Malta Gardens residents seek to buy manufactured home park

MALTA — Malta Gardens is on the market, and residents of the manufactured-home park are organizing to buy it.

Solomon Organization, the property owner, notified its nearly 350 households that the roughly 126-acre park on Route 9 was up for sale and promised residents the right of first refusal. But some residents say they are worried they might not get to exercise that right, claiming Solomon is not being transparent about the process. They expressed frustration over not knowing that Solomon was collecting bids on the property until nearly two months after the deadline to submit offers. They want to match the highest bid, but have no idea what it is.

“We are flying blind,” said Kristina Hardy Allen, the interim president of the newly formed Malta Gardens Tenants Association. “We are behind the eight ball, and people are scared.”

Under state law, residents of a manufactured home park must be given the right to purchase the park themselves. In May, state Attorney General Letitia James traveled to Saratoga County, which has the highest number of mobile home parks in the state, to discuss this right. But Allen fears the opportunity could be slipping away, as bids on the property were due July 9, according to the broker’s listing. Residents were not notified of the bidding deadline until Aug. 25. The notification did not include the price or material terms and conditions of the sale, which state law requires, according to a fact sheet from New York State Homes and Community Renewal, which oversees the sales of manufactured home parks.

The fact sheet also reads that “when an owner takes any action to offer or market the park for sale, or receives an offer to purchase the park that owner intends to accept or respond to with a counteroffer,” a notice must be sent to residents.

Solomon is not publicly sharing how much bidders have offered, saying it does not have to divulge that information.

“This information is being communicated directly to the appropriate parties as required under New York Real Property Law,” wrote Lisa Herrmann of Axiom Communications for Solomon.

Among the appropriate parties is HCR.

In a statement, HCR said it “has not received information that would indicate the owners of Malta Gardens have sold the property or are currently in negotiations for a sale.”

“HCR is in communication with park residents about their concerns and is actively monitoring the situation,” the state agency concluded.

HCR has grants available to residents to purchase a manufactured home park. To be eligible for grants, residents must first form a tenants association that includes more than 50% of park homeowners. Allen said they have done that.

In addition to grant money, Allen said there is also a possibility of a loan from ROC USA. The New Hampshire nonprofit specializes in helping manufactured home park residents purchase their parks, as it did for residents at Kayadeross Acres in Milton.

She also said paying off a loan jointly could be cheaper than some, but not all, of the rents residents now pay.

However, she said the process is hindered by a recent spate of Solomon-issued violations and eviction notices that are preoccupying residents, including a woman who gave birth in August and is expected to move out on Oct. 15.

In a statement, Solomon denied issuing more violations than normal, noting that “violations are sent in the ordinary course of business. The purpose of such notices is to request that certain conditions related to the home be addressed. Any such notices are sent in accordance with the applicable lease and New York Real Property Law.”

Allen claims Solomon has asked her to supply the names of members of the tenants’ association. She said she refused because she was concerned they could be targeted for violations and evictions.

For the past several years, Allen has worried the park could be taken over by a buyer who would want to turn it into a more lucrative housing development, as new housing developments spring up around the park. She said she suspects Solomon has been losing interest in the park because maintenance has faltered, leading to spotty water service and rutted roads.

She suspects the town doesn’t want the park there either. In 2023, a draft of the town’s comprehensive plan deemed the park “reaching the end of (its) useful life.” That language was removed.

Last year, the town’s code enforcement officer issued two rounds of code violations to residents, citing them for having grills, firepits and fences deemed too tall. Allen’s family received a violation, too. The town cited her for having an unregistered parked camper.

Asked if the town could help residents, Supervisor Cynthia Young said not really. However, she said whoever buys the property must keep it as a manufactured home park because it is a planned development district. Only a zoning change could alter the land’s use.

“That is not likely to happen,” Young said. “The current Town Board has no interest in doing that.”

But Allen remains worried about the future as this park is one of the few places where residents can afford to live.

“It’s unfortunate,” Allen said. “There are 342 families here, including animals, veterans and the elderly. The town can’t house us all.”