Homecrest Mobile Home Park sits about 2.6 miles outside Chesapeake, Virginia, and's been around since 1956, which gives the place an old, settled feel, and folks come here for a variety of reasons, from the independent living it offers seniors to its all-ages setup, with no age restrictions, so you see both seniors and families sharing the same spaces, and the place welcomes pets under 25 pounds, though certain breeds face restrictions, and there's a good bit of greenery with walking paths and lawns around the homes, giving it a calm feel, but you also notice the paved streets have average width and there's off-street parking, though no spots for RVs, just room for cars and sometimes guests, but overnight guest parking's not allowed, which some people find limiting, and the 250 home sites vary, with both single-wide and double-wide options, some having peaked roofs or lap siding, and about 10% of the homes are multisection, so that's a bit of variety.
A big thing here's the community pool, which opens up with lifeguard service in the summer, and the playground with basketball courts always seems to have people around, parents, kids, and even seniors, and with on-site management like Alex Tapia, who's often about, things tend to get fixed when reported, though the management office can take its time processing paperwork or getting back to folks asking about applications or approvals, and residents sometimes talk about how staff are helpful but the rules around things-like home maintenance, paint, fences, even garages or carports-can feel strict, with people required to clean, fix, or paint when told.
There's WiFi across the community, though it doesn't always reach every corner, and water comes from a well, sewer's a septic system, and bills for water don't really fluxuate, which makes it predictable for budgeting even if the unavoidable water or power outage crops up on occasion, which can get old, but it doesn't happen all the time, and trash pickup comes with the lot rent, which runs between $475 and $725 a month including the water and sewer. Some housing has floors in carpet, linoleum, or vinyl, and common features like ceiling fans, dishwashers, air conditioning through central cool, and forced-air heat, but every unit's a bit different, and some three-bedroom, two-bathroom layouts built in 2005 have about 1,224 square feet with dining rooms and extra cabinets, which matters when folks are downsizing and want storage.
The park sits behind fences and gates, so folks sometimes say it feels safe except there's no longer 24-hour police patrol like there was in the past, so people watch out for each other, and the community events, walking paths, and animal-friendly policies encourage people to get to know their neighbors, though if you move out you don't get your security deposit back, which people grumble about, and the rules on parking and outside appearances sometimes rub folks the wrong way, but there are good stretches-a playscape and playground open all year, recreation facilities, quiet spaces to walk in green surroundings, and the feeling of a close community when everyone pitches in during events. Homecrest Mobile Home Park gives people a practical living option with access to amenities, a peaceful feel in the outdoor spaces, some unique community rules, and a dependable management staff, but it's not perfect, and some days are better than others.
