Mapleton Mobile-izers

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The Mapleton Mobile-izer is issued quarterly, following the MHA membership meetings. Special editions are issued as needed, for example before a quarterly meeting where MHA members will be voting for executives or making an important decision...


MHA BLOG Volume 3.3 Newsletter of the Mapleton Home Association [MHA] September 1998

MAPLETON PARK HOSTS THIRD ANNUAL GOOSE CREEK FESTIVAL


Inside This Issue



MAPLETON PARK HOSTS THIRD ANNUAL GOOSE CREEK FESTIVAL
 by Pete Caterina
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 The 3rd Annual Goose Creek Festival was held August IS, 1998 at Dumpster Park from 5:30 8:30pm. This year's festival centered around an informal potluck dinner, and included the official kickoff for the MHA Escrow Account. The semi-threatening thunderclouds and some meagre rain drops at the very beginning did not deter any of the more than 45 hearty, weatherwise, nature loving Mapleton-eers (or is it Mapletonites? or Mapletonians? Neighbors wandered through Dumpster Park and around the blue tarp-covered buffet line and MHA Information Booth during the casual evening. As the sun slowly dipped beneath the Front Range, MHA President, Mark Reeder, announced the official start of the Escrow Account, where homeowners can "invest in their futures" and help raise the down payment for the eventual purchase of the Park from the City of Boulder. And what a great start it was! Since the Quarterly Meeting of the MHA in late July, a number of -Homeowners had already invested. Mark, together with many other residents ceremonially opened the account by presenting Escrow Account Manager, Nan Lederer, #77, a check for for $5000.001 After Alex Wilson, #58, then initiated a group discussion and an informal poll on residents' reactions to the many starlings and crows that have taken residence in threes above and around our homes.. Then it was back to the main focus of the evening: socializing and the food. Quality, quantity and diversity describe the feast. There were cherries, watermelon, honeydew, papaya, oranges, and fruit salads, deviled eggs, dips and pastes, antipasto, soup, chili, curry, pasta salads, pasta with sauces, pasta with vegetables, vegetable mixes, vegetables with sauces, corn on the cob, casseroles, cobblers, cakes with frosting, pies, homemade cookies, donuts and a few things that defy being classified. Many thanks for the success goes to Ann Crone, #82 who took the time to knock on every door in Mapleton Park as this year's Chairwoman. Darkness finally swallowed up the last of the festival go-ers, as bats flew off to their secret rendezvous. And old Goose Creek quietly continued flowing through Mapleton Park, secure in the knowledge that next year there will definitely be a "4th Annual Festival" in its honor. Left, Nan Lederer Escrow Accountff Managerrece Making a check for $5000.00 from Some of the future owners of Mapleton Park.



