San Jose, California has the most manufactured-home communities in the state, 58 communities with nearly 11,000 homesites, according to mercurynews.com, and the owners of some in this Silicon Valley area will likely be tempted to convert their property to high-density, high-end housing. Of the 150 people who live in the 111 manufactured homes of Winchester Ranch, 106 are above 60 years of age, some in their 80’s and 90’s, who pay $833 to $1,000 monthly in rent. Barbara Cali, who co-founded the community with her late husband in 1976, lives here as well, and would like to remain, but the business affairs have fallen to the next generation, the Cali-Arioto Corp., and the community is surrounded by soaring land values.

Developer PulteGroup is a likely suitor for the property, and while the city’s conversion ordinance from 1986 provides for fair compensation to homeowners, 38 percent of the residents are at or below the federal poverty level. MHProNews.com has learned single-bedroom apartments in San Jose on average rent for $1,825 a month. Leslye Corsiglia, director of the city’s housing department, says, “It’s a hard situation. This is private property, but the community also has to balance the need for lower-income housing opportunities. It’s a challenge because Silicon Valley is just drastically underhoused. That’s why our rents are so high and why we have such traffic problems. And it’s only going to get worse.” ##

(Photo credit: Karl Mondon/Bay Area Media Group–Winchester Ranch, San Jose, Calif.)