Pittsfield Mobile Home Park Requests 63% Rent Increase

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The owners of a Valentine Road mobile home park are seeking rent increases of around 63 percent.

The Mobile Home Rent Control Board on Thursday will tackle a request from M.H. Communities, the owners of Lake Onota Village, to raise lot rents that currently range between $330 and $380 per month to between $540 and $590 per month over three years.

This represents an over $200 increase per month, four times the last rent increase of $50 issued in 2012, according to documents filed with the board. 

"Over the stretch of the eleven-plus years since its last rent adjustment, however, the multiplying costs of services now result in calculation of a fair rate of return of lot rent in the amount of $605.13 per month," attorney Jeffrey Lynch wrote on behalf of the owners.

MH is requesting to "close the gap between its current lot rent amounts" and the application's calculation of total allowable income per site per month. In year one, rents would increase to between $400 and $450 per month, in year two to between $470 and $520 per month, and year three to between $540 and $590 per month.

This represents around a $70 increase for each of the three years.

The assessed value of the 28.6-acre park is about $831,000. There are 131 units and the company takes in total of about $521,000 in rent per year, with residents paying between $3,960 and $4,560 annually.

A $21,000 expense for vacancies was cited and the owners have proposed a $14,500 capital project for mailbox lighting and electrical work.

Dalton Board Signs Off on Land Sale Over Residents' Objections

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:50AM / Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Residents demanded the right to speak but the agenda did not include public comment. Amy Musante holds a sign saying the town now as '$20,000 less for a police station.'

DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board signed the sale on the last of what had been known as the Bardin property Monday even as a handful of residents demanded the right to speak against the action. 

 

The quitclaim deed transfers the nine acres to Thomas and Esther Balardini, who purchased the two other parcels in Dalton. They were the third-highest bidders at $31,500. Despite this, the board awarded them the land in an effort to keep the property intact.

 

"It's going to be an ongoing battle but one I think that has to be fought [because of] the disregard for the taxpayers," said Dicken Crane, the high bidder at $51,510.

 

"If it was personal I would let it go, but this affects everyone and backing down is not in my nature." 

 

Crane had appealed to the board to accept his bid during two previous meetings. He and others opposed to accepting the lower bid say it cost the town $20,000. After the meeting, Crane said he will be filing a lawsuit and has a citizen's petition for the next town meeting with over 100 signatures. 

 

Three members of the board — Chair Robert Bishop Jr., John Boyle, and Marc Strout — attended the 10-minute meeting. Members Anthony Pagliarulo and Daniel Esko previously expressed their disapproval of the sale to the Balardinis. 

 

Pagliarulo voted against the sale but did sign the purchase-and-sale agreement earlier this month. His reasoning was the explanation by the town attorney during an executive session that, unlike procurement, where the board is required to accept the lowest bid for services, it does have some discretion when it comes to accepting bids in this instance.