A South Bend mobile home park has delayed a ban on window-unit air conditioners after residents pushed back. But people who live in other mobile home parks owned by the company Yes! Communities have had to deal with similar bans for some time.
Pavilion Estates has had the ban for at least a couple years, but enforcement is inconsistent, according to residents.
Michelle Aitken has lived at Pavilion for over a decade, she said management has overlooked her window unit despite the ban, while others are not so lucky.
“They pick and choose who they go after. And like I said, pretty much, if you do what you're supposed to do and you're not a nuisance or a problem, they leave you alone,” Aitken said.
Another resident, who did not want his name published for fear of retaliation, said he had a window unit AC and was aware of the ban but has not received any writeups from Pavilion Estates. He said the park seems to overlook window units in some cases, particularly if they are not facing the road.
A third resident said the AC ban was "not in the lease agreement" or community guidelines, but was sent to residents at least once by email.
Aitken sees the ban as a health threat to all residents, leaving some vulnerable to the heat.
“In days like today, if you don't have an air conditioner, they're telling you to find one. So, I don't see how they can tell us that we can't have our window AC unit. I don't honestly see how that's legal or humane.”
Aitken added that the risk of heat-related illness has lead many to ignore the rule.
"People that have their elderly parents here in the park, they're like, 'well, my parents are on oxygen, they can't go without air conditioning. I'm not taking it out.'"
Neither Pavilion Estates nor its owner, Yes Communities, replied to requests for comment.
This story is part of a collaboration with NowKalamazoo exploring Kalamazoo County's housing crisis.
Michael Symonds reports for WMUK through the Report for America national service program.
