The Port Lavaca City Council plans to revise its ordinance controlling the placement of mobile homes and has scheduled a public hearing on the ideas for May 14.

We want to encourage any citizen to make any comment, City Manager Bob Turner explained. Itll give everybody a chance to let us know what they think.

The council held a first reading of the ordinance changes April 9 and has scheduled the public hearing as part of its regular May meeting, which has a final reading and a vote on the matter on the agenda. Individual comments are limited to three minutes.

Were establishing criteria to allow the city to still consider manufactured housing within the city limits, Turner said. We dont want to say we cant have any more, but will say here are the locations.

The proposed new rules will allow manufactured homes to be installed on any lot on which one had been before. This includes rented mobile homes. The term manufactured home means and refers to both manufactured homes and mobile homes.

Manufactured homes will be limited on certain blocks, described as one side of a street between intersections. They will be allowed only if 50 percent of the existing structures are mobile homes.

The city manager said this means city building inspectors will only need to count the single-family houses, business structures and manufactured housing on one side of a street to figure out if another mobile home will be permitted.

Turner said this will replace a system in the past in which people wanting to place a mobile home would ask residents of the block to say they had no objection to a mobile home, appeal to the city planning commission and then to the city council asking for variances to allow the mobile home.

Were trying to be fair to manufactured home people and homeowners too. Were trying to be protective for single-family homes as well as for the right of manufactured homes, Turner said.

One ordinance change for mobile home parks will require all spaces to be within 400 feet of a fire hydrant as measured along accessways. Turner said if an existing park does not meet that requirement, the city will place a fire hydrant within the required 400 feet.

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PL to look at mobile home ordinance May 14

by Cassondra Strande – May. 10, 2012 07:50 AM The Republic | azcentral.com

Phoenix area residents are cleaning up after a severe thunderstorm toppled power lines, felled trees and ripped mobile homes off their foundations.

The storm suddenly emerged Wednesday evening from two colliding fronts: one in the south heading north and one in the east heading northeast, said Doug Green of the National Weather Service in Phoenix.

Storm photos | Submit your photos | Storm video

The powerful storm spawned destructive winds, billowing dust and heavy rain and hail in many areas. Many areas saw no measurable rainfall. Other areas, including parts of Mesa, Avondale, Gilbert, Scottsdale and Phoenix had totals ranging from .2 inches to nearly an inch.

The powerful storm spawned destructive winds, billowing dust and heavy rain and hail in many areas.

As of Thursday morning, nearly 1,700 Arizona Public Service customers were without power in the aftermath of the storm. Most of the customers without power are in the Ajo and Buckeye areas with nearly 100 customers without power in central Phoenix and Gilbert.

Power has been restored to almost of all of the 7,000 Salt River Project customers who lost power as a result of the storm.

Several mobile homes near Germann and Ironwood roads in the San Tan Valley were knocked off their foundations, said Collin Williams, a spokesman for Rural/Metro Fire Department.

Responders for Rural/Metro reported seeing a wall of dust coming from one direction and a wall of rain from the opposite. The storms collided over the trailer park.

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Storm moves through Valley, toppling trees, power lines

NORTH CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) –

People who live in the Trailwood mobile home park have another reason to worry about the future of their homes.

Afew weeks ago the City of North Charleston got arezoning request that would turn the homesof 400 people into an area for light industrial use.

While that plan was nixed,residents now have received a letter from property management that Charleston County has proposed a new Dorchester Road connector that would place a fourlane highway right through the park.

People are now worried about how much time they have left in their homes.

“It’s like my world has come apart,” said resident Iona Morton.”I understand and accept the fact that we don’t own the property, but this is my home. I am still paying my mortgage andI haveeight more years. I’m almost through.

In the letter, management says several buyers have made offers on the land for the past several years and a sale may close in the next few months.

Copyright 2012 WCSC. All rights reserved.

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Mobile home park residents in danger of losing their homes again

Wagon Wheel Village mobile home court owner Bob Akers will return to the Box Elder Planning and Zoning Commission May 29 with more details about his plans to replace the existing 125 homes with 166 new modular units, city planning coordinator Mike McMahon said Tuesday.

Akers was not present Monday night when the commission discussed his plans, expressing concerns about fire hazards, police access, parking and lack of open space.

