Spreading Oaks Village

Pros

• Spreading Oaks Village is described as the best maintained mobile home community in Athens County.
• Spreading Oaks Village is very clean and quiet.
• The park is nice, clean, and well organized with good street lighting.
• The community feels safe, with background checks and most issues fixed very fast.
• Paul is seen as a manager who fosters respect among neighbors.
• There is no other trailer park in or around Athens the reviewer would rather live in than Spreading Oaks Village.
• The park is well-kept and offers nice driveways and sidewalks for new residents.

Cons

• The place is described as cruel, with a policy that would declaw cats or glue caps on, which is deemed inhumane.
• The park owners are constantly rude and condescending toward residents; specific staff (Paul and Midge) are cited as rude.
• The management is characterized as horrible and very rude, with roads torn up and overall poor management.
• Lot rent has risen about 70% over the years, with frequent increases and alleged misrepresentation about how often they go up.
• The management is accused of using residents' electricity without permission and dismissing concerns about investments as cheaply made.
• Drainage problems are said to damage yards, and management is perceived as having little concern or remedy.
• Security is lacking: multiple break-ins occurred, residents are not allowed to install outside surveillance cameras, and the management does not provide security.
• The community is not considered the safest, despite some positive upkeep notes.

Review

Spreading Oaks Village and the surrounding mobile home community scene in Athens County sits at an odd crossroads of pride in well-kept grounds and frustration with management that some residents describe as harsh, condescending, or even punitive. A number of reviews begin with a note that, on the phone or in person, certain people at the park can be very pleasant, while policies and day-to-day management feel grindingly inflexible. One caller recounted a surprisingly kind initial interaction, only to be confronted later with a policy that allegedly requires cats to be declawed or have caps glued on - an approach that the reviewer found inhumane and deeply disheartening, especially coming from a place that otherwise presents itself as friendly.

Several residents paint a picture of consistently difficult, even hostile, dealings with the park owners. The recurring names in these accounts are Paul and Midge, who are described as rude, condescending, or unhelpful when issues arise. One reviewer singled out Paul for rudeness when asked to fix a trailer; another noted that Midge never had a kind word to offer about anything. The sentiment across these statements is that the trailers and the grounds may be attractive, but the management - perceived as cold, abrupt, or dismissive - dashes any lasting sense of warmth. A sentiment repeated by many is that, while the physical aspect of the community can be nice, the management style consistently lowers the overall experience.

Financial strain is another major thread. Rent and lot rent are at the center of several complaints, with one account claiming the price has risen by roughly 70 percent over more than a decade. The same reviewer recalls being warned by the office manager about upcoming increases, and notes that, according to the person's recollection, increases aren't typically small, and in a 13-year span, only one month did not see a rise. Compounding the frustration is the accusation that residents are charged for electric use without consent, a claim the author promises proof for and uses to bolster the broader claim that management prioritizes profit over resident concerns. The tone here is accusatory and repeatedly insists that, in this community, rising costs are a chronic, accepted condition rather than an exceptional occurrence.

Security and safety concerns enter the conversation as well. Several reviewers point to break-ins into vehicles and homes, and to a broader worry that the ownership or management group does not provide adequate surveillance or security measures for the community. The critique goes beyond personal inconvenience to suggest that the property owners or managers should bear financial responsibility for losses caused by crime due to perceived neglect of security infrastructure. Yet there are counterpoints within the same chorus: some reviewers call the park clean, quiet, and well lit, implying that a good balance can exist between a tidy environment and better protection.

Amid the mix of sharp criticism, other voices highlight undeniably positive traits. The roads and streets are described as well maintained, and the mobile homes themselves are frequently portrayed as clean, orderly, and well groomed. Street lighting and general upkeep are cited as strengths, contributing to a sense of safety and pride in the community's appearance. Several reviews expressly note the park's overall neatness and the willingness of neighbors to support one another, and they emphasize a culture of respect and care that helps offset the more contentious aspects of management.

There is also a pronounced sense that the experience at Spreading Oaks Village is heavily dependent on how one interacts with the management team and how one frames their expectations. For some residents, the structure and rules create a sense of safety and community; they recount background checks, reliable maintenance responses, and a general feeling that people do look out for one another. For others, the same rules feel overbearing, and the management's responses to concerns feel dismissive or punitive. One resident even contrasts this park with others, suggesting that while Spreading Oaks may be sturdy and well-kept, it is not the safest environment, and that connections to local authorities or security measures could be more robust.

In the end, the picture that emerges is of a community that can be attractive on the surface - clean, organized, with solid infrastructure and supportive neighbors - yet living under a management dynamic that many residents find problematic or hostile. Some experiences are clearly positive: the park can feel organized, safe, and welcoming, with neighbors who rally to help one another and a management team that is responsive in some cases. Other experiences are deeply negative: escalating rents, disputes over policy, accusations of improper use of utilities, and a sense that the people in charge are more concerned with appearances and budgets than with listening to residents' concerns or ensuring fair, humane treatment. For anyone considering life at this park, the throughline is clear: you're likely to find some of the best-kept grounds and friendliest neighbors you could hope for, but you should also be prepared for interactions with management that may range from curt to confrontational, and for discussions about price and policy that can feel exasperatingly ongoing.

Transportation

• U-Haul Neighborhood Dealer (0.6 miles)
• The Athens Wine Company (4.6 miles)
• Athens Go To Cab (5 miles)
• Gordon K Bush Ohio University Airport and Academic Center (6.1 miles)

Places of Worship

• United Pentecostal Church (1 miles)
• Abundant Life Church (2.2 miles)
• Christ Community Wesleyan Church (2.9 miles)
• Church of Christ (4 miles)
• True Church Of The Lord Jesus (4.5 miles)
• Parish Church (4.5 miles)
• First United Methodist Church (4.5 miles)

Pharmacies

• Fruth Pharmacy (1.9 miles)
• Good Neighbor Pharmacy (3.9 miles)
• RXQ Compounding (3.9 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.4 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (5.7 miles)
• Supervalu (6.3 miles)
• Rite Aid (6.5 miles)

Physicians

• Karr Audiology & Hearing Aids (3.5 miles)
• University Medical Associates Internal Medicine (3.8 miles)
• Va Athens Clinic (3.8 miles)
• Albany Family Medicine (3.8 miles)
• Va Cboc (3.8 miles)
• Joint Implant Surgeons (3.9 miles)
• Quinn Foster & Associates Od (3.9 miles)

Restaurants

• Dynasty Restaurant (3.5 miles)
• McDonald's (3.7 miles)
• Taco John's (3.7 miles)
• Cutler's Restaurant (3.7 miles)
• Wendy's (3.7 miles)
• Subway (3.8 miles)
• Larry's Dawghouse (3.9 miles)

Cafes

• Catalyst Cafe (3.8 miles)
• The Front Room Coffeehouse (4.3 miles)
• Court Street Coffee (4.4 miles)
• Starbucks (4.4 miles)
• Whit's Frozen Custard (4.4 miles)
• Donkey Coffee & Espresso (4.4 miles)
• Camel Hookah (4.5 miles)

Hospitals

• Appalachian Behavioral Healthcare (3.8 miles)
• Sheltering Arms Hospital (4.5 miles)

Parks

• West State Street Dog Park (4 miles)
• Emeriti Park (4.2 miles)
• Athens Downtown Historic District (4.5 miles)
• Johnny Appleseed Park (4.5 miles)
• Armory Park (4.7 miles)
• Sells Park (6.2 miles)