This article from Sol del Valle has been translated for English readers.
On Saturday, Sept. 27, the Colorado Democratic Latino Caucus stopped by Glenwood Springs to meet with the Sopris Mountain Collective, a cooperative formed by Cavern Springs Mobile Home Park residents. The stop was part of the Caucus’ “Western Swing Listening Tour,” a biennial effort to connect legislators with communities across the four corners of Colorado.
Five legislators — Representatives Elizabeth Velasco, Javier Mabrey, Julie Gonzales, Matt Martinez and Alex Valdez — joined residents for the meeting. “I think it was a good meeting, and the fact that they came specifically to listen to us means a lot to me,” Judith Alvarez, president of the Summit Mountain Collective and a resident at Cavern Springs, reflected.
The discussion mainly centered on the collective’s effort to raise $26 million to purchase their park from its Maryland-based owner. The owner already reached a purchase agreement with an unnamed buyer for the same amount, however, the collective filed a complaint with Colorado’s Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) alleging a discrepancy between the listed and final sale prices, thus pausing the purchase. If DOLA requires a new notice of sale, residents would have another 120 days to raise funds and match the offer, though the owner is not required to accept it.
Securing that level of funding is proving difficult. Typically, resident-led purchases rely on a mix of local governments, state and federal subsidies and nonprofit partners like Thistle ROC, which helped facilitate the purchase of Aspen-Basalt and Mountain Valley mobile home parks for $42 million, as well as the 40-unit Mountain Mobile Home Park in Glenwood Springs for $4.5 million in August. But for the Sopris Mountain Collective, the timeline and price tag make the ask more difficult.
“We want to keep fighting as long as we can,” Alvarez told Sol del Valle. “But yes, people say, ‘You don’t have time. How can we help you?’”
This is why the collective invited the Colorado Latino Caucus — to explore options with legislators, leverage their influence and explore potential solutions at the state level.
Residents shared what life has been like under the park’s current ownership. They described rising rents, poor water quality, limited amenities and increasing fines and restrictions. Still, they emphasized their love for their home. The park’s location keeps them close to work and schools. What they want is to stay, to have a voice in their futures and see investments in their community.
But stakes go beyond the park. If these 98 homes face evictions, Glenwood Springs will lose working families and their children.
“I don’t think most of the community outside of this mobile home park has yet wrestled with the reality of the tremendous economic impact that this will have on everything else,” said school board representative Jasmin Ramirez.
For residents, ownership is about more than money. Owning the park would prove to them that collective action can create change. “The intention is that instead of people getting rich, we can invest what we earn to improve the park,” said Alvarez.
Legislators came away with a sense of urgency and better understanding of what needs to be done at the state level in regard to affordable housing. Asked point-blank what they could do to help the collective in the short term, the legislators brought up Colorado’s budget woes and a disagreeable governor as immediate barriers.
“We want to make sure that residents actually have a chance to be able to raise the funds, apply for loans, get everything they need to make an offer,” Representative Velasco said. “And they’re not getting a discount. They have to match an existing offer, so it’s important that this process is actually streamlined.”
“When we talk about development of affordable housing, we should also equally be concerned with preservation of existing affordable housing,” added Representative Mabrey. “Andy Boesenecker led the way on rent stabilization for mobile home parks. That failed a couple of years ago, and I would like to pick up that fight again with a new governor.”
Even if the collective secures the funds, their journey won’t end there. “A 30-year marathon begins,” said Alvarez, referring to the potential loan model.
The purchase would also put the costs of fixing their drinking water and adding amenities on the cooperative. But for these neighbors, the investment is worth it, and the least of their worries.
“That’s going to cost a lot of money. But if we can buy it for $26 million, then we can fix it,” said Alvarez.
For now, the Sopris Mountain Collective has a renewed sense of hope and clarity about their situation, having had an audience of legislators in their backyards.
“Truly, a kind of power is being created where they have a voice, they can use it, whether or not they are citizens,” said Alvarez. “They are residents of Colorado. They pay taxes. They may not be able to vote on some things, but they can speak with their representatives, and those representatives are their voice.”