Those of you who've been around this forum awhile have heard me talk about my parents losing their winter home to developers in the Florida Keys. They will never get their home or money back, but maybe the developers got what they deserved (although others have been hurt too). Read below a copy of an article recently printed in the local newspaper:
Mark
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Jay Spatora's article in The Free Press, May 28, 2008
And another one bites the dust.
Anyone want to play let's remember? Do these names sounds familiar: Cay Clubs, the Sandler Corporation? How about the Gulfstream Trailer Park? How many of our friends and neighbors were displaced ― some say forced out of their trailers and mobile homes ― to make way for the multimillion dollar development that Sandler had in mind. And now those friends and neighbors are scattered throughout Florida and other states. Kicked out of paradise to make way for the big bucks developers anticipated.
Only the big bucks never came. The Marlin Bay Yacht Club, touted by its developers Sandler and Partners to become a magnificent waterfront getaway, has shut down. Gone in a flash. Owing money to a number of those here in Marathon who chose to hook up with them.
They leave in their wake nearly 100
friends and neighbors, who after a yearlong court battle, a good attempt, were evicted. Sandler bought the property from Gulfstream' s owners in 2003. By July 2004 the trailer park was deserted and construction began. All for naught it turns out. What a shame, right? What a pity.
Surprised? I don't think so. A few years ago the coconut telegraph was abuzz with the chatter that these big time changes would never succeed. A lot of parties were held, bidding good luck and a truly fond farewell to those who were forced to abandon their modest homes.
The talk was too much, too soon. It will never fly. And guess who was right. Remember my old friends Ed and Bill, charter captains since the '60s? They just stood back and laughed as they watched this happening. So now we say goodbye to the proposed Marlin Bay.
Oh yeah, by the way, I hear the employees who worked their collective butts off haven't seen a paycheck for two months. How does that make you feel? A mother, a father, parents to a couple of children trying to make ends meet. Recession imminent. Thank you, thank you as we used to say in New York. Thanks for nothing. ● ● ● ● ●
Revenge with developers, sort of.
You can't fail if you don't try!
Yo
Jesse James had a horse and 2 guns.... A developer says I'm building condos.
Sometimes these developers pocket a bunch of the investors money and fold up leaving the investors in the lurch.
In our county we had a developer and his wife pocket a bunch of money and move to Germany. Germany will not send them back because their crime is finance related and Germany does not extradite for financial reasons.
Harry
Jesse James had a horse and 2 guns.... A developer says I'm building condos.
Sometimes these developers pocket a bunch of the investors money and fold up leaving the investors in the lurch.
In our county we had a developer and his wife pocket a bunch of money and move to Germany. Germany will not send them back because their crime is finance related and Germany does not extradite for financial reasons.
Harry
Aside from the roof leak, soft floors, rats, mice and bursted plumbing ........ how do you like it?
Aye Mark there's an old saying.."The wheels of justice grind slowly..but they grind fine." In our area we've seen more than a few of the "trailer-parks" gobbled up by developers with promises of new&improved condos and such. Didn't happen. What was left was empty space not making a dime of revenue for the boroughs that thought this was such a great idea. Yup..some of them was a bit run down..and they didn't have 120K double-wides sittin' there. What they had was hard working folks..or retired folks... that just didn't want to pay for what they didn't need. (read 5000sq.ft. McMansions that they'd NEVER actually own..) And Mark I'm in one of the fastest growing areas in Pa.! We have an un-employment rate of 2%..the lowest in Pa.!! Carol and I talked about this recently...The Great American Dream of owning your own home. Something we agree on is..owning means not owing. A simple concept really..isn't it? Actually no longer paying for something. You O-W-N it. Hmmm? I have to laugh when someone tells me.."They own their own home!"..when they have a monthly mortgage. No...no you don't. What you have is a bank payment.. a mortgage. And if that new big-screen H.D.T.V. is on a credit card..you don't own it either. And that 2008 Escalade/Hummer/Whatever that yer making monthly payments on ? You don't own that either. What you have is debt...simple as that. Some folks pander that.. "Without debt you have nothing!" Hogwash..pure and simple. I have never smelt air so sweet as that that swirls about me as I owe not one soul for what I have. Trifeling as it might be..it is mine..I own it and no one can take it from me. Not even the developers...I have a deed! Audie..lost in his thoughts...
Oh yes...forgot to mention that down in Hagerstown, Md. when they decided to ex-communicate all the folks there in a trailer-park they called for bids to "remove the eyesore from the community" and the bids ran from $26K to $300K to rip out all the trailers. Hmmm? Guess who got the contract? Guess who's gonn'a pay for the removal? And who will pay for "low-income housing" to re-locate all the "impoverished tenents" that were evicted from their homes with a 30 day notice? Wanna guess? Can you say..taxpayers? Can you say taxpayers gammahooched? Grrrr.....
