Build Your File
Record lot rent, dates, notice periods, the prospectus, title, letters, fees, receipts, and photographs of property conditions.
Field Manual No. 6
The Ground Underneath You
What to do when somebody else owns the land under your home.
Inside the Manual
Put the facts, notices, and neighbors on one page
The Ground Underneath You is a checklist for residents who own a home on land owned by someone else. It starts with the basic imbalance described in the manual: the house cannot leave, so the land, the paperwork, and the timing of notices matter.
The manual asks residents to build a file, count the signals of a changing community, compare fees with the prospectus, investigate a possible right to buy, and act with neighbors before an eviction or sale makes the window smaller.
This manual is general information, not legal advice. Rules differ by state. The PDF advises contacting the relevant state agency, legal aid, elected representatives, and resident resources early.
The core approach
Document early. Ask in writing. Do not stand alone.
Know the Play
Review the six tells, the five moves, notice rules, a possible right to buy, fee pass-throughs, and the terms of any new agreement before signing.
Knock on Four Doors
Ask four neighbors whether they received the same letter. The manual treats shared facts, meeting records, and early agency contact as practical leverage.
The resident's file
What You'll Find Inside
- Your file: community, lot, rent history, last letter, effective date, notice days, and prospectus request.
- Six tells: new observers, staff changes, new ownership names, payment portals, lost community features, and longer forms tied to an increase.
- Five moves: the manual's description of buying the park, the post-closing letter, new fees, property deterioration, and home inventory risk.
- Notice rule: record when the letter and envelope arrived, the required notice period, and the meeting request.
- Right to buy and fee audit: ask the state agency about first refusal or purchase opportunities and compare every bill line with the prospectus.
- Before signing: take a new agreement home and look for pass-throughs, arbitration, rule changes, automatic escalators, and resale restrictions.
- Who to call: state agency, representatives, legal aid, homeowners association, and Silent Seniors No More.
Use it as a printable field guide
Take the file to the table
Print the manual and fill in the resident file before a new notice arrives. Keep envelopes, prospectus copies, dated photos, rent records, and fee questions together. Use the four-door page to find out whether neighbors received the same document.
Bring the completed pages when contacting an agency, legal-aid service, representative, or resident organization. The manual's marching orders are to ask for documents in writing, avoid signing alone, find out whether a right to buy exists, and act early.
Source text
Full Manual Text
The text below is transcribed from the original PDF for this manual. Page labels, headings, lists, and references are retained as extracted from the source.
JOHNNY ACTION FIGHTS BACK!
ACTION ARMY FIELD MANUAL
NO. 6 • THE GROUND UNDERNEATH YOU
ACTION ARMY SPECIAL REPORT COMPANION
THE GROUND UNDERNEATH YOU
WHAT TO DO WHEN SOMEBODY ELSE OWNS THE LAND UNDER YOUR HOME
YOU OWN THE HOUSE. THEY OWN THE GROUND. THE
HOUSE CANNOT LEAVE. THAT IMBALANCE IS THE
WHOLE ASSET — AND EVERY MOVE IN THIS MANUAL
IS ABOUT TAKING IT BACK ONE PIECE AT A TIME.
THIS IS THE CHECKLIST FROM THE PROGRAM. IT IS
FREE. IT WILL ALWAYS BE FREE. PRINT IT, WRITE ON IT,
AND HAND IT TO A NEIGHBOR WHEN YOU ARE DONE
WITH IT.
YOU DO NOT NEED A LAWYER TO DO ANY OF THIS. YOU
NEED A PEN AND ABOUT TWENTY MINUTES.
WHAT IS IN HERE:
YOUR FILE • THE SIX TELLS • THE FIVE MOVES
THE TWENTY MINUTE FILE • THE NOTICE RULE
THE RIGHT TO BUY • THE FEE AUDIT
BEFORE YOU SIGN • THE FOUR DOORS
WHO TO CALL • SILENT SENIORS NO MORE
THE HONEST PAGE • MARCHING ORDERS
FIELD MANUAL NO. 6 • FREE AT JOHNNYACTIONARMY.COM • PAGE 1 OF 14
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NO. 6 • THE GROUND UNDERNEATH YOU
YOUR FILE — FILL THIS IN FIRST
EVERYTHING ELSE IS EASIER ONCE THESE FACTS ARE ON ONE PIECE
OF PAPER.
