Harvey's tenants form super‑majority union; Oakwood agrees to drop lease "right of first refusal"

Harvey's Mobile Home Park residents on Tuesday announced the official launch of a super‑majority tenants union and said they have already won one concession from Oakwood Properties: the company agreed to remove a lease provision giving it first option to buy residents' homes.

"That's not right," resident Jackie told the crowd, describing what she said was a more than 70% increase in lot rent after Oakwood purchased the park. Organizers said they delivered a list of demands to Oakwood in bargaining, including reversing recent dramatic rent increases, capping future increases at no more than 3% tied to cost‑of‑living adjustments, and removing the company's right of first refusal from leases.

The concession on the lease clause came after a Jan. 21 bargaining session, organizers said. Eric, a representative of the joint bargaining team for Harvey's and Travoy Village, told attendees that Oakwood agreed to "strike the right of first refusal clause" and to continue meetings; corporate representatives are expected to meet in Missoula in April.

"We have momentum," Eric said, urging residents to maintain pressure as bargaining continues. Sean Belabradic, a tenant and member of the bargaining team, emphasized the stakes for residents on fixed incomes. "We are organized. We are not going to back down," he said, and cited figures presented at the meeting showing Oakwood bought Harvey's for about $1,300,000 and Travoy Village for about $10,800,000.

Longtime resident Maria described decades in the park and the recent shock of rapidly rising lot rent. She said an unexpected notice in late 2023 set new lot‑rent and fees near $420, followed by a 48% increase in 2024 that pushed some monthly totals to roughly $600–$620. A further proposed increase of $170 in 2025 would, she said, bring cumulative increases since 2023 to about 88%.

Organizers framed the launch as an exercise in collective power. Rachel, a Missoula Tenants Union organizer, said the union has helped neighbors connect with one another and that the groups will press Oakwood to meet the rest of the demands, including discussion of tenants' option to form a co‑op to buy the park.

The meeting included remarks from Pastor Barrett Linke of Our Saviour's Lutheran Church, who offered support and said the gathering was "a beginning" of continued community work. Organizers closed by noting that the union had delivered a letter to Oakwood notifying the company of the super‑majority launch and by inviting community members to join and support the effort.

Bargaining is ongoing. Organizers expect further meetings with Oakwood, including an in‑person session in April, and said they will continue to press for rollbacks, a legally binding cap on future increases, and clearer notice and lease language for residents.