HOWLAND New owners fixing up mobile home park

Residents, neighbors and officials say they're happy with the progress.
By AMANDA C. DAVIS
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
HOWLAND -- Things are looking up at Shady Lane Mobile Home Park.
In May, The Vindicator profiled neighbors' complaints about the park at the end of Clermont Avenue N.E. on the Howland-Warren border.
The park is in Howland, but much of the neighborhood is in Warren.
Neighbors and residents complained about rodents, debris, empty trailers, garbage, health concerns, water and sewage line leaks.
New owners have been cleaning up, painting, removing vacant and ramshackle trailers and bringing new ones in. A newly paved road leading through the park was half-paved just a few months back.
There are also a new entrance, parking lot and a sign announcing the 152-lot park is under new management.
Who's in charge: On Sept. 12, Atty. John Flask of Broadview Heights took over ownership with his brothers, Marty, who retired in August as Cleveland's police chief, and Bill, who is handling maintenance at the park.
Marty Flask is now head of security at Cleveland's Hopkins International Airport and will help with security at the trailer park.
Another partner is Tom Kusak, who is John Flask's partner in an accounting firm.
John Flask took over Martin's Mobile Home Park in Boardman about five years ago, made some improvements and sold it when someone else made a good offer.
"We're really not absentee [landlords]," said John Flask, an estate and tax attorney. "I guess what it really takes to run this place is someone who has a conscience."
A lawsuit filed by Howland Township trustees is pending against the former owners of the trailer park over zoning violations.
Who was sued: The suit was filed in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court, naming as defendants Age Management Co. of Parma Heights, Anthony Manson of Parma Heights, Gale Chun of Parma, Earnest Manson of Rocky River and Joseph Nardo of Patchen Avenue S.E., Warren.
The lawsuit says Chun and the Mansons are partners in the company and bought Shady Lane Mobile Park from Nardo, who may still claim an interest in the matter.
The lawsuit says defendants were notified March 16 of zoning violations, including unsightly waste, garbage and debris, and at least one burned-out trailer.
As of June 7, the lawsuit says, the park had as many as 12 vacant trailers that were unsafe and unclean, attracting rodents and creating dangerous nuisances for children.
John Flask said he and his partners bought eight properties owned by Anthony Manson. Others are in Medina, Marion, Ashland, Bucyrus and one in Pennsylvania.
Of the eight, Shady Lane was in the worst shape and the partners have spent $40,000 so far.
George Buccella, administrator with Trumbull County Board of Health, said he's been told the new owners are dressing up the place and trying to correct problems.
"As long as they're improving the conditions, we're not going to take them to court," he said. "We need to make sure that continues."
More praise: Township administrator John Emanuel said the new owners have made great strides in sprucing up the park.
"It looks like a different place," he said.
Elizabeth Stoian lives on Clermont Avenue across from the trailer park.
She said she's satisfied with improvements she can see from her property, where she's lived for more than 40 years.
"They're definitely doing some work over there," she said.
Residents of Shady Lane have a laundry room with new equipment and a new rotary mailbox system inside. A 950-square-foot apartment upstairs from the office has been remodeled and a family is preparing to move in.
Instead of centralized overflowing trash bins, each trailer has its own trash service, and residents have also been given their own parking pads near their trailers.
Ron Stroup has lived at Shady Lane since 1995 and is happy with cleanup efforts.
"It's an improvement and these are owners you can talk to," he said.
The new owners say they're motivating tenants and promised they wouldn't raise rent until they improved the park.
Now, they are counting on residents to make their own upgrades and maintain the property.
Those who don't follow the rules will be evicted, John Flask said.
"I want this place to be more of a community."
davis@vindy.com