COMMUNITY NAME:
________________________________________________
MY LOT NUMBER: ______________
LOT RENT TODAY: $ ______________ PER MONTH
LOT RENT THREE YEARS AGO: $ ______________
THE DIFFERENCE: $ ______________
NAME ON MY RENT CHECK OR PORTAL:
________________________________________________
DATE THE LAST LETTER ARRIVED: ____ / ____ / ____
DATE THE INCREASE STARTS: ____ / ____ / ____
DAYS OF NOTICE THEY GAVE ME: __________
DO I HAVE MY PROSPECTUS? YES NO ☐ ☐
IF NO — I ASKED FOR IT IN WRITING ON: ____ / ____
FIELD MANUAL NO. 6 • FREE AT JOHNNYACTIONARMY.COM • PAGE 2 OF 14
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NO. 6 • THE GROUND UNDERNEATH YOU
THE SIX TELLS
THREE OF THESE AND YOU HAVE ABOUT A YEAR. FIVE AND IT ALREADY
HAPPENED AND NOBODY TOLD YOU. CHECK EVERY ONE YOU HAVE
SEEN.
STRANGERS WITH CLIPBOARDS WALKING THE LOTS,☐
COUNTING, PHOTOGRAPHING THE UTILITY BOXES.
THE OFFICE STAFF CHANGES. THE PERSON WHO ☐
KNEW EVERYBODY IS GONE. THE NEW ONE IS POLITE
AND CANNOT ANSWER A QUESTION.
THE NAME ON THE RENT CHECK CHANGES — AND ☐
THE NEW NAME IS THREE INITIALS AND THE WORD
HOLDINGS, COMMUNITIES, OR PARTNERS.
THE PAYMENT METHOD CHANGES. A PORTAL. AN ☐
APP. AN AUTOPAY FORM. THAT IS NOT SERVICE.
THAT IS INSTRUMENTATION.
SOMETHING SMALL DIES AND DOES NOT COME ☐
BACK. THE POTLUCK. THE HORSESHOE PIT. THE
BULLETIN BOARD IN THE LAUNDRY ROOM.
THE FIRST INCREASE ARRIVES WITH A NEW FORM ☐
TO SIGN, AND THE FORM IS LONGER THAN THE OLD
ONE.
HOW MANY DID I CHECK? ____________
FIELD MANUAL NO. 6 • FREE AT JOHNNYACTIONARMY.COM • PAGE 3 OF 14
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NO. 6 • THE GROUND UNDERNEATH YOU
THE FIVE MOVES — KNOW THE PLAY
ONE. BUY THE PARK. NOT THE HOUSES. THE HOUSES
ARE A LIABILITY. THE LAND IS THE ASSET — BECAUSE
OF WHAT IS BOLTED TO IT.
TWO. THE LETTER. SIXTY TO NINETY DAYS AFTER
CLOSING. PARAGRAPH ONE SAYS THEY DIDN’T WANT
TO DO IT. PARAGRAPH TWO HAS THE NUMBER IN IT.
THREE. THE FEES. WATER REBILLED WITH SOMETHING
ON TOP. TRASH. SEWER ADMIN. PET. GUEST. A FEE TO
PAY ONLINE AND A DIFFERENT FEE TO PAY BY CHECK.
AND A LATE FEE THAT IS A PERCENTAGE — SO IT
GROWS WITH THE SQUEEZE.
FOUR. LET IT ROT. THE LIGHTS STAY OUT. THE POOL
STAYS CLOSED. FROM THE SPREADSHEET, THAT IS NOT
NEGLECT. THAT IS PERFORMANCE.
FIVE. TAKE THE HOUSE. SHE CANNOT AFFORD TO MOVE
IT, SO IT STAYS — AND DEPENDING ON THE
ABANDONMENT RULES WHERE YOU LIVE, IT CAN END
UP IN THEIR INVENTORY AND BACK ON THE RENTAL
MARKET.
WHY THEY BURN A FULL PARK DOWN: ONE HUNDRED
DOLLARS, TIMES ONE HUNDRED LOTS, TIMES
TWELVE MONTHS, TIMES A FIFTEEN MULTIPLE = ONE
POINT EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS ON THE RESALE. THE
LETTER COST THEM A STAMP.
FIELD MANUAL NO. 6 • FREE AT JOHNNYACTIONARMY.COM • PAGE 4 OF 14
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ACTION ARMY FIELD MANUAL
NO. 6 • THE GROUND UNDERNEATH YOU
TONIGHT — THE TWENTY MINUTE FILE
FIND THE PROSPECTUS OR OFFERING CIRCULAR ☐
THEY GAVE ME WHEN I MOVED IN. IT IS THICK AND
BORING AND IT IS THE MOST VALUABLE PAPER I OWN
AFTER THE TITLE.
IF I CANNOT FIND IT, REQUEST A COPY — IN ☐
WRITING. KEEP A COPY OF THE REQUEST.
