DATE: December 17, 2019
TO: Members of the Housing & Redevelopment Authority
FROM: Janine Atchison, Housing Coordinator
Title
Florella's Manufactured Home Park Abandoned Coach Removal
Body
SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUESTED:
The Housing & Redevelopment Authority (HRA) to consider funding abandon coach removal at Florella's Mobile Home Park thereby removing blight and thereby assisting with affordable housing options in the community as prioritized in the City of Northfield Strategic Plan.
BACKGROUND:
Florella's Manufactured Home (MH) Park is zoned for 43 Manufactured home at this time. There are 16 vacant lots, 13 MH homeowner occupied, 8 abandoned MH(s) and 5 MH rentals.
Florella's Manufactured Home Park was purchased by Riverside Northfield LLC in July, 2019. The new owners, Colin & Mark Zweber, plan to make needed repairs and updates to maintain the manufactured home park for continued use as affordable housing.
Working together with park residents, the Zweber's have completed the initial clean-up of the park and have made expensive repairs to cure the leaking water system. The next phase of their plans for the park is to remove the abandoned coaches on the property. Other plans for improvements include updating electrical service, water and sewer systems.
Mr. Zweber is requesting assistance from the HRA to cover the cost to remove abandoned, unlivable coaches from the property. Utilizing CDBG funds, the HRA removed 8 abandoned coaches from the property between 2013 & 2015 at an average cost of approximately $8,000 per coach. The HRA had planned to remove an additional 5 coaches, utilizing HRA reserve funds, in 2015. However, due to lack of cooperation from the previous park owners, the HRA cancelled the project. The cost of coach removal in 2013 - 2015 averaged about $8,000 per coach.
Mr. Zweber has identified 13 coaches that should be demolished. He plans to have 8 removed this winter and another 5 removed in the summer of 2020. The...
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