Residents of Kristana Manufactured Home Park in DeWitt Township were given just four days’ notice to vacate the aging community, which abruptly closed due to declining occupancy and unsafe infrastructure. Water service was cut off immediately after closure, leaving several households struggling without basic necessities. The park’s new owner plans a major redevelopment, but residents and officials condemn the handling of the shutdown.
Shock and Displacement: Residents Given Just Days to Leave
On March 28, residents of Kristana Manufactured Home Park were blindsided by a notice taped to doors, ordering them to move out within four days due to “declining occupancy rates and the inability to maintain the community’s infrastructure.” The abrupt closure on April 1 was followed by a water shutoff the very next day, plunging the community into crisis. Further. “I’m staying here as long as I can,” said 62-year-old resident Tina Riggs, one of only a few still living in the park without water.
Owner Promises Redevelopment, Residents Feel Abandoned
Park owner Ara Darakjian apologized for the way the closure was managed, admitting, “We just handled it completely wrongly.” He insists no one is being forced out immediately and plans to redevelop the site into new affordable housing. “At some point it was going to happen,” Darakjian said, stressing his long-term commitment to the community.
State Funding Frozen Amid Controversy
The redevelopment project had secured $2 million in state budget funding last year. However, State Representative Emily Dievendorf, who sponsored the grant, has put the funds on hold after the park’s sudden closure and water cutoff. She condemned the handling: “I absolutely would never approve an appropriation if I thought that a steward had any plans for shifting people out of their community or for cutting off access to the resources necessary to meet their basic human needs.”
Legal Loopholes Leave Residents Vulnerable
Michigan’s mobile home park laws have not been updated since 1987, creating gaps that leave tenants exposed. Unlike other states, Michigan law does not clearly require park owners to give advanced eviction notices. The Mobile Home Commission Act lacks eviction provisions, though other statutes outline legal eviction processes and require at least a year’s notice if the park’s business model changes.
Residents’ Stories: Struggling Without Water and Shelter
Among those displaced is Jason Eldridge, 49, who only learned the water was shut off when he tried to use his faucet on April 2. He now relies on rainwater, parental support, and spends $30 weekly just to shower. “It’s very stressful. It definitely pushes the limits of what people would consider the normal threshold for stress,” he said.
Long History of Neglect and Decline
Built in 1965, the park has deteriorated over decades under various owners. Seven years ago, DeWitt Township sued a prior owner due to numerous unsafe and uninhabitable units. Resident Steve Snider, who lived there for nearly twelve years, described the park as “in terrible shape” and “run right into the ground.”
Future Plans and Uncertain Timeline
Darakjian’s company, TIR Equities, purchased the park for $2.1 million in 2023, aiming to redevelop it into 145 affordable housing units. However, tenancy had dropped to nine households before closure, making continued operation untenable. Darakjian acknowledged the difficulty, saying, “I understand the pain of the decision that I’ve had to make to shut it down.”