OUR JOURNEY

As we begin a New Year, the Board of the HOPE Assoc. of Syosset wishes everyone happiness and good health. We would also like to keep everyone informed about what the Board of the HOPE Assoc. of Syosset has been doing for you. As everyone knows, STP tried to raise our rents in September 2007 and tried to evict us in October 2007, but we are still here and still fighting for our homes. Let’s reflect on some of the highlights of our journey.

April 2007
9th : On this day, we the manufactured home owners, received letters in our mailboxes stating that the Park had been sold to STP Associates, LLC on April 2nd and that Ginnie would be staying on as the manager.
18th: The NY Times prints an article about our park today..

With uncertainty about what the future holds for them and the Park, home owners begin panicking and some start looking into possible relocation possibilities.

May 2007
10th : The HOPE Tenants Association is formed today (Home Owners Protecting Equity). During this time the tenant board is -
Judy Walsh (President), Rita Moody (Co-President), Jimmie Johnson (Vice President), Elizabeth Stout
(Secretary) and Georgina Anglim (Treasurer).

With unity there is strength and the home owners, as a whole, begin a mailing campaign to alert the local, county and state politicians as to what is happening at the Park.

June 2007
2nd: Today, the residents received an opportunity to sign a non-renewable one year lease which would increase the $500-$600 monthly lot rents to $750 from September 2007 thru February 2008 and increases again to $1000 from March 2008 thru September 2008.
14th: The Board of the HOPE Tenants Association meets with STP Associates, LLC and is given the devastating news that their plans are to close the Park in September 2008 without any compensation for the manufactured homes that everyone would be forced to leave behind or for relocation purposes. Representing HOPE was Judy Walsh (President), Rita Moody (Co-President), Jimmie Johnson (Vice President), Elizabeth Stout (Secretary), Georgina Anglim (Treasurer), Ginger Bonner (Home Owner) and Diane Johnson (Home Owner). Representing STP Associates, LLC was Larry Rush (STP partner, Developer), Lawrence Feldman (STP partner, Attorney), Howard Avrutine (STP partner?, Attorney), Judy White (STP Spokeswoman) and her assistant, Leslie Macarone. That evening, at a HOPE Tenants Association meeting, the Board passes the information they received on to the home owners via a taped recording of the meeting. News 12 shows up at the meeting to interview home owners. Developer Gives Boot To Syosset Trailer Park Channel
21st: All but the Treasurer of the Board has stepped down and a new President (Barbara Pedote) and Vice President (Marcy Rappaport) are elected. Theresa Walch is appointed as Secretary.
26th: Georgina Anglim stepped down as Treasurer, today. Theresa Walch takes over her position and Nelson Hess is appointed Secretary.

With the proposed lease comes new concerns and home owners are worried about the increase in rent and how they will afford it.

July 2007
24th: Today, the Law Firm of Eliot Schlissel is retained by the HOPE Association in regards to negotiating a new lease.
27th: Ginnie Vignola (park manager) moves out of the front office today, without notification and without notification of a replacement.

August 2007
2nd: The Board faxed the Town of Oyster Bay Building Department a completed complaint form regarding conditions at the Park today.
6th: Mark Rothstein, from the Nassau County Board of Health, came to inspect the Park today and found violations.
8th: Home owners received letters from STP Associates, LLC in their mailboxes today, reminding them about signing the proposed lease. Hundreds of signed copies of "Marcy's Law" are mailed to Ken Calvert, Co-Chairperson of the Manufactured Housing Caucus.
10th: Today, Inspector Valdi, from the DEC, inspects various oil tanks at the Park.
13th: Joe Ciambre, from the Town of Oyster Bay Building Department came to inspect the Park today, regarding the complaint form they received on the 2nd and finds violations.
19th: Our park is mentioned in an article published in the NY Times today.
22nd: The HOPE Tenants Association becomes the HOPE Assoc. of Syosset (Home Owners Protecting Everything).

The Board anxiously awaits a response to our attorney, Elliot Schlissel's request for a meeting with STP Associates, LLC to discuss the proposed lease before Labor Day. Some home owners have begun moving out of the Park and vacating their manufactured homes, signing them over to STP.

