Werners To Pay nearly $1 Million

Washington Attorney General announced Dec. 15th that a Grays Harbor County Superior Court judge ordered Michael and Denise Werner and their companies to pay $926,500 in penalties for unlawfully issuing eviction and utility shut-off notices, plus the Attorney General’s Office’s costs and fees.

The AG’s office filed the motion for partial summary judgment as part of their consumer protection lawsuit against Michael and Denise Werner and their companies, including Deer Point Meadows Investments. The case involves the Beacon Charters and RV Park in Ilwaco, WA.

In written communication, Denise Werner described the Beacon residents as “filth.” Michael Werner stated he is not concerned about the Beacon residents’ rights and that he does not believe the law applies to him.

On Thursday, Judge Katherine Svoboda ordered the Werners and their companies to pay $381,500 in civil penalties, plus $545,000 in enhanced penalties because their unlawful notices impacted protected classes including the elderly, disabled, veterans and low-income individuals. Judge Svoboda also ordered the Werners to pay the Attorney General’s costs and fees. That amount will be determined at a later date.

This ruling just partially resolves the case. The lawsuit is ongoing regarding the Werners’ violations of the Manufactured Housing Landlord Tenant Act. “The magnitude of this penalty reflects the Werners’ egregious abuse,” AG Ferguson said.

Earlier this year, an Administrative Law Judge affirmed the administrative violations issued against Beacon RV Park brought in administrative court. In that case, the judge affirmed 16 violations of the MHLTA after a six-day hearing. The violations included findings that the Werners acted in bad faith and retaliated against the tenants for filing complaints with the Attorney General’s Office. A Clark County Superior Court granted Ferguson’s petition to enforce the order on October 4, 2023. The administrative ruling is currently under appeal in Division II Court of Appeals.

The Werners are based in Vancouver, Wash., and own and operate dozens of mobile home and RV parks across the state. More than 4,000 people live in those parks.