Olmsted County, City of Rochester address safety concerns at Bob’s Trailer Park

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – Olmsted County Public Health began working with the City of Rochester over two years ago in an effort to address ongoing public health and safety concerns at Bob’s Trailer Park.

According to the city, the goal of this collaboration has been focused on creating a safe and healthy environment and bringing the park into compliance with applicable Minnesota laws, administrative rules, and City ordinances and codes.

Olmsted County Housing has worked with impacted individuals to find alternative housing and has shared information on housing resources since December 20, 2022. It continues to work with the City of Rochester to ensure the park follows all applicable requirements for closure and maintains compliance with local public health and safety regulations.

The Rochester Fire Department (RFD) responded to a fire at a mobile home unit at the park early Friday morning. RFD is investigating how the fire started. The trailer home and everything inside is a total loss. There were no injuries reported.

The City of Rochester and Olmsted County are discussing preventative measures and enforcement of fire hazards with park ownership and management.

In the fall of 2022, the park owner indicated his intention to close the park, and Olmsted County and the City of Rochester sought to ensure all legal requirements would be met concerning the mobile home park’s eventual closure.

On Nov. 17, 2022, the park’s water system was compromised, preventing plumbed water from being provided to the units on site. In response, Olmsted County Public Health issued a Notice of Violation, declared the lack of access to the City’s municipal water system to be a Public Health Nuisance, and required the property owner to correct the plumbing system or work toward finding alternative housing for displaced persons through voluntary agreements with the legal residents. Bottled water continued to be provided to park tenants that could demonstrate a legal basis to reside there.

Due to the legal status of occupants of several units remained questionable, the owner of Bob’s Trailer Park commenced several eviction proceedings seeking to remove occupants that could not demonstrate a legal right to reside there.

Several park residents also commenced tenant’s rights proceedings in court seeking to compel the park owner to restore plumbed water service to park units and abate their rent because of the lack of water service.

On Thursday, Feb. 2, the park stopped electrical service to all unauthorized tenants living in mobile home units within the park. Electrical service remains in operation for all units where residents have demonstrated a legal basis to reside there.

Olmsted County continues to monitor the situation at Bob’s Trailer Park as well as legal proceedings between the remaining residents who have demonstrated a legal basis to reside there and the owner.