Palm & Pines Mobile & RV Park, 255 North Tamiami Trail in Nakomis, FL is owned by Lakeside Communities, which is also known as Lakeside Management. Palm & Pines was the site for a recent deadly attack on that community’s manager, Linda Swigger. The purported killer is an 82-year-old resident who media sources was facing eviction. David White was arrested on charges of murder.
The deceased manager Linda Swigger has been described as a loving person who was dedicated to her family and to doing her job well.
Local Fox 13 News said the following.
The events leading up to the shooting remain under investigation.
“There were eviction proceedings, correspondence that had been sent to mister white, but exactly what his motivations were we are still looking into that,” said Lt. Jason Mruczek.
White was arrested on a murder charge.
Kendall Swigger, Linda’s son remains in shock.
“She was pretty much the rock of our family without her now I don’t know what we are going to do,” he told FOX 13.
Kendall said his mother’s dedication was to her family. Especially, her mother. Kendall said as White shot his mother, she was on the phone with her mom, said Fox 13 News.
ABC 7 WWSB said White is being held without bond. That source noted that the “52-year-old woman deceased inside the office with several gunshot wounds. Deputies learned that White was being evicted from the park. A black revolver and ammunition were found in White’s pocket at the time of his arrest.”
NBC affiliate News Channel 8 said of Swigger that, “She was a great woman. She was a workaholic. You can ask anybody, there were times where if you were going to get evicted, she would try to figure out a way to work with you, she would do anything for you. She was the strongest and the best woman I ever met, the best woman I ever known. I can’t honestly believe she’s gone,” said the victim’s son. Per Kendall Swigger, his mother Linda was a grandmother of three, and is remembered for her loving personality and unmatchable work ethic.
MHProNews wishes all those impacted by her loss the deepest condolences.
Is There More to Know?
In a word, yes.
Family, friends, management, residents, industry professionals, investors, affordable housing advocates, legal sources, and public officials should use this tragedy to dig more deeply into what may turn out to be the not so veiled causes behind this deadly tragedy.
When the temperature and pressure in a pressure cooker gets high enough, the risk of an explosion is inevitable. Similarly, in human nature, when the heat, anger, and frustration in life – including, but not limited land lease manufactured home communities – a.k.a. ‘mobile home parks’ – hits a certain point, history suggests that violence and even murder are likely.
To understand the pressure cooker analogy, “Because these [pressure cooker] appliances cook at such high temperatures and scalding hot steam, just one bad part can result in a catastrophic injury. For example: If the pressure release vent is faulty, it may cause the lid to open prematurely, causing the contents to explode,” says a personal injury legal firm. By analogy, one troubled or overly pressured member of a community and/or staff could cause deadly or “explosive” behavior.
Police are still investigating this case in Nakomis. What follows may or may not to various degrees apply to this specific tragedy. But there are reasons for the entire manufactured home industry, legal minds, affordable housing, public policy advocates and others to look more deeply into the risks of violence being caused by purportedly aggressive management tactics. While the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) and others are deflecting, ignoring, or defending the industry’s larger such property owners, the headlines – and the violence? – are growing too. Business ethics minded investors involved in such operations should ask themselves, is this the type of potentially deadly outcomes they want to support?
- What follows in this report will look at some general information about the Lakeside property and management company.
- This MHProNews report will then review statements found online from residents who have often panned management for aggressive site fee hikes and other problematic claims related to Lakeside’s administration of their properties.
- That will be placed into the broader national context where anecdotal evidence of shootings, arson, and other violent crimes are being reported. Pages of search results are found on Google for “murder” in “mobile home parks” in just the last year.
That should be framed in light of a university researcher whose prior studies reflected that manufactured home communities were historically as safe or safer than other neighborhoods. Is that historic pattern of peaceful and low-crime living going to change, due in part to aggressive behavior by so-called predatory management and high-return hungry investors? What might these cases mean for all those involved, including legal sources on each side of these anecdotally growing instances?
The Palm & Pines website makes clear that the community is primarily a location for mobile and manufactured homes, but that also offers some RV sites. Their website makes clear the connection of Palm & Pines with Lakeshore Communities and Lakeshore Management. That detail is not mentioned in the news reports shown from mainstream media sources. Nor are the details that follow.
Additional Information, MHProNews Analysis and Commentary
Note that Lakeside Communities/Lakeside Management was contacted for comments and reaction well in advance of publication of this report. As of this time, they have not responded. If that changes, their input can be included in a follow up report.
