“In ninety percent of our properties, we upgrade or pave the roads due to potholes, alligatoring or because the roads were unpaved at the time of purchase,” said Davies. For example, when Harmony purchased Holiday Hills in Lincoln Beach, Oregon – which receives rain 300 days of the year – its first renovation was to pave the loose rock roads and install driveway pads for the 85 sites.

Read the article here.

The post Why Infrastructure Matters: Matthew Davies Weighs In appeared first on Other CMS.

Tell me about your journey with the company. What led you to work for Harmony Communities and how long have you worked there?

I have always had a passion for helping people. I initially went to school to become a nurse but quickly realized it wasn’t for me. I took a job with a real estate brokerage in Sacramento and fell in love with the industry. Three years later, I started working for Matt and his father, Bruce, at Partners Real Estate as their assistant and handling all of Partners’ short sales.

When Matthew (Davies) asked me to come over to Harmony Communities, I initially said no because I disliked property management – or so I thought. I’ve ended up making a home for myself and am having more fun here than I ever expected.

How has Harmony Communities grown since?

We went from eleven parks, three office employees with a construction staff of one to forty parks (and growing!), and nearly sixty people on our payroll, including four entire construction crews! We’ve just hired someone to organize our contracting staff.

As we’ve grown, we’ve initiated lots of new processes to make managing a portfolio of this size, well, manageable. We’ve also adopted a comprehensive property management software program that handles all the financials, rent collection, payment for our vendors, and even payroll in one place. It’s a huge timesaver!

Tell me about Harmony’s residents. Describe a typical household, or several households. How many people in the family, for example? Where do they work?

It varies by park. Residents who choose our parks that are located in the city, such as Bayshore Commons (San Leandro), are looking for a more affordable housing option that is close to work and cheaper than an apartment.

Shady Lakes (Fresno) residents are primarily farm and field workers. Forest Pines, located in the middle of the forest in Pine Grove, California, is home to many empty nesters and single adults. The majority of residents in Westward-ho (Ceres) are retirees. Santa Fe in Huntington Park – an industrial area – has a lot of factory workers.

Describe a typical day.

I never have the same day, ever. My days can be spent doing everything from responding to a city petition to filing new LLCs to training new employees.

I coordinate and oversee rent and utility fee collection with the community managers. I also work closely with the onsite property managers to help them set payment plans for late rent payments, manage park inventory, review their listings and sales, make sure they’re properly advertised for RVs, and so on.

What is most rewarding for you about working for Harmony?

I like helping Matthew and my property managers. It’s extremely fulfilling to be the person that everybody can rely on.

You said earlier that you thought you disliked property management, but you soon found out differently. What made you love it?

I didn’t realize how different every day was going to be. With real estate, every day was very much the same and I felt like I had learned everything that I needed to learn and could learn.

Now, I’m learning every single day. After realizing I would benefit from learning how to read the financials, I went to school, took accounting classes, and got a business degree. I’ve just recently received permission to take a course and learn to code my own reports.

I like to learn and that’s what I get at Harmony.

What is most difficult/challenging about it?

I don’t love some of the reporting I have to do, such as entering the meter readings into a spreadsheet. That’s not because it’s challenging; it’s just repetitive and tedious.

Some of the reporting is fun. Once a year, I create a Consumer Confidence Report, or CCR, for some of our parks which involves taking data from water systems and creating a report that we file with the city. The first year I did that, it was a challenge. Now that I have learned the process, it’s fun.

What do you enjoy doing for fun?

I play tennis 5 days a week, nearly every evening. I also take off Friday mornings and play during the day. Before Covid, I enjoyed traveling with my husband Eric – we love to experience new adventures together. We’re looking forward to traveling again soon. I have a dog – Special Agent Gibbs – that I love more than life itself.

Where do you see Harmony Communities in the future?

I’ve been here nearly ten years and I can’t imagine where we will be in another ten! If we went from eleven parks to thirty-eight parks in eight years – and probably twenty-five of those closed in the last four years – how much bigger can we get in the next ten? It’s crazy to consider and pretty incredible what we’re doing.