Explanation of the City's Option to Purchase
By the editors
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 There has been some confusion in the last few months over the City's "Option to Purchase" specified in our Lease when residents wish to sell their homes. This article from the Mapleton Home Association is intended to help clear up some of the confusion. In the lease between Mapleton Park mobile home owners and the City of Boulder, the City has the option to purchase any home that is offered for sale. The City needs to buy a number of homes in order to relocate residents affected by the Goose Creek Flood Channel Project. No resident can be forced to sell their home. Moreover, according to Staff at the Division of Housing, no homeowner will be coerced into selling his or her home to the City. However, if you do decide that you want to sell, you must follow the steps laid out in the lease.
1. You, the homeowner, must notify the City in writing of your intent to sell your mobile home, and include the date you wish to leave.
2. The City has seven (7) days to decide whether they want to purchase your home. This may include inspecting your home. If the City decides not to purchase your home, you may seek a buyer on the open market. Any buyer must qualify to be a resident of Mapleton. This means they must meet affordable income standards-their income cannot exceed 120% of the Boulder Median Income, approximately $62,000/year; plan to own and occupy the home; be able to abide by the new lease and the Mapleton Park Rules and Regulations; and not be a criminal or public annoyance as defined by County, State and Federal Laws.
3. If the City decides to purchase your mobile home, they will send to you a "Mobile Home Purchase Agreement." Signing this agreement does not obligate you to sell your home to the City of Boulder (see Step #5) but it does establish the process, as outlined in the lease, for the City to purchase your home. The City has thirty days to set a meeting with you, a City representative
and a mobile home appraiser. The City will arrange for the appraisal at their expense. You may choose not to be present at this meeting, as long as you tell the City either verbally or in writing. Ask plenty of questions of the appraiser so that he tells you what he is doing and why.
The appraiser must follow the guidelines in the lease to determine market value of your home in location. "Market Value in Location" means what your home is worth on the open market and taking into account extras, additions and or any aesthetic value of the surrounding grounds as well as its location within the City of Boulder and within Mapleton Park. The City will offer to purchase your home for the appraised value.
4. Then you have seven (7) days either to accept the City's offer or hire your own appraiser, at your own expense, approximately $125. You must submit your own appraisal to the City within fourteen (14) days of the first appraisal.
5. If the appraisals differ, you have two choices. According to the "Mobile Home Purchase Agreement," You may decline the City's offer and the "Mobile Home Purchase Agreement" shall be null and void. If you decide to continue with the "Mobile Home Purchase Agreement," the sale price will be set halfway between the City's appraisal and your appraisal. The sale date will be set within thirty (30) days of the first appraisal unless you prefer to leave later.
Finally, to reiterate, according to Housing and Human Services Staff, the City will not compel anyone to sell their homes if the offered price would make them miserable. Remember folks, the option to purchase was included in the lease to help our fellow residents; and we should be looking for a reasonable fair market value for our homes.
A copy of the City's Mobile Home Purchase Agreement will be posted at the Kiosk in Dumpster Park.

Escrow Account Update
by Nan Lederer, Escrow Account Manager
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After being in existence only one month, the Escrow Account already has 24 subscribers who so far have contributed $7441.68. Interest to date is $15.29 for a total of $7456.97. These numbers translate to 18% of the Park residents have become subscribers, making the commitment to become Future Owners; and we have raised nearly 5% of our $150,000 goal. Residents who wish to become Future Owners of Mapleton can contact Nan at #77.

LA CUENTA EN PLICA DE LA ASOCIACION DE CASAS DE MAPLETON PREGUNTAS Y RESPUESTAS
por Nan Lederer #77 y Pete Caterina #176
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QUO ES LA CUENTA EN PLICA? * Una cuenta del banco en la cual depositan los residentes dinero para la compra a la larga del Parque Mapleton.
Una entrada para ]a compra del Parque.
Es su dinero -- un depo'sito, no una donacion -que contribuir6 hac'oa la compra de su parte del Parque.
* Estamos organizados, comprometidos, y estamos en camino para comprar el Parque -- ahora necesitamos su ayuda y compromiso para desarollar esta cuenta en plica. Para realizar cualquier sueo'o, necesitamos HACER algo.

CUONTO DINERO ESTAMOS INTENTANDO RECAUDAR?

* La cifra total que queremos recaudar es $150,000. Nuestra meta es que cada establecemiento dom6stico que quiere participar en comprar el Parque deposita $1,000.00 durante un peri6do de cinco (5) aoos. Esta cifra seroa igual a un promedio de $200.00 por aoo, o como $16.00 por mes ($16.67 por ser exacto).

COMO ME VA A BENEFICIAR A Mi EL PARTICIPAR EN TA CUENTA EN PLICA?

* Esta es una manera a mostrar a la Ciudad de Boulder y a los prestadores potenciales que nuestra intenci'on a comprar el Parque es seria.
* Es un primer paso hac'oa ponernos los due'oos de la tierra abajo de nuestras casas. Cuando compramos el Parque, Ud. ser'o dueo'o de una parte del Parque y ganaro equidad con cada pago mensual de hipoteca en vez de pagar renta cada nies que nunca recupero.
* Cuando ya somos dueo-os del Parque, accionistas seron los que toman decisiones sobre la geronica del Parque y las reglas, y fijar-o'n la renta para los que no son accionistas.

