COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho — A small community in North Idaho has seen its rent prices drastically increase over the last year.
In response to rising rent prices, people living at the Oak Crest Mobile Home Park in Kootenai County have formed a housing coalition. The goal of the coalition is to provide resources for the more than 500 people that live in the park.
Manufactured homes are one of the most affordable living options. Many of the homes at Oak Crest Mobile Home Park are manufactured homes, which means people own their home but not the land it is on.
That’s why people expressed concern when the park was bought by Utah-based investment company Havenpark Communities in June of last year.
One resident says that the rise in rent has made her find another job to support herself.
Many other residents expressed their displeasure about the rising rent.
“I feel it’s pretty sad. Not because they’re coming from Utah or any other state, it’s that they’re here. And they’re doing this to the seniors, and this place has a lot of seniors here,” said Gail Hughes, an Oak Crest resident. “We all depend on our little bit of social security. I find I have to work part-time just to pay the bills.”
A spokesperson from the Northwest Cooperative Development Center says there are over 4,000 manufactured homes in Kootenai county.
Many of those homes are facing a similar situation as Oak Crest, as companies buy these neighborhoods and increase rent, resulting in more displacement.
“Housing matters and it’s our home. It’s where we gather together and make memories in our home. And I think we often forget how much that matters and we often forget about the most vulnerable populations,” said Victoria O’Banion, the marketing acquisition specialist for the Northwest Cooperative Development Center
One resident hopes that the raise in rent doesn’t force her out of the neighborhood.
“I’ve been in this place for over 21 years and if I had to move I would be screwed. Cause they’re not going to move [my mobile home], it’s way too old. Hopefully, it’s not going to come to that,” said Terri Buffa, an Oak Crest resident.
O’Banion says some residents plan on using the coalition as a goal to buy the park and make it a resident-owned community.
“That would be a good idea to be able to when you’re paying so much money, be able to own something,” said Brock Wery, who lives in Oak Crest Mobile Home Park. “There’s got to be some sort of mechanism in place where they don’t just kick us out.”
A resident-owned community is where members own their homes and a share of the land.
However, this can only happen if Havenpark Communities decides to sell.
The coalition is planning on a resource fair in November for owners of manufactured homes around the region.
Residents who live at Oak Crest Mobile Homes say rent prices are expected to increase again before the end of the year.
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