A colleague of Lakeside in the community sector said this to MHProNews, “The principal owner is Joe Wolfe, a former GE loan officer and an orthodox Jew…he owns a number of other communities around the US.” Some items that may be a reveal about the source was edited out. That was backed up by the Palm Beach post which in a 2013 said “Joseph Wolf, president of Lakeshore Management” in a report about “distraught” residents in another Lakeside Communities location.
From their corporate website, for balance, are these statements.
Over the years, we’ve grown up too. We reflected on our successes, a few failures here and there, and generally what makes us unique. Ultimately, our Core Values have been a driving force, and you can learn more about those here.
“We are focused on you” has a dual purpose:
1.We are focused on our residents. Our objective is to provide high quality housing that is affordable and offer family communities along with our 55+ retirement communities.
- We are focused on ensuring our employees recognize their role and importance in Lakeshore’s success.
Lakeshore Management
Annual Lakeshore Home Makeover
Our incredible staff and inspiring families are undeniably the heart and soul of Lakeshore. In fall of 2012 and in the aftermath of the great recession, our attention shifted to several families living within our communities. Our gracious residents at various communities identified neighbors and families that deserved a little extra help, and we took the opportunity to tackle household projects from small repairs to major renovations. The Lakeshore Home Makeover has become an annual tradition in which hundreds of our employees from across our portfolio participate.
Philanthropy
Lakeshore employees are passionate about various causes such as Breast Cancer Awareness, the Making Strides Walk, the MS Walk, and several other causes that hit close to home. In support of our employees, Lakeshore has implemented a gift matching program through which employees can give to causes that they support and receive corporate match of their gift.”
## End of extended quotes from Lakeside website ##
The other side of the coin are these comments posted online via Google Reviews.
Lakeside Communities has at this time an average rating of 2.7 stars out of 5. So there are better reviews, but the ones that follow may shed light on the backdrop to what occurred at Lakeside’s FL community that experienced this deadly shooting. Among the comments from Google Reviews on Lakeside Communities are these.
The lot rent goes up 300$ a year. It is already twice my house payment. 199$ a month when I moved in. Went up 10$a month til you bought in now it goes up 25$ a month
This a poorly run community pot holes on the streets lots are very expensive for what you get rules are not followed by the residents this place has become a ghetto.
DAVPAM now called Casa Verde Mobile Home Park (part of Lakeshore Communities Inc. also called Lakeshore Management Inc.).
You can see videos of this place that are on you tube. History of people with drugs in here and the Court has entered convictions for felony – cocaine and other convictions.
And, ABC Action News – Tampa reported serious stabbing in Casa Verde on Bryan Road.
In other case, the Court entered conviction for felony shooting on dweller who shot at other dwellers who live in Casa Verde and Paradise Village.
Also, reviews are on Yellow Pages, Yelp.
Reviews on Google under old business name DAVPAM Mobile Home Park.
And, vandalism and graffiti problems in Casa Verde and Paradise Village, (which are owned by Lakeshore Management, Inc.) have been reported on local Tampa News, such as WTSP News. WFTS News, Tampa Bay Times, WFLA News reported on the arson and graffiti problems in Casa Verde.
In 2019, the monthly rent is $611.91 and the late fee is $100 after the 5th day of the month.
Congressmen have been told about the water problems and other problems with Lakeshore.
Lakeshore Management and Lakeshore Communities own many mobile home parks in the U.S. In 2014, Lakeshore purchased DAVPAM Mobile Home Park and changed the name to Casa Verde Mobile Home Park. In 2014, the rent was $492 which included the water, sewer, and trash. In 2019, the Casa Verde rent is about $611 with water, sewer, and trash and there’s lots of problems with the water and the Managers.
The EPA has reported that some parks in Florida have polluted water like in Paradise Village Mobile Home Park and Casa Verde Mobile Home Park.
Congressmen have been told about the water problems and other problems with Lakeshore.
The Managers for Lakeshore have taped people’s rent money orders to their front doors and then Managers went to Eviction Court saying the people didn’t pay the rent.
Be careful with your rent payments and save copies of rent payments.
