Mobile Home Park Residents Required to Relocate

In April 2022, residents at Periwinkle Mobile Home Park received notice, as required by law, that they had six months to move out. While many own their homes near 27th Avenue and Camelback Road, Grand Canyon University owns the land. The university wants to add more student housing.

The neighbors have until May 28 to move out. In a statement, the university said it will provide $5,000 to each mobile home owner to relocate. Residents who leave sooner will receive more.

Dr. Sylvia Herrera, PhD., an advocate for the residents, joins us here today to discuss more on this issue.

$2.5 million proposal for federal funds

The sub-committee has proposed setting aside 2.5 million dollars in federal funding to go toward affected mobile home residents. When asked about her thoughts on the funding, Dr.Herrera said:

“Some of it has been used for emergency vouchers and looking at ways at the urgency of the problem, especially of those that are facing eviction right now. We’re talking about Las Casitas Periwinkle that’s owned by GCU.”

Is the $5,000 offered by GCU to mobile home residents enough?

“A studio, one bedroom, costs up to $2,000 a month. There is a large gap there between what is affordable for these residents,” said Dr.Herrera.

The money offered by GCU will only be enough for a little while as the housing prices are in high rise at the moment, more than what mobile home residents are able to afford.

The issue at hand goes beyond finding new housing, it is also finding a new neighborhood suitable for their needs.

“It’s completely destroying a social network that stabilized and helped the elderly and disabled people that have been isolated,” said Dr.Herrera. “You have families helping those neighbors. You see a total destruction of that network and support system that is in place right now of these communities.”