Prospective buyer pitches plan to preserve affordability at Forest View Park

Christine Prucher, representing residents of Forest View Park, opened public comment by asking the council to consider an alternative to closing the community and introduced Dr. Kenneth Van Williams, a social-impact investor who said he wishes to purchase the park.

"He is a social impact investor who wishes to purchase Forest View Park," Prucher said, noting residents organized and had submitted a packet of testimony to the council. She said many residents have longstanding ties to the community.

Dr. Kenneth Van Williams, who identified himself as managing founder of Proactive Realty Group and Proactive Sustainable Bonds, described his group's work turning around troubled manufactured-home communities and said his approach is focused on keeping housing affordable and improving infrastructure. "Our mandate is that we're 20 to 30% below most market rents," Williams said, adding that his firm will install new, energy-efficient homes, improve lighting and remove dilapidated units.

Williams said Proactive has purchased the Blue Island property and maintains a local office, and that his approach is to stabilize communities rather than flip them. "We take blighted properties ... and we bring them back to life, for affordability," he said.

Pete Silverman, identified in the transcript as the seller's attorney and joining on Zoom, said the owners have been cooperating with the city and that the proposed purchase appears "very promising and viable and preferable to closing down the park," but that the owners will follow the directives of the city.

City officials clarified that no formal city action on the sale can proceed until the property owner files an intent to sell. An administrator told the council that the owner's filing is the step that triggers zoning, building, health, fire and environmental review and that "that process starts with the owner with the buyer and the seller beginning their processes with the city." The administrator said those processes would give the council more information once they begin.

No vote or formal council action on the Forest View Park proposal was recorded during the meeting; the matter remains at the stage where the owner must initiate the city's sale/transfer review process.

Next steps: the transcript indicates the city expects the owner and prospective buyer to file the required intent to sell so that staff reviews and council oversight can follow.