Residents of Treasure Island Mobile Home Park Aren’t Giving Up Their Fight

The residents of Treasure Island Mobile Home Park have been fighting to keep Treasure Island a mobile home park since 1976, when the Hopkins brothers who owned the land wanted to build a huge time-share hotel.

Last year the land was for sale and the homeowners at Treasure Island tried to buy the property. They offered the same amount for which the partnership of Richard Hall and Merrill Lynch Hubbard purchased the land we live on with intent to develop that area.

Last year Treasure Island became part of the city of Laguna Beach, and the Laguna Beach City Council voted to make Treasure Island a permanent Mobile Home Park and to freeze the rents for six months.

The homeowners, who have been plagued by rent raises that have reached almost 1,000%, found they were facing additional rent increases by the new owners.

Oceanfront mobile homes have gone up to $1,800 or more per month for land only in recent years and most other mobile homes (sites) have passed the $1,000 per month mark.

Many of us on fixed incomes are hanging on the edge. We have given up trips and little luxuries we had planned as part of our retirement and are holding our breath wondering how much longer we can hold on and continue living at Treasure Island.

Mr. Hall’s offer not to raise the rents of senior citizens on fixed incomes is a sham because, for one thing, it applies only to persons who have no income other than Social Security.

Others, particularly those residents who have loans on their mobile homes, found the rising rents beyond their reach. They had to choose to sell. Advertisements brought willing buyers who withdrew their offers when they were told that the owners planned to close the park and rents would increase upon change of ownership.

To those who became desperate to sell, Mr. Hall offered to buy their mobile homes for a fraction of their value.

We, the residents of Treasure Island, are not discouraged, as an article in The Times claims (“Empty Lots Cast Gloom at Mobile Home Park,” Nov. 25), and we are not about to give up fighting because we are part of the city of Laguna Beach, a closely knit community of people who want to keep things the way they are and are willing to help us in our struggle to survive.

We, the homeowners of Treasure Island are not giving up, and we ask everyone to give us his and her approval and support. Our goal is to own the land and preserve the lifestyle of Laguna Beach.

MAY WALE BROWN, Treasure Island, Laguna Beach