BRADENTON BEACH – In a community that Pines Trailer Park homeowners expected to be bustling with activity once again after receiving the city’s permission to repair their hurricane-damaged mobile homes, the 86-unit park now sits quietly following the ownership’s decision to shut the park down.
Pines Trailer Park mobile homeowners reacted to the Jan. 4 park closure notification from Pines Park Investors LLC, including those who bought there in 2024 based on what they said were assurances from the ownership that the park would remain in existence for five to 10 more years.
Two months before Hurricane Helene hit on Sept. 26, Cory Jackson purchased four mobile homes in the Pines. Those purchases were based in part on what he said were assurances by the owner and management that the park would not only remain in place for 10 years, but that improvements were planned in the coming years.
“I was told by Brien (Quinn, former park manager) and Shawn (Kaleta, Pines Park Investors LLC manager) that it would be 10 years before anything would happen and the intent was to add a pool by the clubhouse in a couple of years,” he said.
Jackson said he has approximately $650,000 invested in the four units.
“I’m just going to walk away,” he said. “It’s heartbreaking for everyone.”
Steve Jackson purchased a unit in July 2024 for $125,000 with the intention of renting it out for passive income in his retirement.
“I met Shawn the day I looked at the unit and he seemed to have some great plans for the park,” Jackson said. “It seemed like he was invested and had a clear vision and put me at ease.”
He said he was shocked to learn the park was being closed.
“I read some people may have the option to stay, I’d be willing to invest if it’s going to be a few more years,” he said.
The Jan. 4 letter does not make it clear what the plans are for the park, and states that one option that is being considered, pending city of Bradenton Beach approval, is to allow continued month-to-month tenancy for some residents, possibly extending up to a couple of years, depending on the overall timeline for vacating the property. The letter does not indicate what criteria would be used for allowing some residents to stay.
Jeffrey Roth bought his unit for more than $150,000 in March 2024, in part to be close to his in-laws in Cortez when he and his wife visit, and they intended to rent the mobile home when it wasn’t in use.
“It was an investment,” Roth said. “I was told when I purchased this it would stay as a park for at least five years. I’m actively looking for an attorney in Florida to discuss my legal options. I was misled and I’m not the only one.”
The Sun reached out to a representative for the LLC for comment.
“Our intention was always to keep Pines a trailer park. Neither Shawn or Brien was being untruthful,” Pines Investors representative Sam Negrin wrote in a Jan. 8 text to The Sun. “The hurricanes created these circumstances where only approximately 50% of residents were willing to rebuild and continue their tenancy. Additionally, 75% of residents decided they no longer needed to pay rent due to the storms, and we’ve had to close the park for that reason.”
Ryan Pfahler and his wife, Marcy, own three units and live in one. He said the two units had been booked as rentals for February and March but over the Christmas holiday they were returning thousands of dollars in deposits.
Pfahler said there was no communication from the LLC since shortly after Hurricane Helene in September until the Jan. 4 communication saying the park would be closed.
“Saying nothing is saying something,” he said. “I feel like they sabotaged their own park, and I don’t believe he doesn’t have a plan. They’re not going to shut down the park without a plan.”
“I don’t believe he wanted to keep it a park,” Pfahler said. “If they wanted to keep it a park he would have lent us a hand.”
He and other residents took issue with many of the reasons for closing the park that the LLC cited in the Jan. 4 letter.
The letter gave the following four reasons for the decision to close the park:
“Financial challenges: The park is operating at an unsustainable income level, with high delinquency rates (approximately 75%). While some residents have expressed concerns about amenities needing restoration, such projects – such as waterfront docks – would take years to complete and require significant investment. Combined with delinquency issues, it is not financially viable to operate under these conditions,” the LLC’s letter states.
“The only cleanup was done by Brien or the residents. They were ignoring the whole thing,” Pfahler said. “There was no care or concern and they threw this back in our faces. Had they shown any care or concern, everyone would have been back paying rent. I believe it was 100% intentional to use that as an excuse.”
Pines resident Lesley Mullaney posted the following on the AMI Sun Facebook page:
“102 days without communication? The city giving us the green light to repair and offering free permits. A clubhouse that is so disgusting, dirty with dried muck all over the floors. We cleaned up our streets. WE did that without any help from his crew. A laundry facility that is void of all equipment with debris still littering most areas. Would you be willing to pay between $1,200-$1,475 a month when your place is uninhabitable?”
The second reason given by the LLC is: “Restoration and Compliance: The required renovations for many units to meet the 50% rule for updates would involve considerable investment, which we are aware many residents are unwilling or unable to make, if permits were to even be issued. Additionally, the park’s compliance with fire codes presents a complex and costly challenge, as addressing one unit’s compliance issues often triggers a chain reaction requiring others to come into compliance.
“With the exception of the three on the bay that were condemned, I know for a fact people would have fixed them up,” Pfahler said.
City Building Official Daryn Cushing told The Sun in December that he received multiple permit applications from Pines mobile homeowners for repair work.
The LLC letter continues: “Resident Concerns and Safety: We have received numerous requests from residents wishing to relinquish their deeds, but as a property management team, we are not in the business of owning trailers. Furthermore, the park has faced yearly flooding and other storm-related damages that create unsafe conditions for residents and untenable liabilities for management. This, coupled with instances of harassment toward our team and city officials, has exacerbated the challenges of maintaining operations.”
“What they’re calling harassment, I would call being persistent,” Pfahler said. “You keep trying to get a hold of anybody and there’s no response.”
“Long-Term Viability: The cumulative impact of delinquency, loss of units, and the need for significant investments makes it clear that the park’s current model is no longer feasible. Additionally, management cannot continue to bear the risk of another storm coming and once again losing almost all income, all of which is essential to remain afloat.”
The LLC has not disclosed plans for the park. According to Cushing on Jan. 6, the LLC has not applied for any permits for work there.
