Don Wessely
My name is Don Wessely. I’m a retired federal officer, and I served in the Marine Corps for nearly two decades. I moved to Oak Lawn Mobile Estates in Morton, Illinois in 2012. This is the first home I’ve ever owned. In 2018, my park was purchased by Impact Communities, a company based in Colorado. Since they took over, we’ve had to fight tooth and nail to hold them accountable for breaking state and city laws. It’s almost become a full-time job.
Don stands next to a porch. He is wearing a black shirt and shorts and a red baseball hat.
Before Impact Communities took over, water, sewer, and trash were included with lot rent. We received notice that those fees were being added to the lot rents in addition to increases in general lot rent. Although rents have increased, maintenance has really suffered! At one point we were under a boil water order for 54 days because of 50-year-old pipes that they should have replaced!
One of my biggest frustrations has been with the water meters they installed on our homes. Under Illinois law, park owners can’t go in or under our homes without our permission. After our homes have been ‘winterized’, that can cause real damage! The state plumbing inspector got involved after they got caught using unlicensed plumbers for the job which is against Illinois state law. We filed a complaint and the meters were removed and then replaced.
The water meter readings have been wildly inconsistent. Some months it said I used as little as 600 gallons of water and others as much as 4,500. Once it said I used 2,500 gallons in just two days! My neighbors were frustrated too. One had been billed for 85,000 gallons in one month! They never did get a permit from the state and removed the meters after 10 months, despite charging us based on meters that were never properly installed. Eventually, the homeowners created an HOA to fight the increased lot fees and inform us of our rights.
I’ve dedicated most of my life to serving our nation and serving the public. I was a unit leader in the Marine Corps Special Unit called ‘Fast Company’ (Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team). In the military, we learn respect, and I really don’t like them taking advantage of people. I’ve done extensive legal research and sent two packets of documents to the Attorney General. I also contacted the FTC. I’ve gone door to door with flyers in the cold Illinois winters. My neighbors and I just want them to be held accountable and abide by Illinois state law, nothing more and nothing less. If they're going to hold us accountable to their rules and regulations, they should be held accountable to Illinois state law. A lot of us imagine ourselves living out our golden years here and now we just don't know! They think we're uneducated, but they don't know what they are up against!