DONDE ESTARO EL DINERO Y COMO VAMOS A SEGUIRLO CON ATENCION?

* El dinero sero' invertido en una cuenta de 'O'mercado monetario'o y ser'o administrado por Piper/Jaff ray Inc.
* Se espera que el inter'os sero' aproximadamente doble lo que podr6a ganar en una cuenta de ahorros.
* Sero la responsabilidad de la Associacion de Casas de Mapleton de seguir con atenci'on los depositos y los saidos individuales. Esto se hard el Gerente de la Cuenta en Plica de la Asociaci'on de Casas de Mapleton.
Cada establecemiento domo'stico tendro"su propio nomero de cuenta (lo mismo que su nomero de lote).
* Cada vez que hace un depo"Sito un residente, recibiro' un recibo que incluye su saldo actual.* Cada participante recibiro un estado de cuenta anual del Gerente de la Cuenta en Plica de la Asociacion de Casas de Mapleton que muestra el estatus de su cuenta individual, tanto como el estado de cuenta trimestral de Piper Jaff ray, mostrando la actividad y saido de la cuenta de la Asociacion de Casas de Mapleton entero.

COMO FUNCIONARO?

* Se puede hacer depo'sitos mensualmente, trimestralmente o anualmente.
* Recibiron depo"Sitos las siguientes personas: la Gerente de la Cuenta en Plica, Nan Lederer, Lote #77, o el Presidente de la Asociacion de Casas de Mapleton, Mark Reeder, Lote #14. Tambien habro' una caja donde pueden dejar dep'ositos en la lavandaroa al lado de la caja de renta.
El Gerente de la Cuenta en Plica haro depositos mensuales al banco el d6a once (11) de cada mes, asoque el do'a diez (10) de cada mes sero" la fecha tope en la cual pueden hacer depo'sitos los residentes para tal mes.

QUO PASA Si QUIERO SACAR MI DINERO DE LA CUENTA EN PLICA?

* Si un participante se traslada del Parque, o sufre problemas financieros y necesita sacar su dinero, recibiro todo el principal de su deposito, mos la mitad del interos acumulado (que serp' aproximadamente igual al intero"s que gana una cuenta de ahorros). La Asociacion de Casas de Mapleton.retendro la mitad del interos para los gastos de operacion.
* Esta cuenta no es una cuenta de ahorros personal, asoque no puede sacar una parte de su dinero de la cuenta. Cualquier saco ser-o para la cifra en total, y luego ya no seroo Ud. una participante en la cuenta en plica.

EXCEPCIONES A LA REGLA DE LA MITAD DEL INTEROS

* Si un residente tiene que trasladarse involuntariamente (por ejemplo, si le expulsan o esto forzado a ubicarse de nuevo afuera del Parque nor razones del proyecto de inundacion de Goose Creek), le volveremos el intero's entero a residente o su herencia ademo's del principal.
* En el caso de muerte, o problemas de salud serios que causan dificultades financieras, el intero's entero sero pagado al residente o su herencia ademos delprincipal.

QUO PASARO AL DINERO Si NO COMPRAMOS EL PARQUE?

Creemos que tendremos oxito en comprar el Parque. Pero, si este no sucede, todo el dinero se volvero a los participantes, inciuyendo el interoS acumulado entero.

Sl USTED ESTO INTERESADO EN PARTICIPAR EN LA CUENTA EN PLICA

* Los residentes que eston interesados en participar en la cuenta en plica pueden agarrar una forma de anlicaci6n de Nan Lederer, La Gerente de la Cuenta en Plica, en el lote #77.
Para mas informacion sobre la Asociacion de Casas de Mapleton o la cuenta en plica, llame a Noel al 441 3976.

