Residents urge faster help after cars towed from Poulsbo mobile home park

Mobile‑home park residents told the Poulsbo City Council on Dec. 11 that recent towing of multiple vehicles left families without transportation and in urgent financial distress.

At the public‑comment portion of the meeting, one resident described losing a car she had inherited and said she paid nearly $800 to recover it. The resident asked the council to help tenants who face large impound costs and to provide immediate cash assistance rather than only crediting impound fees to rent.

Mayor Erickson and council members acknowledged the problem and described actions staff have taken. Council members said Housing, Health and Human Services staff have been working with residents and the mobile home park manager to secure apologies, facilitate communications in Spanish, and broker returns of some vehicles. The city announced a translation line for Spanish speakers (360‑394‑9795) and said staff are scheduling a meeting for mobile‑home residents and will pursue available assistance options.

“The manager is pretty much going to credit the impound cost to rent,” a resident said, describing the limits of that remedy for families who need cash immediately. Council members and staff said they will continue outreach and explore short‑term options, while noting that many landlord–tenant disputes fall outside direct city authority.

The council did not adopt a new policy at the meeting but directed staff to continue coordinating with residents and partner organizations and to report back on available aid and next steps.