Rent goes up or the park closes; Mobile Home Park residents told

Residents of the Edgewood Mobile Home Park between Fort St. John and Taylor are concerned that the park could close.

Earlier this month the 66 families that live in the park better known as the Alcan Mobile Home Park, recieved a letter stating their pad rent would more than double on March 1st or the park would close. The owner of the property Bruce Hagel says the park is losing around $15,000 a month and the increase is needed to keep the park open.

One of the major problems at the park is the lagoon system. Late last year the Ministry of Environment ordered that the system be shutdown unless it can be updated to modern standards. The owner stated in a letter to the residents that the only options are the park to close or see a substantial rent increase. Under the Residential Tenancy Act of British Columbia a landlord must comply with housing, health and safety standards required by law. The landlord must also provide at least 3 months notice when increasing the rent and must not increase rent by more than 3.7%. The proposed increase is closer to 60%.

Jodi Howard owns two Mobile Homes in the park and has been trying to fight against the rent increases. [asset|aid=874|format=mp3player|formatter=asset_bonus|title=74e9f765fd3c1bc7d8ede08835b1e0b8-Jodi – 2_1_Pub.mp3] Howard says the rest of the tenants are expected to also file complaints in the coming days. Legally the landlord can close the park, but must give 12 months notice. Jodi says they don’t know where they’ll go if its closed. [asset|aid=875|format=mp3player|formatter=asset_bonus|title=74e9f765fd3c1bc7d8ede08835b1e0b8-Jodi – 1_1_Pub.mp3]

The landlord has said that the park could shut down with little or no notice. Phone calls to the owner of the park have not been returned.