Even in this year of historic drought, Spring is springing throughout the Rockies. Even in this hard financial environment, important work for housing is growing. In a world that often feels heavy or overwhelming, I look for the good – and the “next thing” we can do to make the best of what is.
Two recent interactions that help me sustain that practice include:
(1) interviewing residents from Nueva Vida to hear their experience through the Mobile Home Park acquisition and infrastructure upgrade;
(2) facilitating a Colorado Mountain Housing Coalition Conference session, “Shaping the Future of Housing Quality & Affordability.”
These back-to-back events passed like a whirlwind and I was left feeling fulfilled and excited for all the follow up.
Nueva Vida is the new name of a Mobile Home Park (formerly called Parklane) in Fort Collins. When the park was up for sale, residents and trusted partners came together to create a new nonprofit organization, United Neighbors / Vecinos Unidos (UNVU), to preserve their community’s affordability and to create a pathway toward resident ownership. This enabled them to access different types of funding compared to the Resident-Owned Community or “ROC” model, which in turn, allows them time to build resident capacity slowly and sustainably. What was built much more quickly was a sense of belonging and care through the nonprofit’s accountability, consistency, and transparency.
Some sentiments from the interview include lines like:
Thank God, they’ve taken us into account for every step.
I feel free to share in meetings. They listen when we have opinions or complaints.
The kids [now] have a safe area to play.
They take the time to learn who’s doing what kind of work [so folks can] exchange services.
These views were expressed by a range of residents who have called the park home for two years to nearly twenty years.
UNVU has had such success with their Prop123 grant award for infrastructure (to provide much-needed road and sewer upgrades) that they’ve inspired other local parks to try and follow in their footsteps. While the large allocation of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding that powered the purchase of that park in 2022 are no longer available today, the patience to build strong working relationships is available to us all if we’re willing to try. In my humble opinion, the experiences of the residents of Nueva Vida serve as a shining example of what is possible through good timing, trial and tribulations, and a whole lot of trust-building.
…
The Colorado Mountain Housing Coalition Conference was a reminder that each of us brings unique and complimentary experiences that benefit the whole. Having entered the realm of affordable housing just last year, it was an honor to uplift Graduate Student Research on water quality across Colorado’s Manufactured Home Communities and to help the University Technical Assistance Program gather input to shape their workforce housing roadmap. In a room of so much experience, I was encouraged by the thoughtful feedback and follow-up regarding both parts of our session.
Driving away from each of these events, I felt re-invigorated. Full of questions and curiosities. What tools can we leverage to unlock capital, incentivize cross-sector collaboration, or enhance sustainability? What old structures of decision-making are ripe for a revamp? How can something like the BETER program be sculpted for deeper or wider impact?
I know I’m not the only one who wonders if the work I do is “impactful enough.” But, in the small moments of creating connections, provoking curiosity, and stewarding our shared resources, I see glimmers of meaning and hope. As a recent Hidden Brain guest behavioral scientist Dave Evans says, “moment-making turns out to be the critical task for people who want to design more meaning in their life.” That’s enough to keep me going (and sowing).
Written By: Maggie Kinneberg
Maggie Kinneberg is a multi-faceted collaborator and leader, focused on the intersections of learning, food systems, and community health promotion....
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