This appears to have become a writing ping-pong event. I am responding to Mr. Rush's letter in the December 7 issue of the Syosset-Jericho Tribune.

Mr. Rush never bothered to tell the public that prior to his placing eviction notices on our doors we were in negotiations with STP Associates LLC to see if we could come to an agreement, through our attorney, on a new lease including a feasible amount of rent for the mobile home owners. We even were told by STP to complete forms stating whether we owned the homes, had a job, etc. We, the owners of the mobile homes complied and did all that was asked of us and then we never heard again from Mr. Rush nor Mr. Feldman, but we did find eviction notices on our doors! How is that for fair play?

Yes, it is true there were two H.O.P.E. Association boards, the first stepped down and now we have a wonderful, knowledgeable, trustworthy board of directors of the H.O.P.E. Association. H.O.P.E. stands for Homeowners Protecting Equity and you can visit our website at www.syosset-mobile-hope.com.

The cash offer of $500,000 is to be split among 50 to 70 homeowners, we are not sure just how many, STP may decide to include the owners who no longer reside here, in any case if there is a 1-year lease at $750 per month, you do the math, one ends up with $1,000 or less! That is some settlement, some money for your home. You are left with no home, no school for your children, no family members close by, but you have $1,000 - big deal.

Mr. Rush is shocked by our behavior, why? If he were in our shoes, if he were not a multimillionaire but a lower-to-middle class working American citizen who wanted to, make that deserved to, live in a decent neighborhood, have their children attend a crime-free school district, and was told buy a mobile home in Syosset it will always be a mobile home park, wouldn't he be doing just what we are doing? Fighting for our homes.

Randi Portnoy

A Syosset Mobile Home Park Owner