The owners of the Hillcrest Estates manufactured home community in Portsmouth, NH received unanimous approval from the Portsmouth Planning Board for conditional use permits to upgrade the community, much to the delight of some 50 residents who stood and applauded the vote, reports seacoastonline. First developed in the 1960s, attorney Bernie Pelech, representing the owners, said most of the manufactured homes (MH) are in a wetland buffer, which did not exist at the beginning, but which require the community owner to obtain a permit whenever an MH is replaced.

New owners took over the community two years ago, in which there are 210 to 215 homes, almost all residents in their 50s to 60s, and are in the process of upgrading it. “It has become virtually an age restricted housing development,” Pelech said. “It has also become an affordable housing development.”

As the community owners intend to replace 80 of the existing units with new homes over the next 10 to 20 years, they have submitted a new site plan to seek a long-term agreement so they will not have return each time they seek to replace older manufactured homes.

Residents are pleased, MHProNews has learned. Kim Lindstrom said, “It’s a great great community to live in and there’s been so many improvements,” she said. Chimed in Ron Cypher, a resident nearly 18 years: “The first 16 years were pure hell. I’m proud to live there now,” he said. “I’m proud for my family to come and visit and see the improvements that have been made.” ##

(Photo credit: salemmanufacturedhomes-Hillcrest Estates, Portsmouth, New Hampshire)

Article submitted by Matthew J. Silver to Daily Business News-MHProNews.