We’re going to outgrow this office and be two stories full of employees to keep up with the growth that’s happening at Harmony Communities. We’ve hired a lot of really good, smart people and I got my first assistant!

All in all, I see us continuing to grow and expand. Matthew’s not going to stop until he’s ready and I don’t see that happening any time soon.

The post A Passion for Helping People: a Q&A with Harmony Communities Operations Manager, Sherrie Johnston appeared first on Other CMS.

1. What are the requirements for bringing a home into the park?

Some parks have requirements about the outside appearance of homes in their community, including:

• Hardboard skirting;
• Decks on the front and/or back of the home;
• Age specifications of the home;
• Exterior material; and/or
• Window placement.

If these add-ons are required, find out the timeline for completing the work, which typically ranges from one to four months.

2. Are exterior modifications allowed?

If you plan to paint the exterior of your home or add a deck or other structure, you will likely need to get permission from the property manager first and even (in the case of an addition) need to present permits.

3. How do I pay my rent?

Online payment portals are becoming increasingly common and are a convenient way to ensure you don’t miss a month’s rent!

4. What is included in the rent and what additional fees are required?

Lot rent typically includes water/sewage, garbage collection, and upkeep of common areas. Cable television, internet, and other utilities may also be included. Be sure to request an itemized list from the community manager.

5. Who takes care of the hook ups?

You’ll want to arrange for electric, water, and sewage connections in advance so that you have these necessities in place come move-in day. Be sure to ask whether there are any permits you need to take care of in order to get your water and electricity turned on.

6. What are the park rules?

Does the park have any age restrictions (i.e., are children allowed)? Does the park allow short-term rentals? Even if you are planning to stay for good, you might want to know whether to anticipate an influx of weekend guests on the property. Make sure the park rules fit with your lifestyle. It also helps to know upfront about rules that can lead to fines or even evictions.

7. Are pets allowed?

Certain breeds and sizes may not be welcome in the park. If you’re a pet owner, you may also wish to ask park residents how friendly the park is towards pets. On the other hand, if you don’t own have any four-legged family members of your own, you might want to know about the park’s rules related to leash requirements and cleanup of pet waste.

8. How do you handle security deposits and refunds?

As with apartments and other rentals, property managers may require a security deposit, which he or she will hold until your lease expires. These funds are used for repairing any property damages that might have occurred during your stay and any leftover funds should be returned to you. Make certain that you understand the requirements for your refund.

9. How often does rent increase and how are tenants notified?

Notification requirements vary from state to state and some parks do not allow rent increases to affect current residents until it’s time to renew the lease. If you intend to stay in the park long-term, you may be able to sign a longer contract that locks in a lower monthly rate for a certain length of time.

10. What happens if I need to move out before my lease ends?

Job changes and family emergencies happen, so it’s good to know in advance what will happen if you must break your lease.

When deciding where to take up residence, advance planning is key. Asking these questions will help you find the community that is the best fit for you.

Additional resources:

Eight questions to ask before renting an RV space 

Frequently Asked Questions for Harmony Community Residents

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At Harmony Communities, we feel strongly that each resident has a sense of home. That they come home from work and feel pride in their environment and in their place in the greater community. That families are comfortable raising children in our neighborhoods, and that couples and singles know that they belong to something bigger than their four walls. In other words, we seek to create harmony within each community, making our communities not just passable, but peaceful, safe, functional, and beautiful.

The post Ten Questions to Ask When Choosing a Manufactured Housing Community appeared first on Other CMS.

Here are five ways that you, as a resident and homeowner in a manufactured housing community, can guard against the threats from wildfires and other natural disasters.

1. Purchase insurance for your home.

Although insurance on a manufactured home is not legally required, mortgage lenders and most property management companies – including Harmony Communities – require it, and it’s a worthwhile investment. Insurance can provide coverage for both your home and your property and may even include liability protection, which defrays the cost of any legal disputes that may arise from someone getting injured on your property. If you live in a flood-prone area or an area at high risk for wildfires, you’ll want to confirm coverage for these types of natural disasters. This article contains additional information on types of insurance coverage and includes tips for purchasing insurance for your manufactured home.

