Tiona DeShong

My name is Tiona DeShong and I live in Rapid Estates MHP in Lockport, NY. My family and I were living in a home when our landlord tried to evict us in the middle of the pandemic. There was nowhere to go. We cashed out my husband’s 401k and bought a home in Rapid.

Tiona gardens in front of her home. She is wearing a green tank top and black shorts.

With AGL, the previous owners, it felt like the door was open all the time. Then, Cook Properties sent out emails saying they were the new owners.

All of a sudden, maintenance stopped. Residents had to pitch in to start maintaining the areas that would normally be taken care of by the park. We had more snakes and mice – it was a hazard. 

It’s not safe to drink the water. Our neighbors across the street called code enforcement because there was raw sewage under their trailer. You could see toilet paper bubbling up. Niagara County flagged the area and said it needed to be fixed. This has been happening for at least six months. The idea that raw sewage could run into my garden and water my vegetables is unlivable.

Worse, a car on the main road hit two children who suffered injuries and one passed away. It’s all because they didn’t have anything else to do. They don’t even have safe roads to ride their bikes. The roads are all bumped and pot-holed, only fixed with little patches. If Cook put up a speed bump or two, we’d be much safer.

I hope to have more of a village and a safe place to raise my daughter – a place where I’m not forced to worry constantly. You have to remind your kids to not play in the puddles, because they could be filled with sewage.

We just want Cook to make our community look like all the pictures that advertise what they do for their communities. They keep charging money and not doing anything to maintain the properties. We want people to know that we’re here and that we matter. We have a voice and need to be seen. They can’t just pretend that we don’t exist.