Mobile home park residents outside Vancouver city limits worried

“(Mobile home parks) are a precious resource. They’re not being built anymore,” Callahan said. “And my view is we need to preserve them. Protect them.”

Owners of mobile homes in Vancouver’s 16 parks are not protected from the land beneath their homes being sold and used for another purpose, which would then require the homes to be moved or demolished.

Under Washington law, park owners who sell the land for development must provide at least $10,000 to $15,000 in moving assistance, depending on the home, or compensate homeowners facing demolition by paying 50 percent of assessed market value.

City staff are drafting an ordinance that would overlay a specific mobile home park zone on top of a park’s current zoning to preserve the parks. Bellingham, Seattle and Portland have versions of this overlay zone.

“It would make it less likely — not impossible, but less likely — for mobile home parks to be sold over time,” said Bryan Snodgrass, long range principal planner for the city.

City staff plan to meet with both residents and park owners, Snodgrass said.

Residents of Cascade Park Estates, 16500 S.E. First St., were disappointed to hear there is no plan for their park to be protected by an overlay zone.

Callahan said he’s talked to county staff about the idea, but the county has not moved forward with a similar plan to protect the mobile home parks. Clark County has about 20 such parks, even more parks than Vancouver, according to the mobile home listing site MH Village.

Residents of Cascade Park Estates said they plan to contact the Clark County Council for help.

The park is owned by Michael and Denise Werner, who have previously tried to convert a mobile home park in Ilwaco to short-term rentals. When issuing the notices, two of the Werners’ employees were visibly armed with firearms, at the direction of Michael Werner, according to a Washington Attorney General lawsuit filed against the Werners last year.

Cascade Park Estates residents fear the Werners could eventually sell their park for another use.

“They’re strictly investors,” 80-year-old resident Barbara Hilgert said.

The Werners did not provide a comment in time for the publication of this article.

Residents of Cascade Park Estates, who are all 55 and older, say not having an overlay zone makes them feel vulnerable. Many of their homes can’t be moved if the park is sold to developers, they said.

“One can’t assume they won’t sell if they have the chance to make millions,” Easley said. “That property where we’re at is probably quite expensive.”

The park was sold in 2015 for $11.5 million, according to county property records.

Snodgrass said the city’s effort to create the overlay zone may serve as an example to Clark County, but he encouraged residents to reach out to county staff if they’re concerned.

“It takes more than just an example,” he said. “It’ll take a nudge.”