FIND THE TITLE TO MY HOME AND PUT IT ☐
SOMEWHERE I CAN NAME OUT LOUD.
PUT EVERY INCREASE LETTER, NOTICE AND ☐
ENVELOPE IN ONE FOLDER. WRITE THE ARRIVAL
DATE ON EACH ONE IN PEN.
PHOTOGRAPH WHAT IS BROKEN — THE DARK LIGHT,☐
THE ROAD, THE CLOSED POOL, THE BROKEN LINE.
DATE EVERY PHOTO.
SAVE TWELVE MONTHS OF RENT RECEIPTS OR ☐
PORTAL STATEMENTS.
MY FOLDER IS LOCATED:
________________________________________________
FIELD MANUAL NO. 6 • FREE AT JOHNNYACTIONARMY.COM • PAGE 5 OF 14
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NO. 6 • THE GROUND UNDERNEATH YOU
THE NOTICE RULE
MANY STATES REQUIRE ADVANCE WRITTEN NOTICE
BEFORE A LOT RENT INCREASE — NINETY DAYS IS
COMMON — AND THAT NOTICE OFTEN TRIGGERS
RIGHTS ON YOUR SIDE, INCLUDING A RIGHT TO MEET
WITH THE OWNER.
THE CLOCK STARTS THE DAY THE LETTER ARRIVES. DO
NOT THROW AWAY THE ENVELOPE.
NOTICE MY STATE REQUIRES: ____________ DAYS
NOTICE THEY ACTUALLY GAVE ME: ____________ DAYS
SHORT? YES NO ☐ ☐
DATE I REQUESTED A MEETING WITH THE OWNER:
____ / ____ / ____
WHO IS COMING WITH ME:
________________________________________________
FIELD MANUAL NO. 6 • FREE AT JOHNNYACTIONARMY.COM • PAGE 6 OF 14
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NO. 6 • THE GROUND UNDERNEATH YOU
THE RIGHT TO BUY — THE BIG ONE
A NUMBER OF STATES REQUIRE THE OWNER TO NOTIFY
RESIDENTS AND GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO
PURCHASE THE COMMUNITY BEFORE IT SELLS.
RESIDENTS FORM A COOPERATIVE AND BUY THE LAND
UNDER THEIR OWN HOMES. THERE ARE NONPROFIT
LENDERS WHOSE ENTIRE JOB IS FINANCING THOSE
DEALS.
IF THAT RIGHT EXISTS WHERE YOU LIVE AND YOU
DON’T KNOW ABOUT IT, IT IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE
THING YOU DON’T KNOW.
CALL MY STATE AGENCY AND ASK: DOES MY STATE ☐
GIVE RESIDENTS A FIRST RIGHT OF REFUSAL OR AN
OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE?
ASK: WHAT NOTICE IS THE OWNER REQUIRED TO ☐
GIVE RESIDENTS BEFORE A SALE?
ASK: HOW LONG DO RESIDENTS HAVE TO ☐
RESPOND?
ASK: WHO FINANCES RESIDENT COOPERATIVE ☐
PURCHASES IN MY STATE?
ANSWER I GOT:
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
FIELD MANUAL NO. 6 • FREE AT JOHNNYACTIONARMY.COM • PAGE 7 OF 14
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NO. 6 • THE GROUND UNDERNEATH YOU
THE FEE AUDIT
IN MOST PLACES, WHAT THEY CAN CHARGE AND PASS THROUGH TO
YOU IS LIMITED TO WHAT THE PROSPECTUS DISCLOSED. IF THE FEE
ISN’T IN THERE, THERE IS A REAL QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER THEY
CAN CHARGE IT. LIST EVERY LINE ON YOUR BILL THAT IS NOT LOT RENT.
FEE ON MY BILL AMOUNT IN MY PROSPECTUS?
$ YES NO☐ ☐
$ YES NO☐ ☐
$ YES NO☐ ☐
$ YES NO☐ ☐
$ YES NO☐ ☐
$ YES NO☐ ☐
$ YES NO☐ ☐
$ YES NO☐ ☐
ANY LINE MARKED "NO" IS A QUESTION TO ASK IN
WRITING.
FIELD MANUAL NO. 6 • FREE AT JOHNNYACTIONARMY.COM • PAGE 8 OF 14
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NO. 6 • THE GROUND UNDERNEATH YOU
BEFORE YOU SIGN ANYTHING
IF SOMEBODY PUTS A NEW AGREEMENT IN FRONT OF
YOU AND STANDS THERE WHILE YOU READ IT, YOU
ARE ALLOWED TO SAY: I AM TAKING THIS HOME.