2. Remove fire hazards from your property.

Wildfires travel quickly through brush and limbs, so keep trees, long grasses, and bushes adjacent to the home trimmed and appropriately dispose of limbs and debris. California requires homeowners who live in high-risk areas to maintain a 100-foot “defensible space” around their homes; that is, an area clear of brush, vegetation, and other flammable materials. Although it may not be possible to achieve such a large amount of defensible space in a manufactured housing community, you should still ensure that fire hazards are kept as far away from your home as possible. Finally, remove leaves and other debris from gutters and consider fire-resistant materials such as dual-pane windows, fire-resistant roofing, and enclosed eaves.

3. Follow other important safety tips to prevent home fires.

Between 2014 and 2018, U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 353,100 home fires per year, resulting in an average of 2,620 civilian deaths, 11,030 injuries, and $7.2 billion in property damage. To reduce the risk of a home fire:

• Do not use your stove or oven to heat your home.
• Keep batteries and battery-powered flashlights available and use flashlights instead of candles.
• Check to make sure that electrical cords on space heaters are not damaged and do not pose a tripping hazard. 
• Make sure that smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are installed and working properly; change smoke and carbon monoxide detector batteries at least once a year.
• Have a working fire extinguisher available.

Check out more fire safety tips here.

4. Have an emergency evacuation plan.

In emergencies, cell phone towers can often be overloaded, so you can’t rely on being able to communicate with family members this way. That’s why it’s important to agree on an emergency evacuation plan and establish a place where you will reunite. Sign up for alerts through your local municipality and download local news and/or weather apps so you can receive notifications of emergencies in your area.

5. Prepare an emergency supply kit.

If you do have to evacuate quickly, an emergency supply kit will give your family the necessary supplies to stay safe. An emergency supply kit should include items like a flashlight and batteries, a first aid kit, nonperishable food, medications, and more. For a complete list of what you should include in your emergency supply kit, download our free printable.

Unfortunately, the frequency of wildfires and other natural disasters seems to be trending in the wrong direction. Take steps today to be prepared in case one occurs near where you live.

The post Five Ways Residents of Manufactured Housing Communities Can Prepare for Natural Disasters appeared first on Other CMS.

On the coast of Oregon in a town called Lincoln Beach sits the stunning beachside community known as Holiday Hills. From her home inside the community, Holiday Hills’ Community Manager Katy Eckman can watch whales, pelicans, baby seals, and more on the harbor, Depoe Bay. Baby sand dollars wash up on their beach. “It’s the most amazing place to live,” Eckman says. “When the tides are high, the waves will crash against the sea wall and over Highway 101 in Depoe Bay. The view is breath-taking.”

Located two-and-a-half hours from Portland, Lincoln Beach draws 10,000 visitors in the winter months and 30,000-40,000 visitors during the summer. “It’s definitely a tourist town,” says Eckman. “We can watch the Coast Guard practice their drills. Storm watching is amazing. People visit Depoe Bay to go deep-sea fishing, crabbing, or take a boat out to see the whales up close.”

She offers this word of warning for first-time whale-watchers who venture out to view these magnificent species by boat: “When they greet you, they stink!”

Holiday Hills: A History

Although Harmony Communities has only owned Holiday Hills since 2018, the park and many of its residents have lived there for far longer – some for twenty years or longer. Holiday Hills was first established by the Bodeker family in 1960, and at that time was primarily used for tent camping. Over the years, visitors began bringing camper trailers. When the park was passed to the next generation, Andy Bodeker’s daughter introduced RVs and mobile homes.

Andy Bodeker’s grandson took over the park in 2017 and though it had been his dream to own and operate the park, health reasons prohibited him from continuing to do so. He maintained ownership for one year before selling the park to Harmony Communities.

Community Improvements

Upon acquiring Holiday Hills, Harmony Communities quickly went to work making needed improvements. “They put new water lines in,” says Eckman. “And since the ground was already dug up for the water lines, they had our cable and power lines placed underground as well. Now there are no more wires all over the park.”

Holiday Hills, which receives rain as much as 300 days out of the year, had loose rock roads, so Harmony Communities paved the park’s roadways and installed driveway pads for all its residents as well.

