Facts on mobile homes

In her recent letter, Amelia Odeen stated that manufactured housing community homeowners cannot move their homes. According to the state Department of Commerce, 56 percent of owners relocate their homes when a community closes. A quick search of the Internet revealed 10 companies that move mobile homes on a regular basis and would hardly agree that homes cannot be moved.

Odeen goes on to state that the home is “… their biggest asset and [they] probably will never be homeowners again.” Two more wholly unsubstantiated assumptions casually presented to readers as reality.

We are each entitled to our own opinions, but not our own facts.

Community homeowners chose to lease rather than buy property. Through a zoning freeze, Amelia would have the city pass the landowner’s property value, earned though years of payments, to the homeowners.

Despite never buying property, and having no mortgage, now Amelia would like the benefits of owning the land given to her, while stripping the legal owner of his/her property rights.

Why must the community owner bear the burden alone? If society determines subsidized affordable housing is good public policy – and it is – shouldn’t the burden be shared by all?

Ken Spencer

Bellevue, Wash.