OLYMPIA — Snohomish County mobile home park residents appealed to state legislators Monday, Jan. 29, for help in preserving their communities from the perpetual threat of closure.
“We need a stronger commitment to provide affordable housing to our senior citizens. That doesn’t seem to exist,” said Russell Carter a resident at Mariner’s Village Mobile Home Park south of Everett.
Carter was one of nearly 80 people packed into a hearing room where lawmakers wrestled with the spread of park closures that are forcing hundreds of seniors to either move or demolish their mobile homes.
Statewide 36 parks, with 1,342 households, will close between 2006 and 2008. Ten of those parks are in Snohomish County.
The Housing Committee for the House of Representatives considered House Bill 1621, which would compel park owners to give tenants, as well as qualified nonprofits and government agencies, first chance to buy a mobile home park before it lands on the open market. Sponsors of HB 1621 include Democratic Reps Brian Sullivan, of Mukilteo, and Al O’Brien, of Mountlake Terrace. Sen. John Lovick, D-Mill Creek, is also signed on to the bill.
As expected, park owners opposed the legislation.
Attorney John Woodring of the Manufactured Housing Communities of Washington said restricting private property rights is a violation of the state constitution.
“We ask you to reject this legislation on constitutional grounds,” he said.
Kylin Parks, president of SOS Homes, a group of mobile homeowner associations in Snohomish County, said the bill forces landlords to be upfront about their plans.
“We don’t want to take any property rights away,” she said. “We just want a chance to save our homes.”
Jerry Cornfield is a reporter for The Herald in Everett.
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