“Harmony has done amazing things to the park,” Eckman says. “Everything they’ve done has improved our community.”

Full-time resident Cathy Richway-Roberts adds, “I feel very secure and safe here, and that’s important to me.” Originally from southern California, Richway-Roberts moved to Holiday Hills from Idaho two years ago. “I can’t think of a better place to live,” she says. “It feels like a little community, my home, and where I’m supposed to be.”

A Community That Looks Out for One Another

As in much of the country and world, 2020 brought its share of difficulties to the residents of Holiday Hills, not only with the Covid-19 pandemic but with the wildfires as well. The property was thankfully spared from any damage from the wildfires, which impacted areas about 15-20 miles away. Still, “we all pulled together,” Eckman says. “When we woke up, it was pitch red and hard to breathe. We were all ready to help each other.

That sense of community helped set the stage for what was to come when the Covid-19 pandemic hit. Although community-wide events have come to a halt for now – events like the annual potlucks Holiday Hills typically holds each summer were canceled in order to comply with guidelines concerning gatherings with people outside the home – people in the community still look out for one another. “It’s a family here,” says Eckman. “If someone is in trouble, we’re right there with meals and rides and whatever they need.”

The People Who Call Holiday Hills Home

An “eclectic group” of residents call Holiday Hills home, Eckman says, including many retirees and several families as well. Those who do work do so at one of the many hospitality jobs in the area, including the local gift shops and a nearby casino. During the winter, it’s difficult to find jobs, Eckman says.

Of the 94 spaces in the park, 83 are occupied and one-third of those by residents who consider their property in Holiday Hills a vacation home. Approximately 10-15 spaces are occupied by RVs, while the remaining spaces have double- or even triple-wide mobile homes. Holiday Hills doesn’t accept overnight guests, instead offering only month-to-month leases. “We don’t have a high turnover,” Eckman says.

A Typical Day for an Anything-But-Typical Community Manager

On a typical day, Katy Eckman begins her morning with a walk around the park to check for downed tree limbs. “It gets windy here,” she explains. Then she responds to her emails or gets a space ready to show as needed.

Mostly, she’s there for her residents and they know that well.

“During open deck time last summer, one of the residents gave Katy a crown,” recalls Richway-Roberts. “She’s very caring and if there’s something she can do to make the park a better place, she’s all over it. She’s taken people to doctor visits, has gone to their homes in the middle of the night. She’s our go-to girl.”

“I love my job,” Eckman says. “I am the perfect manager for this park because my heart and soul is in this park. No matter what kind of day you’re having, when you look through the window and see the ocean or go for a walk, it makes everything better.”

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At Harmony Communities, we feel strongly that each resident has a sense of home. That they come home from work and feel pride in their environment and in their place in the greater community. That families are comfortable raising children in our neighborhoods, and that couples and singles know that they belong to something bigger than their four walls. In other words, we seek to create harmony within each community, making our communities not just passable, but peaceful, safe, functional, and beautiful.

The post Harmony Speaks: A Conversation with Holiday Hills’ Community Manager, Katy Eckman appeared first on Other CMS.

As members of a community, we can help ensure our neighbors are safe and know they are cared for – especially our senior neighbors. Seniors are at higher risk for contracting coronavirus and having complications from the disease and therefore must be particularly careful when it comes to engaging with the outside world.

While it’s important to follow CDC guidelines with regards to proximity to others who live outside your household, there are plenty of ways to show your neighbors that you care while maintaining a safe distance. Here are just a few:

1. Check in with your neighbor regularly by phone or text.

Seniors and others who live alone can have an especially hard time with the isolation the Covid-19 pandemic has caused. Send them a quick text or make a quick call to check in on them and let them know someone cares.

2. Give your neighbor permission to share your contact information with their distant family members.

Offer to let your neighbor share your telephone number with their distant family members, so that you can be a point of contact should an emergency arise. With so many families unable to travel and see their loved ones, it can be reassuring to know there is someone close by who is looking out for the safety and wellbeing of the ones we love.

3. Offer to pick up grocery staples.

Many seniors fear going out in public, as it increases their risk of exposure. When you know you’ll be venturing out, offer to pick up a few grocery items for them. You can leave it on their doorstep for “contactless delivery.”

