Warren retains outside firm to represent city in MMHA lawsuit

WARREN — At a special meeting on Nov. 5, Warren City Council members voted to bring in outside firm Plunkett-Cooney to defend the city against a lawsuit filed by the Michigan Manufactured Homes Association.

The complaint was filed by Jason Hanselmann and Kyle Asher of the Lansing-based Dykema Gossett PLLC on behalf of the association in October.

The complaint, which names the city, Building Director Kirk Rehn and Building Inspector John Impellizzeri as defendants, is challenging city procedures with regard to code enforcement at manufactured home parks.

“It’s a very lengthy lawsuit, it’s multifaceted, extremely complicated because of all the loaded legal issues, our permitting process, which code should be enforced, grandfathering issues, not-performing-status issues,” City Council Secretary Mindy Moore said.

The complaint names three manufactured home communities in the city — Twin Pines on 11 Mile Road, Landmark Estates on Dequindre Road and Motor City Mobile Home Park on Lawrence Avenue. However, Moore said at the meeting that their main contact has been with Twin Pines and Landmark, which she said has a new owner.

“I think there’s a new owner who is trying to develop who claims he’s trying to redevelop, but not according to city procedures,” she said.

Moore said city inspectors have found multiple violations and issued stop-work orders.

At its special meeting, the City Council voted to retain Plunkett-Cooney and stated they had attorneys who were experienced in this type of litigation.

The firm has represented the city in matters involving the American Civil Liberties Union, and in a case involving former Mayor Jim Fouts that almost went to the U.S. Supreme Court, according to Mary Michaels, who is serving as Warren’s interim city attorney.

According to attorney Schroder, a Plunkett-Cooney partner who also serves as legal counsel to the Warren City Council, the firm has handled matters against the Michigan Manufactured Housing Association previously.

Schroder said the firm would charge the city its normal rates for its service.