Mobile home zoning needed

Imagine you own your home, but rent the land under it. Now imagine that you’ve been given notice that the land under your home is being redeveloped and you have 12 months to find some other place to live. For nearly 1,100 households in Spokane Valley this is a reality. Manufactured homeowners who have invested thousands of dollars in their homes, who have lived in the same community for years, have only one year security of tenure. When a mobile home park closes most homeowners are not able to move their homes. They lose their biggest asset and probably will never be homeowners again.

To prevent this devastation, manufactured homeowners asked the City Council to add a “mobile home park” zone ordinance to the Comprehensive Plan. Such a zone would add a layer of security for homeowners while protecting the park owners’ profitable businesses. The zone would also preserve existing housing while continuing to provide affordable housing options for all economic sectors in Spokane Valley.

The 9th Circuit ruled Oct. 29 that such a zoning ordinance is constitutional and upheld the city of Tumwater’s mobile home park zoning ordinance. It is time now for the Valley to enact one, too.

Amelia Odeen

Spokane Valley