Name The Streets and Dumpster Park Contest
By Pete Caterina
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On all maps, for as long as they have existed, the seven paved roads and Central Green Area (by the three dumpsters) in Mapleton park have been nameless. In five years the Central Green Area, affectionately known as "Dumpster Park," will be consumed by the Goose Creek Greenway Flood Control Project. And, while 2635 Mapleton Avenue will continue as our communal address, even though Lots #1 and #11 are the only ones physically on Mapleton Avenue, there is something special and unique about living on streets that have escaped bureaucratic labeling, that should cause them to remain nameless.
But what if for some hypothetical reason they needed to be identified in some future scenario Would you want some outside, dispassionate entity to determine arbitrarily the names?
Thomas Jefferson wrote that the price of freedom is eternal vigilance. Otto Koch in #88 suggested that we have a contest to name the streets. Therefore, in order to be prepared for any and all possible scenarios, this is an official, for fun, within the Park, metaphysical contest to name the Seven Streets and Central Green Area in Mapleton Park.

The GRAND PRIZE will be: The everlasting pride and glory and bragging rights for naming them.

Contest Rules:

1. No obscene, crude, erotic, lascivious, lewd, coarse, licentious, improper or otherwise bawdy names will be accepted. (All, however, will be read and cheerily enjoyed before being thrown out. eds note.)
2. There is no rule number two.
3. Contest entries must be delivered, or
postmarked no later than midnight, 2 weeks before the next issue of the Mapleton Mobili-zer... whenever that is. So get them in early.
4. One entry per resident.
5. The successful names will be drawn from President Reeder's hat and winners will be notified.
6. Return entries to Lot #14, #88 or #176.

NAME THE STREETS CONTEST ENTRY FORM

STREET NAME LOCATION

1. Lots #79 - 95, west side of the Park, closest to Folsom
2. Lots #141 - 154, northwest part of Park, opening on Valmont
3. Lots # 167 - 185, northeast part of Park, opening on Valmont
4. Lots #65 - 78, west of laundry room
5. Lots #36 - 64, from Folsom, passing east of the laundry room
6. Lots # 1-11, 22-34, easternmost street., leading to Mapleton
7. Lots #12 - 2 1, cul de sac near the Mapleton entrance Central Green area/ Dumpster Park

Exec Speaks out
By Mark Reeder
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Twenty-four residents have made the commitment to become future owners of Mapleton Park. A tip of the Executive hat for their courage and farsightedness.
What their commitment means for them is that their current monthly rent has been transformed into a mortgage payment. Five years from now, when Mapleton Park becomes a resident owned mobile home park, these men and women will see a substantial amount of their mortgage already paid off. Within a few years after that, the mortgage will be paid off completely and the future owners will have no monthly payments to make, except a low maintenance fee. Meanwhile, the residents who have decided against becoming future owners will continue to pay rent for as long as they live in Mapleton.
The Mapleton Home Association strongly encourages all residents to become future owners. Even if you can only afford a few dollars a month, please invest in owning the land beneath your mobile homes.

Thanks, Ed Underwood
By Mark Reeder
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Ed Underwood is Mapleton Mobile Home Park's Resident Manager. Ed is a carpenter and handyman who, before his current appointment as manager for Hast & Co., helped many residents with projects around their homes. Ed is no longer able to do that and instead has a tough, thankless job as the manager of Mapleton. He has to enforce the rules which the residents, through their Resident Advisory Committee, have put together for the safety and peace and quiet for all of Mapleton. If you have a problem with these rules, don't take it out on Ed. Bring it before the Quarterly Meeting of the MHA or to one of the RAC members-- Gene Langlois, Debbie Kranzler, Jana Stephens or Gerald Evans. The MHA believes Ed is handling a tough job pretty well.

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The Mapleton Mobile-izer is published quarterly by the Mapleton Home Association and is distributed free to all residents of Mapleton Mobile Home Park.