Editor, Manteca Bulletin,

I have lived in Almond Blossom more than 10 years. Under the first manager we paid rent which included garbage and water. Our annual rent increases were $5-$10/month which did cover rates for garbage. 

Since we got our new manager the rent has increase by $20/each month but a part of the rent we were paying was for garbage and water. The new manager got a paper from the “finance department of the City of Manteca” giving the actual rates for each space. Mine was $31.34. The manager then decided that my rent needed to increase by an additional $11.34. In her notice she blamed the City of Manteca for the increase. I contacted the city of Manteca and found that garbage rate had increased $1.06, not $31.34. I then contacted our manager but could not reason with her. I then sent a letter to the park owners with no response. 

We have been paying for water and garbage all along and the $20/month yearly increase more than covers any increases as it is much more than our cost of living increase in Social Security. This is taking advantage of seniors and we seem to have no recourse. We own our mobile homes and they are far too expensive to move so we are captives. We cannot find anyone to help with this.  

Alice C. Schlote

Manteca