McMahon and Akers met Tuesday morning and McMahon said the developer has plans to address spacing and drainage concerns.

He thinks some of those issues have some merit and he will get those addressed for his presentation on the 29th, McMahon said.

Akers, a Rapid City developer, bought the mobile home park and a number of others in the area after they were foreclosed on under former owner Doug Hamilton.

(Akers) believes that this will help the people of the area improve their living conditions in an affordable manner, that he can do this without jacking up their monthly rent and provide more housing for income-challenged people, McMahon said.

A similar plan Akers proposed for the Deluxe Mobile Home Park in Rapid City last year never made it to the Rapid City Planning Commission after city officials had concerns about spacing and other issues.

Akers said Tuesday that the plans for the Box Elder park are in the early stages and he will bring more information to the city.

Itll all work out, he said. Were trying to get everything put together financially for the people so we can get them in at a good price.

Contact Barbara Soderlin at 394-8417 or barbara.soderlin@rapidcityjournal.com.

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Mobile home developer works to bring homes to Box Elder

The latest app from BDX allows users to search thousands of new homes, save favorites, and get driving directions and builder contact information directly on a mobile device.Austin, TX (PRWEB) May 10, 2012 Builders Digital Experience, leading provider of digital marketing resources for builders, announced today the release of the Move New Homes mobile search application for iPhone, iPad or iPod …

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MOVE® New Homes Mobile Application Now Available for New Home Search

APACHE JUNCTION, Ariz. – Homes were ripped off their foundation when the wind tore through a mobile home park near Ironwood and Germann in Apache Junction.

Pleasant Valley Mobile Home Park bore the brunt of this storm. Some cloud cover and maybe a few raindrops could be expected from the looks of the skies, but before long this late Spring storm shattered expectations bringing walls of wind and dust, sheets of water, hail and lightning.

“I love it,” said Mesa resident Dallas Totra. “I think it allows us to get in the middle of God’s plan for nature.”

Some were delighted, but for others, especially in the far southeast valley, this afternoon shower spelled disaster.

“Like a freight train coming through,” said Raymond Erickson. “Our back of the trailer lifted up and came back down. Power went out. We went outside and everything’s blowing down the street.”

David Acree teaches Earth Science at nearby Queen Creek High. He’d just settled in at home after the school day when he and his wife were buried by debris.

“Most of it lifted off and passed by so we were fortunate none of that heavy stuff came down in us except for the glass off the sliding door,” Acree said.

The damage was serious enough to throw insulation and other items into the trees trashing the neighborhood and displacing a couple dozen families. But the damage was limited to property while the people of Pleasant Valley were spared.

A total of 20 homes sustained serious damage in this neighborhood.

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20 mobile homes damaged in storm

NEW ORLEANS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

Kineto Wireless, Inc., an innovator in the mobile industry, and Taqua LLC., a leading supplier of convergence switching and small cell deployment solutions, today announced a joint solution that enables mobile operators to include Wi-Fi as part of their Voice over LTE (VoLTE) deployment strategy.

By leveraging Taquas IMS core network solution suite, mobile operators can enable smartphones equipped with Kinetos Smart Wi-Fi client to receive IMS-based voice and messaging services over existing Wi-Fi networks, such as at homes and offices. Operators can now embrace Wi-Fi as a part of their VoLTE deployment plans, adding critical network coverage and capacity in the exact locations subscribers spend most their time.

Mobile operators are quickly moving to all-IP access networks and are keen to bring their valuable voice and messaging services to these networks, said Eric Pratt, CEO of Taqua, LLC. With the combined solution from Taqua and Kineto, operators can rapidly introduce IMS-based voice and messaging services over Wi-Fi, turning any access point in the home or office into a virtual LTE small cell.

With mobile voice and messaging accounting for the vast majority of service revenues, mobile operators must ensure a controlled migration from circuit to IMS-based voice and SMS services. Subscribers expect a consistent user experience, regardless of the underlying mobile access network. Kineto and Taqua have developed an innovative solution to ensure a consistent voice and messaging experience across LTE and Wi-Fi networks.