September 2007
7th: Three Fire Marshals came to inspect the Park today and found violations.
11th: Home Owners received another letter from STP Associates, LLC in their mailboxes stating that "the old rent will not be accepted and the $750 must be received in the front office by 9/18 to avoid a termination notice and eviction proceedings". However, STP accepts and cashes our rents checks made out for the old rent amount.
13th: The Board of the HOPE Assoc. of Syosset meets with Rodney McCrae of Human Rights today.
17th: The first mobile home (#34) is pulled out of the Park today. It was a 7 hour ordeal.
20th: Home owners received another letter from STP reminding them of the rent increase. The Board of the HOPE Assoc. of Syosset had an initial meeting with STP Associates, LLC to discuss the proposed lease. Representing the HOPE Assoc. of Syosset at the meeting were Elliot Schlissel (Attorney), Barbara Pedote (President), Marcy Rappaport (Vice President), Nelson Hess (Secretary) and Theresa Walch (Treasurer). Larry Rush (STP partner, Developer), Lawrence Feldman (STP partner, Attorney), Michael Mason (Landlord-Tenant Attorney), Lisa O'Connell (Secretary) and via phone from Albany, Michael Glaser (NYS Housing Attorney) represented STP Associates, LLC.
21st: Half of the home owners within the Park find Notices of Termination taped to their front doors and ignore them as per Michael Mason and Larry Rush's instructions given at yesterday's meeting.
26th: Today, LIPA came to inspect the wiring at the Park and noted some issues.
28th: The rest of the home owners received their Notices of Termination, today.

Home owners witness the first signs of STP's intentions when the maintenance man, Bill Mazzie, begins tearing down house #44. Home owners start a petition to collect signatures from family, friends and co-workers in support of our fight.

October 2007
3rd: A world-wide petition was started today on gopetition.com to tell the world of our plight and to receive signatures of support.
4th: News 12 and 1010 WINS came to the Park today to interview home owners. The Board received a request today from STP for a financial analysis for all members of HOPE.
5th: Channel 4 came to the Park today to do interviews.
7th: Today we hosted our first fundraiser "Ride for HOPE". Approximately 100 bikers showed their support by riding from the front of the Park to BJ's Bar and Tiki Lounge in Bellmore. We raised $3,000.00. A fun time was had by all. News 12 covered the beginning of the "run" and it aired tonight.
8th: Newsday reporter, Deborah Morris, came to the Park today unexpectedly, to interview the Board of the HOPE Assoc. of Syosset and spoke with Barbara Pedote (President), Marcy Rappaport (Vice President) and Nelson Hess (Secretary).
10th: Newsday reporter Deborah Morris ran an article titled "Mobile-home owners moved to take action" today.
11th: STP was faxed the financial status for all members of HOPE today.
19th: The faculty of the Robbins Lane Elementary School sent letters of concern regarding the families at the Syosset Mobile Home Park to Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor John Venditto and Nassau County Legislator Judy Jacobs today.
26th: Today, all the members of the Board took a trip to Riverhead Town Hall to attend a Mobile Home Park hearing proposing new legislation. We were asked to leave, along with countless others, due to "attendance exceeding the fire safety limit". Before leaving, Theresa Walch was interviewed by News 55.

November 2007
2nd: Barbara (HOPE President) received a surprise visit this evening from Keith Scalia and Joe Terino, candidates running for election within the Town of Oyster Bay.
6th: Some home owners found letters from STP in their mailboxes, today. The letters stated that their residency had been terminated as of 10/31 and that STP will no longer accept any payments. The letters also contained their uncashed November rent checks.
7th: Today, some home owners found Notices of Termination taped to their front doors as they came home from work, while others found letters containing their uncashed November rent checks in their mailboxes. Also today, the Board met with Steven Marx at Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Venditto's office to discuss what is happening at the Park.
26th: Barbara, Marcy and Nelson met with Senator Carl Marcellino at his office today to discuss what is happening at the Park. Home owners are still receiving eviction notices on an almost daily basis, at the rate of 5 home owners a day.
28th: Nassau County Legislator Judy Jacobs and Connie Lassandro from Nassau County Housing met with Barbara, Nelson and Marcy today, at her office, to talk about what is happening at the Park. Newsday reporter Deborah Morris ran an article entitled "SYOSSET: Rental Flap at Park" today.
29th: Tonight, at Barbara's house, Board members (Barbara, Marcy and Nelson) ask Theresa Walch to vacate her position as Treasurer. Gregg Schauer (home owner) was present to bear witness to the turning over of the ledger. The ledger was given to Gregg to hold.

