Boulder updates manufactured-housing strategy, secures state rehab funds and continues owner outreach

City of Boulder staff told the City Council on July 24 that the city’s multi-year Manufactured Housing Strategy remains active, that the city recently won state funding for rehabilitation and replacement of manufactured homes, and that private park owners are not currently willing to enter rent‑stabilization agreements.

The update, presented by Kirk Fernhaver, director of Housing and Human Services, and a housing staff member identified in the meeting transcript as Molly, summarized work since the strategy’s 2019 adoption and a 2022 update. Molly said the city has coordinated across departments and with nonprofits to preserve park homes and support residents, and that “the strategy is in place. It is a living document,” with continued community engagement and periodic owner check‑ins.

Why it matters: Manufactured‑home parks supply a sizable share of Boulder’s lower‑cost housing and house many long‑term residents, seniors and people on fixed incomes. City staff said nearly three‑quarters of park residents responding to a survey reported annual incomes under $40,000 and that a large share of units are several decades old; staff framed the strategy as preservation‑focused rather than one that expects new parks to be built inside the city.

Staff review and findings City staff described five parks inside the city — Ponderosa, Boulder Meadows, Mapleton, Orchard Grove and Vista Village — and mentioned additional parks just outside city limits. Staff said Ponderosa is city‑owned (purchased in 2017) and Mapleton is held by the community land trust Thistle. Molly told council that “75% of our residents identified…incomes below $40,000 a year” and that many residents are seniors or rely on Social Security or disability benefits.

Molly and Fernhaver reviewed state regulatory context and recent Colorado legislation affecting parks. They cited a recently passed state bill (identified in the presentation as HB 22 12 87) that expanded resident complaint and legal support mechanisms and other laws improving notice, language access for residents, water system testing, and protections for the right to buy and sell homes and parks. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has tested park water systems, and staff said city‑served parks “came in just fine” on those tests.

Funding and programs Molly reported that the city and partners have deployed multiple funding streams in recent years, including CDBG disaster relief after the 2013 floods, home‑repair grants, and other one‑time grants. She said $3,120,000 has been spent on manufactured‑housing grants in recent years (staff noted a typo on an earlier slide and corrected the figure during the presentation). She also announced that Boulder had been awarded $2,840,000 from Proposition 123 funds to stand up a “Boulder rehab and replacement” program that can be used to rehabilitate existing manufactured homes and to replace them when necessary.

Staff described ongoing services: community engagement and navigator programs that provide outreach and small stipends to connectors in the parks, up to $3,000 annually per park for community building, code‑enforcement support to help homes obtain certificates of habitability needed to sell, eviction‑prevention services, and coordination with nonprofit partners for tenant assistance.

Owner outreach and rent stabilization Staff said housing staff and utilities staff met with private park owners between February and May to explore partnership opportunities, including whether owners would voluntarily adopt rent‑stabilization measures. Molly said owners “were very gracious” and shared maintenance plans and utility mapping but declined to pursue rent stabilization or rent‑abatement programs themselves. Staff said owners noted they accept housing vouchers and partner with nonprofits to help residents in need.

Council questions and next steps Council members asked about outreach materials (Molly said a manufactured‑housing resident handbook exists and is being updated for accessibility), equity analysis (staff said the strategy predates the council’s equity tool and that an equity check‑in would be appropriate), community gardens and micro‑gardening (staff said some parks have shared beds funded with city grants), and the possibility of annexing adjacent parks (staff noted annexation is initiated by the landowner and that some parks lie outside the city’s annexation area).

Staff said one outstanding action is continued state advocacy; they plan to press for legislation that could create additional resident protections or rent‑stabilization authority in future sessions. Molly said an annual owner check‑in is planned, and staff will continue to pursue funding and the strategy’s remaining action items.

City staff and community partners emphasized preservation and services rather than new park development. “We are all walking together,” Fernhaver said, summarizing the multi‑departmental approach to manufactured housing in Boulder.