4. Ask them what they need.

Your neighbor may be unaccustomed to asking for help. Don’t wait for them to ask; instead, ask them what they need. Whether it’s an errand at the post office or returning books to the library, something small may not take much time out of your day but mean a lot to your neighbor in need.

5. Help them navigate the internet.

Virtual doctor visits, online shopping, and ordering prescription refills online are a convenience many of us take for granted. For seniors who are unaccustomed to purchasing items online, the thought of providing personal information over the internet can be scary. Offer to walk them through such tasks via FaceTime, Zoom, or over the phone.

Many in our country are suffering silently as the pandemic keeps us homebound and isolated. Make sure your neighbor knows that he or she has not been forgotten with these simple ways to show you care.

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At Harmony Communities, we feel strongly that each resident has a sense of home. That they come home from work and feel pride in their environment and in their place in the greater community. That families are comfortable raising children in our neighborhoods, and that couples and singles know that they belong to something bigger than their four walls. In other words, we seek to create harmony within each community, making our communities not just passable, but peaceful, safe, functional, and beautiful.

The post Ways to Help Your Neighbors During These Challenging Times appeared first on Other CMS.

“This was a trailer park when Harmony bought it. Now they are turning it into a tiny home park,” says John – known as Johnny to his friends. “When they’re finished, it will be a community in every sense of the word.”

Bayshore Commons offers forty home lots – or spaces – and is slowly filling those spaces with new tiny homes. Currently, they have 21 tiny home units installed and eight of those are for sale.

Little House, Big Appeal.

What makes them appealing, Johnny says, is “they’re brand spanking new.” Many of the homes have a second floor loft, which appeals to many buyers. The homes have modern kitchen appliances, including mini stainless steel dishwashers, double door stainless steel refrigerators, and a stainless steel four-burner stove.

“The main office calls them ‘tiny homes,’ but I think they’re bigger,” says Johnny. “They feel like cottages.”

Community Improvements

“One of Harmony’s main priorities is cleanliness, keeping the park clean and safe,” Johnny explains. Since purchasing the property, Harmony made many improvements, including the installation of cameras and lights. “It feels nice, safe, and peaceful,” says Johnny.

Harmony Communities has plans to install an area for overflow parking and, upon acquisition, gave the community a makeover with a fresh coat of paint. “There used to be yellow homes everywhere. Now, there are different colors,” Johnny explains. “It’s bright and cheerful.”

The People Who Call Bayshore Commons ‘Home’

Residents of this growing community include a mix of working people and retirees. They enjoy proximity to shopping, restaurants, and Lake Chabot, which offers fishing, swimming, and twelve miles of hiking/biking trails.

A Manager Who Cares

Johnny is committed to maintaining a clean community and to serving both current and future residents by taking his time to assist them. He performs smaller, lightweight repairs as well as weeding and gardening, and says Harmony has a maintenance crew for bigger repairs. He also enjoys taking the time to show future residents the homes and apartments for rent. “I’m a friendly person,” he says. “I like talking with people.”

Bayshore Commons also has an apartment complex inside the park which includes eleven apartment units. “I grew up in apartments,” Johnny says. “I had a few landlords that were mean. I didn’t want to be like that. I wanted to be nice, friendly, understanding, and respectful.”  

And that he is, affirms Harmony Community’s Manager Sherrie Johnston. “John cares so much,” says Sherrie. “He goes above and beyond in everything he does.”

To learn more about Bayshore Commons or to arrange for a tour of one of the homes for sale, contact Harmony Community’s office at (209) 932-8747 or email info@harmonycom.com.

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At Harmony Communities, we feel strongly that each resident has a sense of home. That they come home from work and feel pride in their environment and in their place in the greater community. That families are comfortable raising children in our neighborhoods, and that couples and singles know that they belong to something bigger than their four walls. In other words, we seek to create harmony within each community, making our communities not just passable, but peaceful, safe, functional, and beautiful.

The post Harmony Speaks: A Conversation with Bayshore Commons’ Community Manager, John Medieros appeared first on Other CMS.