Fairfax County looks to protect its eight mobile home communities
FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. (DC News Now) — The Fairfax County Affordable Housing Development Division is working to secure federal funding to protect its eight mobile home communities from disrepair and rising maintenance costs.
The county is seeking feedback on an application for a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s new initiative, the Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative for Community Enhancement Competition, including $235 million in total awards.
In Fairfax Co., a family of four requires an income of more than $150k to live comfortably. The mobile home communities, which in total feature about 1,800 homes, provide an enclave of affordability amid subdivisions featuring million-dollar single-family homes.
Meghan Van Dam, Director of the County Affordable Housing Division, outlined a number of areas where the money could be used. The county could fund infrastructure improvements to the communities – such as updating roads and sewers -, begin a loan program to replace aging units and study the affordability of the communities.
Residents cite rising lot rental costs as a major fear.
Toby Malow has lived in the Waples Mobile Home Park in Fairfax for decades, off and on. When he first moved in, his rent was about $200. Now, he said, it’s over $1,000.
“It’s better than other places. Even apartments and stuff like that. It’s good,” Malow said.
He added that the sense of community is stronger in many other neighborhoods, which is a draw and an anchor for many of his neighbors.
According to Van Dam, nearly half of the mobile home units are too old to suit federal standards. Repairing and refurbishing the units would be more costly than replacing the units altogether. One hope for the funds would be to establish a process for families to apply for money to replace their homes.
“That’s a very exciting opportunity, because, based on our estimates, that can be up to $150,000 per unit to replace,” Van Dam said. “That includes, you know, the demolishing or removal of the old unit, preparation of the PAD site, as well as installing and bringing in the new unit. So that’s a major opportunity for us because of the expense.”
The sale of mobile home sights is an ever-present fear for community members. HB 1397 was recently passed in the Virginia statehouse, primarily raising relocation fees for mobile home park residents. However, Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) vetoed a provision that would have granted localities the first right of refusal if a mobile home site is offered for sale.
“The property owner can put the communities on the market at any time,” Van Dam said.
It’s a possibility that Malow and his neighbors are acutely aware of, as land parcels in the county become increasingly scarce and valuable.
“I just hope they don’t sell the place. A lot of people, I have a lot of friends, have been here for a long time. They couldn’t afford to go someplace else,” Malow said.
The county is holding a public hearing about the grant application on May 21. Community members may weigh in ahead of the hearing, or sign up to speak.
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