Lakeshore Management and Lakeshore Communities own many mobile home parks in the U.S. like:
Casa Verde Tampa FL
Paradise Village Tampa FL
Bali Hai Mobile Home Park Orlando FL
Conway Circle Mobile Home Park Orlando FL
Twin Palms Clearwater FL
Country Lakes Manufactured Home Community Coconut Beach FL
Highland Village Pompano Beach FL
King’s Manor Estates Davie FL
Orange Lake MHC Largo FL
Paradise West Largo FL
Cardinal Court Mobile Home Park Largo FL
Villa Del Sol Sarasota FL
Green Acres MHC Lake Worth FL
Briarwood Mobile Home Park Lake Worth FL
Meadowbrook Mobile Home Park Fort Lauderdale FL
Home Mobile Home Park Hallandale Beach FL
Princetonian Mobile Homes Homestead FL
Little Flower Estates Vineland NJ
Evening Star Mobile Home Park Hollywood FL
Lago Palma Lake Worth FL
Country Knolls MHC Pompano Beach FL
Tyrone Village Tampa FL
Sawgrass Lake Estates St. Petersburg FL
Alafaya Palms Orlando FL
Palm Isles Apopka FL
Rock Springs Mobile Home Park Apopka FL
The Groves Mobile Home Community Orlando FL
Colonial Village Orlando FL
Tamarack East Mobile Home Park Orlando FL
Village Glen Melbourne FL
Stoll Manor Lakeland FL
Lamplighter on the River Tampa FL
Bay West Club Tampa FL
Sun Village Largo FL
Crystal Lake Pinellas Park FL
Causeway Village South Pasadena FL
Sunshine Village Lakeland FL
Sundance Village Lakeland FL
Sunshine Mobile Manor Stuart FL
Greenbrier Village Lakeland FL
A Garden Walk West Palm Beach FL
Holiday Plaza West Palm Beach FL
Long Lake Village West Palm Beach FL
Kokomo MHC Lake Worth FL
Whispering Pines Boynton FL
Southbridge Pennsville NJ
Arbor Vista MHC Burnsville MN
Ardmor Village Lakeville MN
Sunrise Estates Las Vegas NV
Lakeside Terrace Superior WI
Park Of Four Seasons Blaine MN
Oak Park Terrace Madison WI
Quality Hills Estates Akron NY
Brook Gardens Hamburg NY
Blue Coral Erie PA
Summit Village Erie PA
Country Meadows Antioch TN
Mercer MHC Robinsville NJ
North American/Parkside Indianola IA
Whispering Pines Newfield NJ
Pheasant Ridge Mt. Airy MD
## The above are from Google Reviews. ##
Note that industry sources indicate that Lakeside Communities/ Lakeside Management is not a member of either the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) nor of the Florida Manufactured Housing Association (FMHA). A quick check of their websites suggests the same, as of the last update on those sites, which was several months ago in the case of MHI.
That said, several of the characteristics mirror the reportedly aggressive behavior of companies such as Frank Rolfe and Dave Reynolds owned Impact Communities, the teaching of “Frank and Dave” at so-called “Mobile Home University” “bootcamp,” SSK Communities/Flagship Communities, Havenpark, RHP Properties, and others that have been reported by mainstream media, MHProNews, and MHLivingNews.
State attorney generals in places like Iowa, Indiana, and elsewhere have been probing those aggressive tactics that for a time Democratic candidates were speaking about on the campaign trail in 2019.
This has also been political for some. Now that the Democratic party has picked a nominee, those formerly competing nominees have largely gone silent in their public appearances and statements on these manufactured home land-lease community connected issues. That’s not a political statement. Rather, that’s simply an observation about what the evidence of mainstream reports – or the lack of such reports – since the Biden campaign effectively secured the Democratic nomination in 2020 that were fairly commonplace in 2019 – reflect.
There is always more to know. Stay tuned with the runaway largest and documented number one most-read source for authentic manufactured home “Industry News, Tips, and Views Pros Can Use” © where “We Provide, You Decide.” © ## (Affordable housing, manufactured homes, reports, fact-checks, analysis, and commentary. Third-party images or content are provided under fair use guidelines for media.) (See Related Reports, further below. Text/image boxes often are hot-linked to other reports that can be access by clicking on them.)
By L.A. “Tony” Kovach – for MHProNews.com.
Tony earned a journalism scholarship and earned numerous awards in history and in manufactured housing.
For example, he earned the prestigious Lottinville Award in history from the University of Oklahoma, where he studied history and business management. He’s a managing member and co-founder of LifeStyle Factory Homes, LLC, the parent company to MHProNews, and MHLivingNews.com.
This article reflects the LLC’s and/or the writer’s position, and may or may not reflect the views of sponsors or supporters.
Connect on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/latonykovach
Related References:
The text/image boxes below are linked to other reports, which can be accessed by clicking on them.
Manufactured Housing Institute Warns Members – Pondering Legal Action, Insider Insights
“More Punitive Regulatory” Regime Looms Warns New Manufactured Housing Industry Insider
Frank Rolfe, MHU/RV Horizons Protest by MHAction; Nathan Smith/SSK/MHI Flashbacks?
Barriers to Entry, Persistence, and Exiting in Business, Affordable Housing, and Manufactured Homes