THEN TAKE IT HOME. AND SOMEBODY ELSE READS IT
TOO.
LOOK FOR THESE FIVE THINGS. CIRCLE THEM ON THE DOCUMENT.
PASS-THROUGH LANGUAGE — THEY BILL YOU FOR ☐
TAXES, INSURANCE, UTILITIES OR CAPITAL WORK ON
TOP OF RENT.
ARBITRATION — GIVING UP COURT AND GIVING UP ☐
JOINING WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS.
THE RIGHT TO CHANGE THE RULES — THEY ☐
REWRITE THE COMMUNITY RULES LATER AND YOU
ALREADY AGREED.
AN AUTOMATIC ESCALATOR — A SET INCREASE ☐
EVERY YEAR WITH NO SEPARATE NOTICE.
RESALE AND BUYER-APPROVAL TERMS — WHO ☐
THEY CAN TURN DOWN WHEN YOU TRY TO SELL
YOUR HOME.
DATE I TOOK IT HOME: ____ / ____
WHO ELSE READ IT: ______________________________
FIELD MANUAL NO. 6 • FREE AT JOHNNYACTIONARMY.COM • PAGE 9 OF 14
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NO. 6 • THE GROUND UNDERNEATH YOU
THE FOUR DOORS — THIS WEEK
ONE QUESTION. FOUR NEIGHBORS. TWENTY MINUTES.
THE QUESTION IS: DID YOU GET A LETTER?
EVERY ONE OF THESE STARTS THE SAME WAY — NOT
WITH A LAWYER, NOT WITH A REPORTER. WITH FOUR
PEOPLE ON A STEP FINDING OUT THEY GOT THE SAME
PIECE OF PAPER.
1. NAME ____________________ LOT ______
GOT A LETTER? YES NO ☐ ☐
2. NAME ____________________ LOT ______
GOT A LETTER? YES NO ☐ ☐
3. NAME ____________________ LOT ______
GOT A LETTER? YES NO ☐ ☐
4. NAME ____________________ LOT ______
GOT A LETTER? YES NO ☐ ☐
THEY ARE NOT AFRAID OF LOT FORTY-ONE. THEY ARE
AFRAID OF ALL FORTY-ONE LOTS, WITH ONE LAWYER
AND ONE SPREADSHEET AND SOMEBODY TAKING
MINUTES.
FIELD MANUAL NO. 6 • FREE AT JOHNNYACTIONARMY.COM • PAGE 10 OF 14
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NO. 6 • THE GROUND UNDERNEATH YOU
WHO TO CALL — AND WHAT THEY CAN’T DO
MOST STATES HAVE AN AGENCY THAT OVERSEES
THESE COMMUNITIES AND TAKES COMPLAINTS ABOUT
NOTICE, DISCLOSURE AND PROCEDURE. IT GENERALLY
WILL NOT TELL AN OWNER YOUR RENT IS TOO HIGH —
THAT IS A COURT QUESTION. AND ONCE AN EVICTION IS
FILED, THE AGENCY TYPICALLY STEPS BACK ENTIRELY.
WHICH MEANS THE TIME TO FILE IS EARLY. NOT AFTER.
EARLY.
MY STATE AGENCY: ______________________________
PHONE: __________________________
MY STATE REPRESENTATIVE: ______________________
PHONE: __________________________
MY STATE SENATOR: _____________________________
PHONE: __________________________
LEGAL AID / SENIOR LEGAL HELPLINE:
________________________________________________
OUR HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION CONTACT:
________________________________________________
THE NOTICE PERIOD, THE FEE RULES, THE RIGHT TO
BUY, THE EVICTION PROCEDURE — YOUR STATE
LEGISLATURE WROTE EVERY WORD OF IT, AND YOUR
STATE LEGISLATURE CAN REWRITE IT.
FIELD MANUAL NO. 6 • FREE AT JOHNNYACTIONARMY.COM • PAGE 11 OF 14
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NO. 6 • THE GROUND UNDERNEATH YOU
WHERE TO GO — SILENT SENIORS NO MORE
IF WHAT IS IN THIS MANUAL IS HAPPENING WHERE YOU
LIVE, YOU ARE NOT THE FIRST ONE TO NOTICE IT AND
YOU ARE NOT OUT THERE BY YOURSELF.
THERE ARE PEOPLE ORGANIZING AROUND EXACTLY
THIS — RESIDENTS AND SENIORS IN THESE
COMMUNITIES WHO STOPPED SITTING WITH IT ALONE
AND STARTED WORKING ON IT TOGETHER.
