board need to get their facts straight. Mr. Darling did not buy Vista bay marina. He did pay 1.6 million for the trailer park with 23 mobile homes on it. The rents would not cover the payment. He had to develop it. Just so everyone knows the days of a sleepy town are over.
When the original owner notified residents of their intention to sell and inevitable eviction, did they attack him "selling out" for a profit? Shouldn't had the previous owners ran a old run down trailer park for little to no profit for good of mankind? Get a grip. I do feel for the elderly with medical conditions that are not healthy enough to move without assistance. People are focusing anger not because they are being evicted, but that they are being evicted by someone who they view as an elitist because he played pro football. That, or maybe North Idaho is still a dim society with beliefs based soley on race, or being white. Silly, silly people.
I found this online, "It should be noted that Darling and Main stepped up to assist some former Bayview Trailer Park residents move. An unrequired, but humanitarian gesture."
I think that's a really good point.
Also, when people rent they have to take into consideration that the owner of the property they live on has the right to sell it. If I were to buy a trailer park, I would only be interested in it if I had some other vision for the land. Mr. Main and Mr. Darling have vision and ambition and they live in America, after all. I know change is hard, but Bayview residents could be excited about the opportunities this could provide for their community and try to see the positive.
It should be said, and I will, that this post was done in August or last year. since then, Brian Main and especially James Darling have reached out to those that were displaced by the pending development. They have also modified their original plans to cooperate with some if not most of the neighbor's complaints. They are to be congratulated for their humanitarian gestures. The community has, since those early days, embraced the team and their plan. The above remarks are legitimate, but way after the fact.
That's wonderful to know. I ran across your post by happenstance, so I apologize if you've since made an entry that reflects these facts, as I do not follow your blog. And I'm glad it is now reflected here. I'd hate for anyone to have the wrong idea about these gentlemen.
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