Hello,
I purchased a new mobile home in 2002 and had it set up in Countryside Mobile Home Park, where I currently reside. Our park is currently managed by Harmony Communities; I am unsure if they are also the owners. I have seen ownership and management change many times over the course of 21 years! Countryside MHP is the only low-income senior park in the City of Cotati. Harmony Communities is proposing among a multitude of things, to change this park from senior only to an all-age park. As most of the residents in the park are elderly, on fixed incomes, and have been here for many years, we feel if the owners succeed in changing the age limits in our park, we as seniors will have nowhere else to go in the city that maintains, preserves, and promotes non-subsidized affordable rental housing uniquely provided by mobile home parks. I would like to express my heartfelt concern and fear that the loss of senior-only occupancy would destabilize us socially and economically. Within our park, the owners have already removed one resident who is a retired military vet renting the only parkowned mobile home, and recently evicted another tenant. Currently there are plans to replace these units and install new larger 3- and 4-bedroom homes, to sell and accommodate families, and then raise the rent to fair market value ($1600/month?). I believe this is the beginning of park management increasing rents by excessive amounts in connection with the sale of mobile homes, thereby dramatically affecting the value of the mobile homes and depriving park residents of the equity in their mobile homes. I would like the City Council to consider implementing zoning amendments that would protect senior housing in mobile home parks and to impose a temporary prohibition on land use actions that would result in conversion of senior mobile home parks, ie, Senior Park Overlay. I will be out of town and unable to attend the Council Meeting on Tuesday, August 8th, but hopefully as many of my neighbors as possible will be in attendance. Many have mobility limitations that may prevent them from being present. I have great compassion for the long-term senior residents in Countryside, and truly hope we can live out our "golden years" with the peace of mind that we will not be driven out of our homes by profit-driven management/owners.
Thank you for your consideration,
Brenda G. Woods
Cotati, CA 94931
Public Comment