Residents of two Auburn, Massachusetts, trailer parks are suing their owners citing "unfair and deceptive practices." The residents live at the American Mobile Home Park and Whispering Pines Estates.
The class-action suit filed Tuesday in Worcester Superior Court claims Parakeet Communities have been violating residents' legal rights, including raising rents by as much as 40%, subjecting residents to "illegal" lease provisions and withholding information as those living there considered new leases.
Jacob Love with Lawyers for Civil Rights is representing the plaintiffs. He said Parakeet has been violating state law which requires certain disclosures prior to substantial rent increases and a requirement to offer new and current tenants five-year leases.
Many residents are on fixed incomes and can't afford the rent increases, Love said.
"Many of them were increased from $900 [approximately] to over $1,300,” Love said. "That is outrageous in the context of mobile home parks."
He added that the tenants first tried to resolve their differences with Parakeet by sending letters to the company in January and April, which sought to halt the company’s actions. But Love said the landlord has refused to engage with them and has even begun eviction proceedings against some residents.
"[Parakeet] claimed in response to our April letter that they have committed no legal violations and they're so far unwilling to offer reasonable settlement terms," Love said
Parakeet Communities did not respond to a request for comment as of Tuesday afternoon.
The situation in Auburn is taking place after the rent control board earlier this year in West Stockbridge turned back a request for a major increase by a trailer park owner there. But the same owner was able to successfully lobby for a hike for property owned in Ludlow.
Love said one difference in Auburn is the town does not have a rent control provision on the books. A hearing with public testimony about adopting a provision was recently held in Auburn, Love said. So far, no action has been taken.