The mayor and city council of Midvale, Utah, just south of Salt Lake City, sent a letter to ICO Multifamily Holdings LLC, owner of Applewood Park manufactured housing community (MHC), asking that Applewood not be closed to make way for an apartment complex. Most of the residents of the 56 homes at Applewood are seniors on fixed incomes who cannot afford to move their homes. Recent increases in rent may force some residents to just walk away from their homes, says the Utah Coalition of Manufactured Homeowners, but Bolton Property Management owner Cory Tanner, who oversees the community, says rents are still 13 percent below market rates.

In response to the letter, he says ICO is not pushing anyone out, according to sltrib.com. “Whether this property remains a manufactured-home park or at some point becomes quality affordable housing of another form, we want it to be a great place to live,” the letter said. “We can assure you that if a change is contemplated, we will provide you at least a two-year advance notice.” At the time ICO bought the property in Dec. 2011 it alluded to a plan for a 186-unit apartment building on the 7.7 acre site, as MHProNews.com has learned. Mayor JoAnn Seghini says the property is zoned for high-density residential, suitable for ICO’s concept, although nor formal application has been submitted.

Residents recently formed a homeowners association and inquired about buying the property as a co-operative but were told the property is not for sale.##

(Photo credit: TriStar Estates)