Give mobile-home-park residents compensation

Re: “Thetis Lake mobile home residents face eviction,” March 4.

Sadly, this has been an ongoing saga, with many such homes being lost to development pressures. As land values and housing costs continue to rise, the investment in such residences becomes more precarious.

The Active Manufactured Home Owners Association has been lobbying provincial government to provide homeowners with financial protection in the event of development.

In May 2016, Harry Bains, NDP MLA for Surrey Newton, introduced a private member’s bill that would have provided park residents $30,000 in moving expenses in the event of sale for development.

If the homes cannot be moved, and many cannot due to age or add-ons, then the homeowner would be reimbursed fair market value. As expected, the bill did not get past first reading.

The Thetis Lake residents have been offered $10,000 in compensation by the park owner if the necessary rezoning and sale goes through.

View Royal Mayor David Screech says this is a “generous offer” in light of the fact that provincial legislation only requires one year’s site rental to be paid. However, it is of little comfort. Homes in some parks are now valued in the $250,000 range.

These residents pay taxes. They make improvements to their homes and pay maintenance and landscaping costs. With municipal and provincial politicians paying lip service to “affordable housing,” surely this last bastion of truly affordable housing is deserving of the financial protection that fair provincial legislation could provide.

Shirley Stirrett, vice-president Active Manufactured Home Owners Association