Lien Hearing Scheduled for Walden Pond

New Port Richey City Council members are ready to notify the owners of Walden Pond Mobile Home Park that the city is going to consider putting a lien on the property.

New Port Richey City Council members agreed Tuesday, May 7, to put on the calendar a July 9 public hearing where they will consider imposing the lien. The notice will be sent out to park owner Walden Pond, LLC, later this month.

Last year, city leaders agreed to pledge taxpayer dollars toward razing trailers at the troubled mobile home park and cleaning up afterward.

Walden Pond, LLC, now owes the city $155,122.26, according to updated figures from city officials. That figure includes the costs of demolition, cleanup, administrative services and attorney fees. It also includes fines for months of unpaid utility bills.

The privately owned Walden Pond Mobile Home Park has been a problem property for the city for a while. This past summer, the mobile home park's owners told residents the park was closing and that residents needed to leave the property.

The owners, however, failed to follow legal guidelines for eviction. Since then, some residents have left. Some have stayed behind.

Also left behind were vacant trailers and trash. Stripping of the trailers became an issue. Some trailers collapsed.

The city council decided in October to pass an emergency resolution condemning some of the crumbling trailers. They then agreed to have the city pay a contractor to get rid of more than 50 condemned trailers and clean up afterward. Prior to that, the city also had to remove a mound of trash left at the park that the owners failed to clean up.

“Just the overall condition that people had to live in there was unacceptable,” Deputy Mayor Bill Phillips said.

The city gave Walden Pond owners’ chances to clean the property up themselves, with little movement taken by Walden Pond.

The condemned trailers are now gone. Some of the residents who stayed behind rent, but at least one owns their trailer.

One of the residents remaining at the park is Lara Curtis, a renter who took the lead in bringing attention to the plight of Walden Pond residents when the property owners announced they were shutting down the park last summer.

Curtis acknowledges that she will likely eventually have to move out of the park. She mentioned the expense of power costs and raised the prospect she might have to live in a tent until she saves up money needed to make a home she owns nearby inhabitable. She cares for five children.  

She said she’s in favor of the city putting a lien on the property. The city’s “put too much money” into the property, she said. 

“They’ve been given too much grief,” she said.

Curtis thinks the city should take it over and use the property to do something for the community.

“It’s endless what they could do here,” she said. 

Paul Beraquit, who has identified himself as managing partner of Walden Pond, LLC, did not return call for comment.

Want to know how the bill to Walden Pond rose to $155,122.26? Here’s a breakdown of the costs the city paid:

• Demolition and cleanup: $71,400
• Utility services: $71,427.68
• Trash removal: $3,292.29
• Water line repair: $299. 61
• City attorney fees: $6,772 (30.1 hours @$299/hour)
• Annual Backflow testing: $105
• Damage to loader: $412.46
• Development Dept. Fees
  • Permit fee: $1,080
  • Administrative fees: $1,411.72

Keep track of what's happening at Walden Pond with this record of continuing coverage:

        Mobile Home Park Closing Leaves Residents in a Bind

Walden Pond Cleanup Starts

City to Clean Up Walden Pond

Walden Pond Owners Given Chance to Clean Up Property

City Could Raze Crumbling Trailers at Walden Pond

Collapsing Trailers Raise Safety Concerns at Walden Pond

Dumpster Removal at Walden Pond Raises Concerns

Pasco Seeks to Connect Walden Pond Tenants with Aid

Residents Continue to Occupy Walden Pond After Closing Deadline

Pasco Exploring Ways to Help Walden Pond Tenants

Tenants Oppose Removal from Walden Pond

FEMA Canvasses Walden Pond

Tenants Upset About Walden Pond's Closing