San Jose mobile home park will be preserved

about the park's future for two years, he said. Many have been unsure of whether to stay or make long-term investments in their homes amid the uncertainty.

“For the community as a whole, I think there will be a sense of relief,” said Canova. “They need a sense of relief.”

Canova is part of a small group seeking to drum up support for residents to buy the property and turn it into a cooperative. Nicholson said the family has not been contacted about the proposal.

The dispute between the owners and management became public in January 2020 when MHC sued the Nicholson Family Partnership and claimed the property owners wanted to evict residents by the end of the management contract. The family denied the charges, and the suit remains active.

State and city leaders have looked to preserve affordable housing in the Bay Area. The San Jose City Council in March 2020 passed additional protections for mobile home park residents, requiring additional public hearings and city approval for large redevelopments.

Two parks, Westwinds and Mountain Springs, were seen as especially vulnerable to being converted into new commercial or residential projects. The Nicholson family opposed San Jose's decision to restrict redevelopment on their property.

About 35,000 San Jose residents live in mobile home parks across the city.

The Nicholson family has owned the property for generations. It partnered with a mobile home park developer and operator in the 1970s and has leased the property for 50 years.

The family retains ownership of the land, but the community was developed and operated independently.

Nicholson said he hopes for a smooth transition to a new park operator. The company will abide by city rent control laws and assess the property for infrastructure needs.

“We've always said the residents are a key concern,” he said. “We don't want the residents to worry.”