North San Diego County Vol. 2 No. 5 May 2014
www.mobilehomemagazine.org
Mobilehome Magazine - North San Diego County
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Volume 2 Number 5. May 2014
T A B L E
O F
CONTENTS Table of Contents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 3 From The Staff of Mobilehome Magazine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 4 $5 For An Attorney. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page A Mobilehome Magazine At The Convention. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page B-C Mobilehome Park Rental Agreement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page D-E California Hawiian Lawsuit Victory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page E Can A Mobilehome Owner Rent Their Home? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page F Clarifications and Corrections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page G Donation & FAQ Handbook Order Form. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page H Observations, Impressions and Challenges for GSMOL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 13 Thanks To My Parents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14
Mobilehome Magazine - North San Diego County
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Volume 2 Number 5. May 2014
From the Staff of Mobilehome Magazine
Serving the Mobile/Manufactured Home Community in California
April has been a busy month. MHMag attended the GSMOL Convention in Costa Mesa from April 11-13, a “cookie cutter” version of past Conventions - seminars on Friday afternoon, Saturday morning and Saturday afternoon. Then an awards banquet on Saturday evening and a business meeting on Sunday morning. Although we were not allowed to attend the Convention, we did meet many nice folks and handed out magazines. Most had never heard about the magazine and some volunteered to distribute in their park. Thank you for helping us grow! Congratulations to Seven Flags in Sonoma. They received the GSMOL park of the year award. Our friend Darryl Blanton has been passing out Mobilehome Magazine (MHMag) since July 2013 and Seven Flags was our Featured Park in the February 2014 issue of magazines. Many at the Convention were concerned about the lack of financial and membership information. Some also questioned why they were classified as an “Observer;” as if they had no say in the organization. This “air of unrest” is demonstrated by Lloyd Rochambeau’s article on page 4. Check it out. Few at the Convention knew about the Washington State Manufactured Housing Dispute Resolution Program. See page A for details. This is an important program and we feel GSMOL should make it their #1 priority in Sacramento. We need enforcement! MHMag made some suggestions for Convention topics three months prior to the Convention. GSMOL has a new president, the former Treasurer Jean Crowder, and a new Zone A-1 VP Miss Terri Pohrman. We congratulate them and make a few suggestions we believe would help GSMOL improve. See pages B-C. Donna Matthews continues her series of articles, this month writing about rental agreements. We feel everyone should read it, it is important! See page D-E. Our friends at California Hawiian in San Jose just won a terrific lawsuit. And take a look at how much they won!!! Unbelievable! Good work Joan. Details on page E. Another important topic is that of renting out your home. Lloyd Rochambeau writes about the latest developments. See page F. We are anxiously waiting to see any movement towards improvement by the new Board of Directors of GSMOL. They must now realize how critical positive change is after hearing many at the Convention express their concerns. Time is running out. We hope we get a phone call very soon.
Have a terrific May. See you in June.
P.O. Box 3774 Chatsworth, CA 91313
(818) 886-6479 Email Address
frank@mobilehomemagazine.org
Website www.mobilehomemagazine.org
MHMag is not responsible for content contained in advertising
PUBLISHER & EDITOR Frank A. Wodley
ADVERTISING SALES Rose Rosales
DESIGN
Greg Frazier
ARTICLE CONTRIBUTORS Donna Matthews Chuck Zenisek Bill Schlegel Lloyd Rochambeau
SPANISH TRANSLATOR Ruben Ibanez
PROOFREADER Open
TheMobilehome Magazine Staff Mobilehome Magazine - North San Diego County
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Volume 2 Number 5. May 2014
OBSERVATIONS, IMPRESSIONS AND CHALLENGES for GSMOL to pass the amendment. While my calculations of the voting results are not official, it is easy to see that the proposal faced a very difficult chance of gaining the 2/3 majority.
As a newcomer to GSMOL and after attending the GSMOL convention in Costa Mesa, I have some thoughts I want to share. While I have lived in mobile and manufactured homes for over 28 years, I only joined GSMOL a month or two ago. I had heard of GSMOL, but knew little about the organization. Not being a member and involved is partly my fault. However, I believe most of it is GSMOL’s fault for not getting its message and mission out to people like me.
I believe it was at the banquet where I heard compliments for a member selling memberships, and that more “sales” were needed to boost the membership. Any discussion about gaining new members should be about “recruiting” new members, which are the lifeblood of the organization.
After sending in my application for membership, I received a welcome letter from the President. I went on the website expecting to learn how the organization functions. I saw references to Chapters, Managers and Associate Managers, however, I could not find a description of Chapters and Delegates, nor how GSMOL functions. I saw where it said “Regular Members” could vote and hold office. Then I went to the convention.
There are many factors which can be the cause of declining GSMOL membership. Apathy, imposition of RSO’s, conversions to ROPs, aging of the base, etc., etc. to name a few. However, just perhaps some of the fault lies with the GSMOL structure. I realize it has been around many years, but times change and maybe GSMOL needs to look at how it needs to change in order to survive and thrive. I would suggest some changes that might be a part of the solution. Taking better care of the membership by disposing of the Delegate/Observer designations and giving all dues paying members the right to vote and speak their minds. I am not convinced that the Chapter concept is effective. Why not make each city with several parks a Chapter? Whether you call them a chapter or a region or by any other name needs to be considered.