December 2007
1st: Barbara received a call from our attorney today, informing her that we won our first victory and have been awarded the stay against STP in landlord-tenant court temporarily holding off any evictions. Everything is now on hold until 1/3/08 when they will present their cases before the Supreme Court! Our attorney also stated that there has been a turn in the case and that we will discuss it at our meeting later this week.
2nd: "Operation Decoration" took place today. Home owners braved the snow flurries and met at the front entrance of the Park to decorate for the holidays while listening to Christmas carols, eating donuts, drinking hot chocolate and enjoying each others company.
3rd: News 12 showed up unexpectedly tonight to interview home owners regarding the proposed settlement offer made by STP, just minutes after the Board was told about the offer by our attorney, Elliot Schlissel. The settlement was presented verbally and off-the-cuff by Larry Rush (STP partner and developer) on 11/29 while they were standing in the hallway of the court house. The settlement offer is for $500,000 to be divided among the Park residents with details to be ironed out at a later date.
4th: Long Island Business prints an article titled "STP Associates Plan Stalls" today.
17th: A home owner reported seeing Fire Inspectors driving through the Park earlier today.
19th: The Board of the HOPE Assoc. of Syosset met with the Long Island Housing Partnership in Hauppauge today to discuss issues concerning the Park residents in regards to relocation and the possibility of purchasing the Park from STP.
20th: Our attorney, Elliot Schlissel and his co-counsel May Co met with the home owners tonight at a home owners meeting. Residents are divided about whether or not to accept Larry Rush's verbal, off-the-cuff settlement made at the court house November 29th.
As the year comes to an end, some home owners are optimistic about the future while others still question what it may hold.

The HOPE Assoc. of Syosset wishes you and yours a Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

January 2008

As the Year begins anew, so does our strength and belief in our fight.

3rd: STP Associates, LLC requested and was granted an adjournment today. The next court date is scheduled for January 31st, at which time the attorneys will present their cases before the Supreme Court.
4th: NY Times reporter Valerie Cotsalas arrived unexpectedly at Barbara Pedote's house to do an interview.
9th: "Is This The American Way?" by HOPE President, Barbara Pedote is posted on Rep. John Hall and Rep. Ken Calvert's web sites.
13th: The NY Times prints the article, from the interview on the 4th, in the LI Real Estate Section.

February 2008

1st: The Board receives an email invitation to speak at the Bunker Hill/Valley Forge Home Owners Association in Bohemia at their next meeting on 2/25.

5th: Elliot requests that all home owners submit copies of September & Octobers' cancelled rent checks.

6th: The Board met with Steven Marx at Supervisor Venditto's office.

8th: The Board had a meeting with Elliot.

14th: The Board receives an invitation to attend a home owners meeting in Riverhead on 2/16.

15th: The Board officially turns the books over to Darlene Funk.

16th: The Board attends a home owners meeting in Riverhead. We speak with Assemblyman Mark Alessi and Lou Boschetti, NYS Mobile Home Consultant, regarding our Park. We are invited to attend a private Home Owners Association Board of Directors meeting on 2/29 to discuss the wording of new legislation.

18th: The wall in the front of the Park falls. WBAB trashes our Park during a "Best Of" segment.

19th: Marcy and Nelson visit WBAB to talk to the Program Director and to get a transcript of the program.

20th: The Board is excited at the prospect of Nina Stewart (Housing Department Attorney and former Director of Housing) communicating with Elliot regarding the purchase of our Park.

21st: Michael Mason, attorney for STP, calls Elliot for permission to tow the cars parked in the front visitor parking area so that STP can repair the walls.

23rd: The HOPE Assoc. of Syosset bylaws is distributed.

25th: The Board receives an overwhelming reception at the Bunker Hill/Valley Forge Home Owners Association meeting. We spoke about our situation and the home owners are very supportive of our efforts to save our park, they requested we return periodically with updates and they thanked us sincerely for taking the time to speak with them.

28th: The wall at the front of the Park is taken down.

29th: We attend the Board of Directors meeting in Calverton where Barbara & Marcy had the opportunity to speak on behalf of our Park. Our suggestions for new legislation have been recorded. Housing Chairperson Vito Lopez is very interested and concerned about our situation and has offered his support. Three vacant homes (62, 63, 64) in the back of the Park are taken down