It’s been a tough year for residents of mobile home communities. In May alone, residents of Lesley’s Mobile Home Park in Riverdale, Utah, were forced to leave after their land was sold for the construction of apartments and townhouses. In Phoenix, Arizona, dozens more had to leave their community after Grand Canyon University purchased their park for student housing.
The stakes are high for 20 million Americans who live in more than 43,000 mobile home parks. And it’s not just the loss of whole parks, say residents. It’s also the purchase of former mom-and-pop operations by large corporations that increase rents and fees, while delivering less maintenance and upkeep. With few options for other affordable housing, they say they’re trapped in a no-win situation.
Host Robin Young talks to Holly Hook, a member of the MHAction advocacy group who lives in a mobile home park in Michigan, and advocate and Montana mobile home resident Cindy Newman.
Read Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte’s statements on mobile home legislation vetoes here.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
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