IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) - The City of Iowa City will vote Tuesday on a resolution that would give assistance funds for every household residing in Forest View Mobile Home Park to relocate.

In 2019, the City Council approved an ordinance that would redevelop approximately 73 acres in the Forest View area and require Forest View Mobile Home Park residents to relocate. A condition of this ordinance would be that the development team would provide relocation assistance to the residents.

After setbacks from the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, construction on the redevelopment project had not commenced, and in the last several months, it has been communicated to the City that the project will not proceed as planned.

With resources not being spent on upkeep for the park, and the redevelopment plan now falling through, the condition of the housing park and individual housing units within it have deteriorated in recent years.

The property owner is not reinvesting into the common areas, and with the lack of investment over the coming months, the manufactured housing park will eventually be no longer sustainable to live in. Barring a change in action, it is also likely that the park’s private infrastructure and common areas will continue to rapidly deteriorate and eventually get to the point where there is no other option than to close the manufactured housing park.

If this path continues residents will be left with no support resources and will face sudden and unplanned displacement.

The City’s resolution would give $15,750 in relocation assistance for every household residing in Forest View Mobile Home Park from June 4th, 2019 to present day. The funds could be used on moving expenses, down payments, security deposits, rent, or other relocation-related expenses.

You can read a full memo on the resolution in question here:

Fv Relocation Memo Final Draft by A.W. Carros on Scribd

Copyright 2022 KCRG. All rights reserved.