Hazel Park

For those considering a mobile home as their primary residence in the thriving Central Texas region, exploring various communities is a crucial step. Hazel Park, a mobile home community located in Harker Heights, offers a particular living experience that prospective residents should understand thoroughly. Like any residential area, it comes with its own set of characteristics, some of which are highly valued by residents, while others may require careful consideration. This article aims to provide a clear and factual overview of Hazel Park, drawing insights from available public data and direct resident feedback.

Mobile home parks, also known as manufactured home communities, provide an alternative housing solution for many Texans. They typically involve leasing a lot for a manufactured home, often at a more accessible price point than traditional stick-built housing. These communities can foster a sense of neighborhood, and their appeal often lies in their affordability, the lifestyle they offer, and their proximity to local amenities. In a growing city like Harker Heights, such communities play a role in the diverse housing landscape, catering to various needs and budgets.

The experience of living in a mobile home park is significantly shaped by factors such as the quality of the homes, the maintenance of common areas, and, crucially, the responsiveness and fairness of management. While some residents might find a quiet and friendly atmosphere, others could encounter challenges related to property upkeep or interpersonal dynamics with management. This comprehensive overview of Hazel Park will delve into its location, services, features, and reported highlights and concerns, enabling Texans to make an informed decision about this particular community.

It is vital to approach the information with a balanced perspective, acknowledging both the positive aspects and the areas highlighted by residents as needing improvement. Our goal is to present a realistic picture of Hazel Park, helping you determine if it aligns with your expectations for a mobile home community in Central Texas.

Hazel Park is located at 3307 Stillhouse Lake Rd, Harker Heights, TX 76548, USA. This address places the mobile home park in a notable part of Harker Heights, a dynamic and growing city in Central Texas. The park's proximity to Stillhouse Lake Road suggests convenient access to the beautiful Stillhouse Hollow Lake, a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts. The lake offers opportunities for fishing, boating, swimming, and hiking, making the location appealing for those who enjoy recreational activities near water.

Harker Heights itself is a well-established city within the Killeen-Temple metropolitan area, known for its strategic location near Fort Cavazos (formerly Fort Hood). This makes Hazel Park a potentially convenient living option for military personnel and their families, as well as civilians working at or connected to the base. The commute to the military installation and surrounding employment centers would generally be manageable from this location.

The accessibility of the park extends to a wide range of city amenities. Harker Heights boasts various shopping centers, including Market Heights, which features major retailers, a movie theater (Cinemark), and diverse dining options. Residents would have relatively easy access to grocery stores, medical facilities, and other essential services. Furthermore, Harker Heights offers several public parks like Carl Levin Park, providing playgrounds, walking trails, and community events. The main thoroughfares in Harker Heights and Killeen ensure good connectivity to the wider Central Texas region, including quick routes to Temple, Waco, and even Austin for broader urban experiences. The location on Stillhouse Lake Road balances a somewhat quieter, natural setting with the convenience of city living.

Mobile home parks primarily provide lot rentals and basic utility connections for manufactured homes. Based on the nature of Hazel Park and the feedback provided, here's an overview of the services typically expected, alongside specific issues highlighted by residents:

• Lot Rental: Residents lease a designated space where they can place their manufactured home. This is the core service provided by the park.
• Utility Hookups: Access to essential utilities such as water and electricity at each lot. Residents are generally responsible for setting up and paying for their individual utility accounts.
• On-Site Management (Owner/Manager): The park has an owner who lives on-site, and there is also a park manager. Their role is to oversee park operations and resident needs.

However, it is crucial to address the significant concerns raised in the reviews regarding the actual delivery and quality of these services and management responsiveness:

• Poor Maintenance and Upkeep: Residents reported instances of mold being painted over rather than properly remediated, and units needing "completely removed due to the state that they were kept in." A specific example cited a unit without carpet for years with no attempt to fix it.
• Delayed Repairs: There was a significant delay (almost 2 months, then 3 months) in the owner providing materials for a porch repair, leading to an accident.
• Lack of Insulation/Poor Unit Condition: Reviews indicate that "none of these trailers have any real insulation in them, or has any of it ever been replaced," which can lead to higher utility bills and discomfort.
• Limited/Ineffective Assistance with Utilities: Residents mentioned claims from the owner and manager to help change electric providers, but "neither of them really did anything at all."
• Discrepancies in Tenant Treatment: Allegations of favoritism, where "favorite friends in the park" receive immediate attention while "others have to wait."
• High Deposit Requirements: For most new renters, a "deposit of up around 400$" is required unless they have "really good credit."

