Dec
27
Sue Loftin – Greasing the Wheels of the Conversion Machine
Filed Under Who's Behind The Mobile Home Park Condo Conversions
Just the Facts: The Loftin Firm has experience in a broad spectrum of transactional and litigation matters in California, as well as other areas of the country. The Firm’s main practice areas are in General Real Estate, Real Estate Development, Common Interest Developments, Mobilehome Park creation, conversion and closures, as well as Business Transactions, Estate Planning, Probate and Trust.
The Loftin Firm has experience representing various clients, including but not limited to, individuals, corporations and governmental agencies, in a wide range of litigation matters, from simple landlord/tenant issues to large corporate and class action suits.
The Loftin Firm has over 25 years of experience in the legal field and is one of a handful of firms that has experience in Mobilehome Park development. Our Attorneys are licensed to practice at both the trial and appellate level.
Mobilehome Parks
Over eighty (80) California Mobilehome Parks have been converted by the Loftin Firm from Rental to Resident Owned, as single family condominium manufactured housing communities, planned unit development, non-profit mutual benefit corporation ownership, non-profit public benefit corporate ownership, limited equity cooperative and stock cooperative. Additionally, The Loftin Firm has acted as a consultant to local jurisdictions such as cities and counties in California and within the state of Colorado regarding mobilehome park transactions issues.
The Loftin Firm has also been involved in numerous retail acquisitions of mobilehome parks for investment and development of new or expansions of existing mobilehome parks.
Our Opinion: Sue Loftin is clearly on the side of the park owner-investors. Apparently, in earlier times she represented park residents who were able to purchase their parks and convert them for their benefit. And, of course, this historically reflected the entire concept of MH park conversions, which was embraced by local and state government, and which formed the original basis of the government codes and the financing assistance programs. Of course, the park owners discovered this as a highly profitable way for them to eliminate rent control and with the help of the Sue Loftins and Richard Closes have been successful in modifying the codes and obtaining favorable legal interpretations in the courts.
Her firm’s primary role in the El Dorodo conversion, and in many other parks, is to get the conversion application approved through the city and state mapping process on behalf of the park owners, including the HCD and DRE requirements, while simultaneously getting MPROP funding for low-income residents and other financing for non-low-income, such Cal Vet loans. (This type of financing is a lesser discussed aspect that in reality provides taxpayer funding to make owner-initiated conversions feasible and profitable.) Her legal firm often works along side Richard Close’s legal firm Gilchrist & Rutter.
It is important to realize that Sue Loftin has been very effective in befriending resident populations and gaining their trust to get a majority of residents to support a conversion. Her firm did this effectively at El Dorado.
Here’s how Sue Loftin has been working against the interests of moblihome park residents facing conversions.
Sue Loftin is against AB 566 (see bill analysis here)
These are the major groups against AB 566
- Law Offices of Gilchrist & Rutter
- The Loftin Firm, LLP
- Western Manufactured Housing Communities Association
Sue Loftin is fighting for park owners to force unwanted conversions upon mobilehome park residents
- Sequoia Park Associates v. County of Sonoma
Sue Loftin files amicus brief in support of Sequoia Park Associates. - Carson Harbor Village, Ltd. v. City of Carson
Sue Loftin and Richard Close are the attorneys for Carson Harbor Village owners.
The case is clear. Sue Loftin supports owner initiated moblihome park conversions AND is against any reasonable restrictions that would protect the interests of mobilehome park residents from unwanted conversions.
Star Wars Analogy: Imperial spy. Beware of her Jedi mind tricks.