The Fight for Affordable Housing in Durango’s Mobile Home Parks
In the heart of Durango, Colorado, a small community has banded together to preserve an affordable housing option that millions of Americans rely on. Mobile home parks, while providing essential low-cost housing, face the threat of becoming unaffordable due to land sales. Durango’s residents, however, have discovered a way to safeguard their homes.
On a typical Saturday morning, Veronica, who is undocumented and therefore only identified by her first name, lounges with her family in their modest mobile home. Despite its small size, Veronica describes it as a place full of love, peace, and calm. She and her husband have spent years making improvements to the home, including painting and adding a room for their children. However, in 2022, the land their home sits on was put up for sale, attracting a $5.5 million cash offer from a corporation known for predatory practices.
According to Meagan Ehlenz, an associate professor of planning at Arizona State University, “For manufactured housing communities, one of the biggest challenges that they face is instability.” She highlights that evictions, displacement, and rent hikes frequently occur when private investors acquire such properties.
Determined not to lose their homes, the residents of this mobile home park began raising funds to counter the corporation’s bid. Their efforts included selling tamales and organizing rallies. Support poured in from local businesses and elected officials in the town of 20,000 people. Stefka Fanchi from the nonprofit Elevation Community Land Trust described the diverse group of supporters as being on the same page, despite their varied backgrounds.
Fanchi and the residents worked tirelessly to secure public subsidies and significant loans from banks, local governments, and foundations. They faced a tight deadline, with their initial offer being rejected just four days before it was due.
Ultimately, the Durango community rallied together, recognizing that “the fate of these people is intertwined with our – the fate of my family,” as Fanchi put it. Thanks to public fundraisers, the land trust was able to acquire the land, becoming the new landlord. As a nonprofit, the trust manages the property for the residents’ benefit, offering long-term leases and limiting the profit residents can make if they sell their trailers, ensuring the park remains affordable.
With this new arrangement, Veronica expresses immense relief that her family can continue living in their home. Nationally, only about a thousand mobile home parks are owned communally by residents, requiring ongoing financial support for maintenance and management. However, for Veronica’s family, this victory is enough to secure their future.
This article was originally written by www.npr.org