Hazel Park presents a mix of potential benefits and serious concerns, as highlighted by customer reviews. It's important to consider both sides to get a balanced view:

• Affordable Housing Potential: The park's primary highlight, implicitly, is its role in providing potentially more affordable housing options in Harker Heights compared to traditional homes.
• Quiet and Small Community Atmosphere: One positive review describes it as a "very quiet small Mobile Home park," contributing to a peaceful living environment for some residents.
• Friendly Residents: The same positive review notes that "everyone is friendly and respectful," suggesting a good social atmosphere among certain tenants.
• On-Site Owner Presence: The owner lives on-site, which could theoretically allow for quicker responses, though this is contradicted by other reviews. One review initially found the owner "very nice" and approachable.

However, the negative feedback reveals significant issues that overshadow these potential highlights:

• Substandard Property Maintenance: Major concerns about mold being painted over, units in disrepair, and long-standing issues like missing carpet indicate a lack of proper maintenance and investment in the property.
• Health and Safety Risks: The reported mold issues and delayed repairs (leading to an accident like a fall from a porch) directly pose health and safety risks, making the park unsuitable for individuals with respiratory or other health concerns.
• Poor Insulation: The lack of "real insulation" in units can lead to discomfort and significantly higher utility bills, impacting the affordability that initially attracts residents.
• Management Issues:
  • Perceived Favoritism: The owner is accused of having "favorite friends" who receive preferential treatment, leading to unequal service.
  • Lack of Awareness/Engagement: The owner is portrayed as "honestly doesn't have a real clue about the state of the place," and being largely absent ("out of the country trying to make whiskey").
  • Unresponsiveness/Ineffectiveness: Promises to assist with electric provider changes went unfulfilled, and repairs were severely delayed.
  • Allegations of Slumlord Practices: One review directly labels the owner a "slumlord," suggesting conditions that would be illegal in other states.
  • Managerial Conduct: The manager is also implicated in the unfulfilled promises and the overall lack of adequate management.
• High Deposit for Average Credit: The requirement of a "deposit of up around 400$" unless one has "really good credit" might be a hurdle for some.

These significant negative features indicate a concerning pattern of property neglect and problematic management practices that prospective residents must seriously consider.

Based on the provided reviews, a significant concern for Hazel Park is the apparent lack of a publicly available phone number, as directly stated by a customer: "the reason im giveing it a two star is beacuse theres no phone number and two how u going to call this place if they have no number?"

This suggests that direct contact via phone may be challenging. However, the physical address is known:

Address: 3307 Stillhouse Lake Rd, Harker Heights, TX 76548, USA

For potential residents, or anyone needing to reach management, a direct visit to the property might be necessary to inquire about availability, rental terms, or to find on-site contact information. Alternatively, searching local public records or community resource guides in Harker Heights might yield alternative contact methods if they exist. Given the feedback, prospective tenants should be prepared for potential difficulties in establishing initial contact and ongoing communication.

Hazel Park, as a mobile home community in Harker Heights, presents a complex picture for locals in the Texas region. While mobile home parks often appeal to those seeking more affordable housing options or a specific type of community living, the specific feedback for Hazel Park necessitates a very cautious approach.

For some Texans, especially those prioritizing a potentially lower cost of living and a quiet, small community atmosphere, Hazel Park might initially appear to be an option. Its location on Stillhouse Lake Road offers proximity to a popular recreational lake and easy access to the amenities of Harker Heights and the broader Killeen-Temple area, including shopping, dining, and employment opportunities at Fort Cavazos. The presence of friendly residents, as noted in one review, suggests that a positive social environment might exist within certain circles.

However, the overwhelming majority of the detailed feedback points to severe and concerning issues that significantly impact the suitability of Hazel Park for locals. Problems with property maintenance, including unresolved mold issues, lack of insulation, and general disrepair of units, pose not only comfort issues but also potential health and safety risks. For Texans with respiratory problems or other health concerns, these conditions could be particularly detrimental.

Furthermore, the complaints about management—ranging from alleged favoritism, unresponsiveness to repair requests, a perceived lack of awareness about property conditions, and being difficult to contact—paint a picture of a challenging living environment. The claims of "slumlord" practices and delays in essential repairs (leading to an accident) are serious allegations that underscore a potentially detrimental tenant-landlord relationship.

Given these significant concerns, Hazel Park is not broadly recommended for locals in Texas unless an individual is in a position where extreme affordability is the sole driving factor, and they are fully prepared to navigate and potentially endure the documented issues with property conditions and management. For any Texan considering Hazel Park, an exhaustive personal investigation is not just recommended, but essential. This would involve visiting the park, attempting to speak with current residents about their experiences, meticulously inspecting any available units for condition and insulation, and clearly establishing communication channels and repair protocols with management before committing. Without a significant and verifiable improvement in management practices and property maintenance, the risks associated with living at Hazel Park appear to outweigh its potential benefits for the average Texan seeking a stable and comfortable home.

Hazel Park

3307 Stillhouse Lake Rd, Harker Heights, TX 76548, USA