The Buena Vista Mobile Home Park in Palo Alto, California, currently home to 104 factory-built homes, and recognized in the city’s comprehensive plan as one of the largest sources of low-income housing, may be sold for over $30 million if owners Toufic and Eva Jisser’s plan is approved by the city. The Buena Vista Residents Association, with the help of state and local programs, offered to pay $14.5 million for the community but the Jissers denied the offer, preferring to pay homeowners $11,000 each in relocation expenses, $21,000 if their home could not be moved. The community is largely low-income Latino, and the main reason for not wanting to move is that Palo Alto Schools rank sixth out of 1,000 California school districts. According to its Regional Housing Needs Assessment, Palo Alto is obligated for 1,200 affordable housing units by 2014, and currently only has 200, and would lose more if Buena Vista is converted. Housing costs in Palo Alto equate to roughly four times that of living in Buena Vista. As psmag.com informs MHProNews, the Jisser’s lawyer says her clients have a constitutional right to sell their property. The city has 30 days to make a decision.

(Photo credit: nbcsandiego–manufactured housing community)