PORTLAND (WGME) – Rents in Maine continue to rise, even in rural trailer parks.
It’s the latest twist in the housing crisis: Trailer parks in many parts of Maine are no longer immune to rising rents. The same goes for people who own their own homes but have to pay for the land they live on.
Since a New York company bought Mountain View Estates in Bowdoin, rents have increased fourfold, according to tenants. There is no end in sight to the development.
Homeowners who live in the Bowdoin mobile home park say their site rent has increased from about $345 a month to $525 in three years.
“Greed. Just pure greed,” said Mountain View Estates resident Jerry Highfill.
Highfill is an Air Force veteran on a steady income.
He owns his house, but thanks to his new landlord, the billion-dollar company Philips International, he now has to use his savings to pay the rent for his property.
“Philips International is so big,” said Highfill. “Why does it keep screwing us all over? This park here, we’re not even a drop in the ocean.”
Vicky Dolloff also lives in Mountain View Estates.
“I heard their taxes have gone down,” Dolloff said. “We’re not getting any services from the owner.”
According to the City of Bowdoin, property taxes for the trailer park actually dropped by more than $4,000.
CBS13 called several numbers at Philips International but never received an answer.
We also left several messages and sent emails, but received no response.
Several people have recently sold their homes and at least three more have put their homes up for sale because they can no longer afford to live there.
“It’s a scary situation,” Dolloff said.
“I just want to die in my little dingy RV and be left alone,” Highfill said. “Just leave me a few dollars and I’ll be happy. You don’t need everything I have.”