Upon my arrival and checking in at the registration desk I received my convention packet. I was given a name badge with a ribbon attached identifying me as an “Observer”. I thought that must be a mistake, shouldn’t it read “Member” I asked. I was told we are all members and the observer ribbon meant that I could not vote on anything. I was perplexed and felt it was demeaning to be so identified.
Should GSMOL retain the Manager, Assistant Manager and Associate Manager designations or take a stab at other titles (Ambassador, Captains, or whatever). The whole structure or mechanics needs a brainstorming or strategic planning process to revamp it. Being more responsive to the members and being more transparent, including the provision of financial reports is essential.
I met a number of members (observers) and Delegates as well as Alternate Delegates. I began to learn that to be a delegate, you had to belong to a Chapter (or a Super Chapter). I discovered that there were no chapters in all of San Marcos, therefore there was no one eligible to vote other than the Zone Vice President. Seems like a crazy way to run a railroad, except to those in power.
A new president was elected and now the question is ...will she be a key to reforming GSMOL, or will it just continue as it has for the past several years? Is there a sincere effort and belief of the Board in the necessity of restoring the association to its former success?
I attended workshops which I found helpful and interesting. However, the very same complaints I have heard over and over again in my HOA and in SMMRA (San Marcos Mobilehome Residents Association) regarding the lack of enforcement for the MRL regulations were prevalent in most of the sessions. It was especially so in the HCD Panel’s presentation, which in fact was a bit hostile to these Department employees.
I am, of course, a novice when it comes to GSMOL and it may be presumptuous of me to offer my opinion and suggestions. But I do so as one who knows how much we need GSMOL and who wants it to thrive and once again to grow and become an even greater organization. The loss of membership requires it to “rebuild, renew, and restore” and not just give lip service to the convention slogan. My experience over the last 40 years with non-profit businesses and associations provides me with the nerve to openly advocate for a true reform of GSMOL. While my suggestions may seem drastic to many GSMOL members (BOD and Delegates), change is needed to make progress. Doing the same things over and over and not succeeding is only a sure road to failure.
The Sunday morning Board Meeting, with voting Delegates seated in the center sections and us “observers” seated in the wings off to the side. The only members speaking on the discussion of the proposed bylaws were the delegates. I do not have the voting results on all of the amendments, but was very much disappointed in the defeat of one amendment to the proposal which would have eliminated the power of the Zone Vice Presidents to appoint two delegates of their choice. While it had the most votes, it failed due to the 2/3 majority requirement. As I understand it, out of some 76 voting delegates present, the Board with its 10 or 11 members and their appointed delegates had a potential of 30 or more votes out of 76 votes. It would have taken about 50 of the 76 votes Mobilehome Magazine - North San Diego County
Article by Lloyd Rochambeau, President, SMMRA and Lakeview Mobile Estates. 13
Volume 2 Number 5. May 2014
Thanks to My Parents I was seven years old during the war. Coming from a vegetarian family we never had any lard to save. Each week, all the kids on the block gathered to do their patriotic duty to the country (America) by carrying their lard filled cans to the local market.
My parents would have said “Why have somebody else fight your battles for you? Stand up, get involved and you will have that feeling of self-worth and accomplishment.” Thanks for reading, Sonny Levinson, Canoga Mobile Estates
I felt so left out. On occassion, one of my playmates would give me an extra can to carry so that I could join in. I felt so good knowing that I too was “doing my duty.”
Editor’s Note: Sonny has been a big supporter of COMO-LAC, COMO-CAL and now Mobilehome Magazine. I can remember, now about 9 years ago, when I printed off a big stack of pages for one of our first COMO-LAC newsletters. A group of about 10 residents at Canoga Mobile Estates and I worked about 4 hours to colate and assemble 700 newsletters. What a task! Soon after I purchased a floor standing professional printer that printed, colated and stapled all in one operation. All that was required was to fold, stable and label each newsletter - still an arduous task!
At the age of ten I marched with other children carrying posters asking the public’s vote for school bonds. It made me feel so proud. When I was seventeen yeas old, many students right outside and in front of L.A. Community College and State College were getting hit by cars and ther were quite a few deaths. I volunteered with many other students who also got involved. Together we marched down the middle of Vermont Avenue in a mock cortege behind a casket. We finally got our point across and a signal was installed
Thank you Sonny and my friends in Canoga Mobile Estates. Let’s hope we never have to do that again, but that’s what it takes sometimes to try to help our friends and neighbors.
If you are having problems in your park, instead of complaining to other residents, get together. Do something constructive. Go together to your manager. Remember, managers cannot harass you!
Take Sonny’s advice, volunteer and you will have a feeling of self-worth and accomplishment. I have and I love it!
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Volume 2 Number 5. May 2014
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Volume 2 Number 5. May 2014