Close to 22,000 San Antonio residents live in the city's 88 remaining mobile home communities, which are vanishing at an alarming rate, putting thousands of people with few other viable housing alternatives at risk of displacement. At least nine parks have shuttered since 2014.
Mobile home communities provide affordable housing for low-income, marginalized individuals. The median income of mobile home occupants is about half that of residents in detached single-family homes.
City code requirements, deteriorating conditions and rezoning are some of the forces driving closures. Largely located within the urban core, these parks are in prime locations for redevelopment. A combination of environmental threats and substandard living conditions can be especially problematic.
What can be done to ensure safe, stable and affordable housing options for vulnerable populations in San Antonio? How are mobile and manufactured homes being factored into a comprehensive housing policy?
What steps can the City take to preserve mobile home parks and prevent future displacement? What is being done to aid residents who have already been displaced?
Guests:
- Heather Way, clinical professor in the School of Law at The University of Texas at Austin and co-author of the report, "Endangered: San Antonio’s Vanishing Mobile Home Parks and a Path for Preservation"
- Lizbeth Parra Davila, housing justice fellow at UT Austin's School of Law and report co-author
- Veronica Soto, director of the City of San Antonio's Department of Neighborhood and Housing Services
- Sasha Hauswald, director of state and local policy for Grounded Solutions
"The Source" is a live call-in program airing Mondays through Thursdays from 12-1 p.m. Leave a message before the program at (210) 615-8982. During the live show, call 210-614-8980, email thesource@tpr.org or tweet @TPRSource.
*This interview was recorded on Monday, February 24.