THE GROUP IS CALLED SILENT SENIORS NO MORE.
THEY ARE A GOOD RESOURCE AND WE RECOMMEND
THEM.
SILENT SENIORS NO MORE
SILENTSENIORSNOMORE.ORG
SAY IT SLOW: SILENT — SENIORS — NO — MORE — DOT
— ORG.
TAKE THIS MANUAL WITH YOU WHEN YOU GO. AND
TAKE FOUR NEIGHBORS.
DATE I WENT TO THE SITE: ____ / ____
WHO I FORWARDED IT TO:
________________________________________________
FIELD MANUAL NO. 6 • FREE AT JOHNNYACTIONARMY.COM • PAGE 12 OF 14
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ACTION ARMY FIELD MANUAL
NO. 6 • THE GROUND UNDERNEATH YOU
THE HONEST PAGE
NOT EVERY OWNER IS RUNNING THIS PLAY. PLENTY OF
THESE COMMUNITIES ARE HELD BY ONE FAMILY WHO
SHOWS UP IN A PICKUP TRUCK AND FIXES THE WATER
LINE HIMSELF ON A SUNDAY.
THE COSTS ARE REAL TOO. INSURANCE IS UP. TAXES
ARE UP. FIFTY-YEAR-OLD WATER AND SEWER IS
EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE. ALMOST NO NEW
COMMUNITIES GET BUILT, AND FIXED SUPPLY PUSHES
RENT UP EVEN WHEN NOBODY IS BEING GREEDY.
HIGH CONFIDENCE: THE STRUCTURE. YOU OWN THE
HOUSE, THEY OWN THE GROUND, THE HOUSE CANNOT
LEAVE, AND THAT IMBALANCE IS THE ASSET.
HIGH CONFIDENCE: THE NUMBERS. TWENTY MILLION
RESIDENTS. LOT RENT UP ROUGHLY FORTY-FIVE
PERCENT OVER TEN YEARS. INSTITUTIONAL BUYERS
FROM ABOUT THIRTEEN PERCENT OF PURCHASES TO
ABOUT TWENTY-THREE PERCENT.
MEDIUM CONFIDENCE: HOW COMMON THE WORST
VERSION IS. THE DOUBLINGS MAKE THE NEWS
BECAUSE THEY ARE EXTREME. ANYBODY WHO TELLS
YOU THEY KNOW THAT SHARE PRECISELY IS SELLING
SOMETHING.
WHAT WOULD PROVE US WRONG: OPEN BOOKS
SHOWING THE INCREASES TRACKED ACTUAL COSTS
AND THE MONEY WENT BACK INTO THE PROPERTY.
THAT INVITATION IS OPEN AND IT DOES NOT EXPIRE.
FIELD MANUAL NO. 6 • FREE AT JOHNNYACTIONARMY.COM • PAGE 13 OF 14
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NO. 6 • THE GROUND UNDERNEATH YOU
MY MARCHING ORDERS
I FOUND MY PROSPECTUS — OR I ASKED FOR IT IN ☐
WRITING.
I WROTE THE DATE ON THE LETTER AND KEPT THE ☐
ENVELOPE.
I FOUND OUT WHETHER MY STATE GIVES ☐
RESIDENTS A RIGHT TO BUY.
I AUDITED EVERY FEE AGAINST THE PROSPECTUS.☐
I DID NOT SIGN ANYTHING ALONE.☐
I KNOCKED ON FOUR DOORS AND ASKED THE ☐
QUESTION.
I CALLED ONE PERSON WHO LIVES IN ONE OF THESE☐
COMMUNITIES AND ASKED WHAT HER LOT RENT IS.
I WENT TO SILENTSENIORSNOMORE.ORG.☐
SIGNED: ________________________________________
DATE: ____ / ____ / ____
DON’T BE ALONE WITH IT. THAT IS THE ONLY THING
THEY ARE COUNTING ON.
YOU OWN THE HOUSE. DON’T LET ANYBODY TELL YOU
THAT YOU DON’T HAVE ANY GROUND TO STAND ON.
JOIN THE JOHNNY ACTION ARMY — JOHNNYACTIONARMY.COM
LISTENER LINE 855-88ACTION (855-882-2846)
ACTION ARMY • PO BOX 3492, PALM BEACH, FL 33480
THIS MANUAL IS GENERAL INFORMATION FOR ACTION ARMY MEMBERS AND IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE. RULES
DIFFER STATE TO STATE. A JOHNNY ACTION PRODUCTION, POINT LOMA, CALIFORNIA.
FIELD MANUAL NO. 6 • FREE AT JOHNNYACTIONARMY.COM • PAGE 14 OF 14
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