Great Brook Village
The residents of Great Brook Village, a mobile home park designed for people over 55, are at odds with the new owner of the park over lot rent increases. The tenants of the park have raised concerns about the legality of multiple rent hikes that have been implemented in the past year, citing a lack of services and potential violations of previous agreements. The property management company contracted by the owner has highlighted record-level inflation as the primary factor behind the increased maintenance costs, and therefore the rent increase. However, residents remain skeptical due to a lack of communication from the property owner and management team.
The situation at Great Brook Village underscores the importance of transparent communication and fair practices between senior housing providers and their residents.
Displeased Residents
The increase in rent has left the residents of the park unhappy, with many calling it unprecedented. The park’s board president, Liz Gammon, stated that traditionally, residents only experienced one rent increase per year. She noted that within a four-month period, her lot rent had gone from $681 to $725, with a further rent increase expected in January. According to residents, the lot rents are much higher than neighboring parks. One park charges only $400-$500, highlighting the discrepancies in pricing.
David Cincotta, a resident of the park, noted that he had three buyers back out due to the increased rent. He said he told them that he would pay the difference for the first two years, but no one took him up on the offer. Even Cincotta himself experienced multiple price increases during the closing process when he initially moved in last summer. His potential buyers also experienced rent hikes before they even made their decision.
New Property Owner
The park was purchased by Bradley Pereira, owner of Oakshire Management, a Connecticut-based company incorporated on March 8, 2021. Pereira’s lawyers are currently reexamining an agreement with “tier one” renters. Residents claim that Pereira has overstepped his bounds, and they are upset as they feel he is not communicating in good faith. Some residents have stated that Pereira would visit the park once a month to talk and take concerns. But he has not been seen since visiting the park before buying it.
The property owner has communicated through property management companies, cycling through two so far. The third and current property manager is Imperial Properties, founded and operated by Matthew Dennehy, a former National Guard infantry soldier and helicopter pilot. Dennehy has met with residents to hear their concerns and address their questions. During the meeting, residents expressed anger, frustration, and confusion around the rent hikes.
Dennehy’s Explanation
Dennehy addressed the concerns of residents as best he could. He did not have enough information to fully answer them, such as the exact formulas used to calculate the rent hikes. There are different tiers of ownership and a wide range of leases, which makes addressing each grievance a bit complicated. Many of the leases date back to the creation of the park in the 1990s.
Dennehy pointed out exponential costs for landscaping services in the past two years as a contributor to the increased lot fees. He explained that the landscape cost has probably more than doubled. The company is currently rebidding the contract to local landscapers to get them to compete on price. Despite the steep cost increases, residents expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of the work.
Final Thoughts
Residents of Great Brook Village, a mobile home park designed for people over 55, are at odds with the new owner of the park over lot rent increases. Tenants have called the multiple increases over the past year unprecedented and are questioning their legality. Property management companies cite record-level inflation as the primary contributor to increased maintenance costs and, therefore, rent. However, residents remain skeptical due to a lack of adequate services and potential violation of previous agreements.
The park was purchased by Bradley Pereira, owner of Oakshire Management
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