Hey Audie,
LOL, I agree with your logic...BUT, around here deed or not if the state wants to run a highway thru your property you better get out, they are coming thru!
At present, a few miles down the road from me is a new and I mean new sub division. Some homes are being lived in, others still in the construction phase and yet others nothing more than stub outs from the ground...BUT, in 3 years there will be nothing there except for a new bypass!
These homes start at in the mid 500,00 and they are what we call postage stamp lots...and LOL, nothing more than spec houses!
Yanita
LOL, I agree with your logic...BUT, around here deed or not if the state wants to run a highway thru your property you better get out, they are coming thru!
At present, a few miles down the road from me is a new and I mean new sub division. Some homes are being lived in, others still in the construction phase and yet others nothing more than stub outs from the ground...BUT, in 3 years there will be nothing there except for a new bypass!
These homes start at in the mid 500,00 and they are what we call postage stamp lots...and LOL, nothing more than spec houses!
Yanita
The difference between success and failure is who gives up first!
Yep Yanita
Same here .... deed or no deed.
The power company here is going to build more transmission lines. Some of our property was in one of the proposed routes. As it turned out a primary proposed route was picked and our property is not involved. Down the road the property owners that are involved will visited by agents of the power company and told how much money they will get and when they have to be out.....period.
Harry
Same here .... deed or no deed.
The power company here is going to build more transmission lines. Some of our property was in one of the proposed routes. As it turned out a primary proposed route was picked and our property is not involved. Down the road the property owners that are involved will visited by agents of the power company and told how much money they will get and when they have to be out.....period.
Harry
Aside from the roof leak, soft floors, rats, mice and bursted plumbing ........ how do you like it?
In Syracuse, there has been an ongoing "proposed" mall expansion for the last 10 years. The mall owner did succeed in getting about 12 oil terminals moved out of the area that had been there for 50 years. His original plan was to build the largest mall in the country (it is now planned to be the 3rd largest) and a technology park to the north of the mall along I 81. and a golf course & water park to the south.
The courts finally ruled that "Eminent domain" laws do not apply to shopping centers. I can't believe that he got the oil companies to move, not sure whether to applaud for standing up to big oil, or boo him for taking 9 city blocks for a mall. Greg
The courts finally ruled that "Eminent domain" laws do not apply to shopping centers. I can't believe that he got the oil companies to move, not sure whether to applaud for standing up to big oil, or boo him for taking 9 city blocks for a mall. Greg
"If I can't fix it, I can screw it up so bad no one else can either."
Aye folks as was mentioned even having a deed is not a guarantee by any means. "Emminente Domain" prevails. What this means is that even if you own the land your home resides on..if The State or Gov't see's a way to make a nickle... they can take it from ye. If they want to widen the road, put in a WalMart or just exclude your mobile home from the tax base..they can do it. In my area it's nearly impossible to put a mobile home on a parcel of privetly owned ground. The reason is quite simple...mobile homes don't "appreciate" like $500K homes do. And mobile homes don't pay as much in property taxes. Nevermind that the $500K homes are dropping to about $250K on the market. Nevermind that the folks that invested in such extravagant homes are now bilking on their mortgages...at taxpayers expense! Folks..read this months Readers Digest when ya'll get the chance. Be prepared to grit yer teeth. "Couple loses $400,000 home and forced to live in trailer...booo-hooo!! Taxpayers should bail them, and thousands of others out!" Hmmmm...I smell the efluence of horse++++! Folks..when you pick up a newpaper and read the words Gov't/Local Municipality/ Borough/ Township/State Funded..etc. read taxpayers! Audie..the grumbling Oldfart...
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Serena
Didn't we use to have something called The Fourth Amendment?
What happened to protection of person, papers, property, and effects?
How did eminent domain come to mean that the greediest get all?
What happened to protection of person, papers, property, and effects?
How did eminent domain come to mean that the greediest get all?
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mokehillannie
Eminent domain used to mean the government could take your property for the good of the people, but anymore it seems whoever has the cash gets whatever they want. I'm not sure how this came about.
The rich get richer and the rest of us pay the bill.
The rich get richer and the rest of us pay the bill.
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mokehillannie
Eminent domain used to mean the government could take your property for the good of the people, but anymore it seems whoever has the cash gets whatever they want. I'm not sure how this came about.
The rich get richer and the rest of us pay the bill.
The rich get richer and the rest of us pay the bill.