At the heart of Taquas convergence core is Taquas TCS6100 Small CellConvergence Server (TCS6100), a SIP-based mobile convergence application server that integrates with existing mobile core elements, including the HLR, SMSC, SCP, and MSC. The TCS6100 extends macro network features and functions to small cell-served subscribers. Leveraging incumbent core network elements, mobile operators can: deploy new small cell offerings while preserving existing systems and practices; deliver a consistent user experience; and implement unified service plans across small cells and macro networks. The TCS6100 delivers voice, messaging, and data convergence while providing supplementary, regulatory, and emergency services.

In addition to the TCS6100, Taquas small cell core network is comprised of the T7100 Multimedia Controller and the T7000 Intelligent Switching System with mobile interface cards. The T7100 provides the media gateway controller and MRF functionality, while the T7000 provides all the media gateway control functionality.

While deploying LTE and VoLTE are key steps in delivering a true mobile broadband service, they do not address ongoing in-building coverage and capacity challenges, especially in locations like the home and office, said Jeff Brown, CEO of Kineto Wireless. With the combined solution from Taqua and Kineto, operators can leverage the massive global footprint of Wi-Fi as part of their VoLTE deployments to supplement in-building coverage and capacity.

Kineto is the leading provider of solutions that seamlessly extend mobile services over Wi-Fi, elegantly providing subscribers with a single, consistent user experience regardless of underlying network. By supporting IMS-based voice and messaging, Kinetos Smart Wi-Fi client enables mobile operators to rapidly deploy VoLTE-compliant IMS voice and messaging services over Wi-Fi networks, turning, any Wi-Fi access point into a virtual LTE small cell.

About Taqua,LLC

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Kineto, Taqua Enable Mobile Operators to Include Wi-Fi in VoLTE Deployment Plans

By Paul Revoir

PUBLISHED: 19:42 EST, 1 May 2012 | UPDATED: 19:42 EST, 1 May 2012

More than a million homes face paying as much as 200 to ensure their TV reception is not ruined by a new mobile phone frequency.

The Government is selling off part of the broadcast spectrum and those living near the new mobile masts will suffer interference if they have Freeview.

The mobile operators have set up a 180million fund to provide affected households with filters to solve the problem.

Technical difficulties: Those who live near mobile phone masts will suffer interference with their Freeview signal

However, the protection scheme does not cover non-standard aerial installations or television sets that use an indoor aerial.

Households will have to pay themselves, with their total bill reaching at least 161million, according to Arqiva, a wireless and TV technology firm.

It is thought that more than a million Freeview households are affected by the frequency shake-up and the vast majority of these are likely to need professional help to continue receiving a terrestrial signal.

Arqivas calculations suggest the bill for this will be between 156 and 224. Others believe the figure will be closer to 100. Those with less complicated aerials will be able to fit the filter devices themselves.

Originally posted here:
Million homes face £200 bill to ensure their TV signal isn't ruined by new mobile frequency

A proposal to shore up aging mobile homes in Bluffton by building concrete foundations was rejected Tuesday by a town committee.

The Affordable Housing Committee voted not to pursue a plan introduced in January by Garfield Moss through his Bluffton Non-Profit Housing Corp.

Moss said he won’t move forward with the program without town support.

“If the town is not receptive to it,” he said, “I am not going to put any more time into it.”

Moss proposed paying for the program by expanding the town’s “Safe and Dry” grants for roof repairs and other home improvements from its current cap of $5,000 per project to $6,700. He estimated each foundation would cost about $6,500 to install, plus a $200 processing fee per installation for his housing nonprofit.

After the foundations were installed, homeowners could qualify for up to $15,000 in federal weatherization grants to improve doors, windows and heating and air-conditioner systems, he said. Moss’ organization would have sought bids for the construction.

Moss said the effort was aimed at black residents who live in substandard homes.

The Safe and Dry program already has a waiting list, and committee members said money is not available to expand it.

“Right now, we’re stuck and have no money to support this,” said Town Council member Karen Lavery, who sits on the committee.

Some members urged Moss to launch a pilot program proving the idea is viable. Others suggested the idea was better suited for the private sector.

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Bluffton committee rejects mobile home foundation proposal

Feds charge four suspects on charges of $567,000 embezzlement

Four people have been charged in federal court in Burlington on accusations of embezzling $567,000 from Braults Mobile Homes Inc. in Colchester.

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Federal grand jury indicts four suspects on charges of $567,000 embezzlement