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Mountain View adopts Community Ownership Action Plan, allocates $1.425M to preserve community‑owned housing
Summary
Council unanimously adopted the Community Ownership Action Plan (COPE) and approved a $1.0M transfer to an acquisition/preservation subfund and $425K for capacity building to help mission‑driven groups acquire and preserve affordable housing, including mobile‑home communities.
The Mountain View City Council unanimously adopted the Community Ownership Action Plan (COPE) on June 23 and approved near‑term funding measures to launch implementation, emphasizing assistance for preservation of naturally occurring affordable housing, including mobile home parks.
Housing Director Wayne Chen summarized the plan’s goal to facilitate acquisition and preservation of at least 50 community‑owned housing units over five years, focusing on units covered by the city’s Community Stabilization Fair Rent program. Staff recommended increasing project funding to $5 million (from the previously allocated $4 million) to preserve a 4:1 subsidy ratio toward an estimated $25 million of total preservation investments and expanding the earlier $75,000 capacity building allocation by $425,000 (total capacity funding $500,000).
Council adopted two specific funding resolutions: a $1,000,000 transfer from the Below Market Rate housing fund to an acquisition and preservation subfund, and a $425,000 appropriation from the general housing fund for capacity building. Staff also received authority to streamline funding approvals and to pursue partnerships and grant opportunities.
Mobile‑home residents and community land trust representatives who testified urged quick action. "Mobile home communities are eligible for support under this plan," said Joe Bowski of Sunset Estates, urging the city to ensure the approach is usable for existing parks. Alex Brown, president of the San Diego Villa Mobile Home Park residents’ group, described fear of sales and displacement and welcomed the city’s commitment to preservation.
Staff told council that COPE is intentionally flexible — it defines core elements (decommodification, resident governance and stewardship) and supports multiple legal and operational models (community land trusts, limited equity cooperatives, and mission‑driven rental ownership models).
Next steps: staff will finalize COPE materials, set up a grant/approval process and begin capacity‑building work with local partners; the City Manager was authorized to implement a streamlined funding path while maintaining transparency safeguards.
