The California Department of Housing and Community Development awarded the city of Calistoga, California $46,073 to conduct a study of the long-term viability of manufactured housing communities (MHCs) as an affordable housing option. Three of the MHCs in Calistoga, with 556 homesites, are an important segment of the local affordable housing supply, but as their site rents increase, they are becoming less affordable. After interviewing residents of the communities, MHProNews has learned the Vernazza Wolfe Associates report concludes a rent subsidy program needs to be established to help residents who cannot afford their rents; cooperation and communication needs to be improved between the residents and the community owners; the housing stock, especially for seniors, needs to be increased either through rehabilitation or new development; since 30 percent of the homes have at last one veteran living there, a veteran’s organization should be contacted to increase the availability of rental housing for vets; and investigate possibilities for residents to purchase their own community as a co-op. For a copy of the study, contact Rick Robinson at the Manufactured Housing Institute—rrobinson@mfghome.org ##

(Photo credit: Arnaldo Abba/psmag.com-Pismo Dunes–senior MHC in California)