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ARIZONA NEWS

State seeks sanctions against Tucson mobile home park owner over unsafe electrical system

The lawsuit accused the companies of failing to inform residents that the park's electrical infrastructure was overloaded, unreliable and dangerous.

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The owners and operators of Redwood Mobile Home Park allegedly failed to comply with a court-ordered safety test of the park’s electrical systems, and Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes announced Friday she is seeking sanctions against them.

The request for sanctions targets Redwood Thunderbird MHPS, LLC, and BoaVida Communities, LLC. It stems from a consumer fraud lawsuit Mayes filed last year.

The initial lawsuit accused the companies of failing to inform residents that the park’s electrical infrastructure was overloaded, unreliable and dangerous, leading to frequent power outages during peak summer heat.

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As part of that ongoing litigation, a court previously entered a stipulation requiring Redwood to test the insulation of its underground electrical wires. Authorities note that improperly insulated underground wiring presents a serious risk of electrocution.

According to the Attorney General’s Office, Redwood has refused to perform the required safety checks ordered by the court, leaving residents exposed to hazardous conditions.

“Families at Redwood Mobile Home Park have been forced to live in unsafe conditions while corporate landlords ignored their duty to provide habitable living conditions,” Mayes said in a statement. “Now it appears that these same landlords are ignoring court orders entered for the safety of their residents. We are asking the court to hold them accountable for their inaction.”

A half-day evidentiary hearing for Aug. 21 has been scheduled by the court to determine if Redwood violated the preliminary injunction and to establish an appropriate remedy, Mayes’ office said.

Under Arizona Revised Statute § 44-1532, businesses and individuals found in violation of an order tied to the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act can face penalties of up to $25,000 per violation.

“These landlords have the right to defend the way in which they have conducted their business, but they do not have the right to violate the court’s orders,” Mayes said. “They are not above the law, and my office will not allow them to jeopardize the safety of their residents.”

How to file a consumer complaint

Residents who believe they have experienced consumer fraud or unfair business practices can file a report with the Attorney General’s Office online

Physical complaint forms can also be requested by contacting the AG’s office:
Phoenix metro area: (602) 542-5763
Tucson metro area: (520) 628-6648
Outside Phoenix and Tucson: (800) 352-8431

David Veenstra KTAR.com editor

David Veenstra is a web content editor and writer for ArizonaSports.com and KTAR.com. Prior to joining Arizona Sports and KTAR, he graduated from the University of Oregon for his bachelor’s degree in journalism and Arizona State University for his… Read more

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