County Supervisors respond to seniors public comment today

County Supervisors Virginia Bass and Mark Lovelace responded to the post below. I spoke with 4th District Supervisor Virginia Bass just moments ago and she wanted to clarify that the funding for the Danco project is from the City of Eureka and not the County of Humboldt. 

Supervisor Lovelace responded via email: "Hi, John.  I was very interested in the many comments we heard today regarding increasing rents in mobile home parks.  As noted by the speakers, there are over 6,000 mobile homes in Humboldt County which comprise a significant percentage of our affordable housing inventory, particularly for seniors and others on fixed incomes.  Mobile homes provide a low cost of entry into home ownership but there is a near-zero vacancy rate in mobile home parks, so when the park rent goes up, mobile home owners have few options of where to turn.  The speakers explained how recent purchases of some of our local mobile home parks by outside owners has led to significant rent increases, causing some residents to have to spend 75% or more of their monthly income on rent, which leaves little available for food and other basic needs.

This issue was not on our agenda, so we were not able to discuss it or take any action today.  I’m hopeful that we may have a discussion at a future date to determine what options are available to us to help with this situation."

County recently gave Danco $5 million dollars for the Downtowner yet we have been priced out

About 60 seniors showed up with balloons, "Save Our Seniors", in a protest organized by Hilary Moser. The photo above only captures a handful of seniors who will speak in a few minutes during public comment and tell the County exactly what they think.

So today's public comment will not be short. I spoke to two seniors before the Board of Supervisor's afternoon session. Corrine Soyster said, "The County recently gave Danco $5 million dollars to renovate the Downtowner. Yet, we have been priced out It is time the County stop subsidizing out of County interests."

The seniors are from the Lazy J Ranch and are seeking rent stabilization for mobile home parks, said Judy Mackee.


Judy Mackee said that seniors end up at mobile homes as a last resort, many are on SSI and disability. "There will come a point where we can't afford rent and there will be no where for us to go."