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City Council Regular Meeting Minutes October 11, 2016 Page 6 parks have affordable housing and as mobile home parks close, it is impossible for residents to 1 find suitable housing. He felt this seems all about money but these are lives and futures. 2 3 Mr. Ned Moore, Development Director, Assembly for Civil Rights, stated their mission is to 4 bring the gospel into the public community. He has seen the devastation caused by mobile home 5 park closings. Two-thirds of the homes in Lowry Grove cannot be moved and the relocation 6 compensation is not enough. Mr. Moore stated there is no guarantee that people won’t be left 7 homeless so the best solution would be for the residents to save Lowry Grove. The homes are 8 being demolished by bulldozers in front of children. He noted the mission of St. Anthony covers 9 the Lowry Grove residents but the future of Lowry Grove is not known. The Court has not 10 determined if the sale of Lowry Grove was legal. Mr. Moore believed the actions of the 11 developer are affecting people of color who make up the majority of Lowry Grove. He felt it 12 would be unwise for Council to make a decision before HUD has issued a ruling and the only 13 fair option is to continue the public hearing until the Courts and HUD have made their decisions. 14 15 Mr. Scott Anderson, resident of Lowry Grove, retired postal worker, stated he moved into Lowry 16 Grove to help raise his grandchildren. His home cannot be moved as it was rebuilt so he is stuck. 17 Mr. Anderson stated he has gone to every mobile home park looking for mobile homes for sale 18 and the average price is $30,000. He is 65, raising two kids, and he can’t afford this. He spent 50 19 years working and he can’t get out of there. Mr. Anderson stated there are two people dying of 20 cancer who will have to go to a nursing home and the taxpayers will pay. Lowry Grove is a 21 community of all kinds of people and recently there was a fight with non-Lowry Grove people 22 but the owners won’t do anything about these non-residents. Mr. Anderson stated the St. 23 Anthony police has been very helpful to Lowry Grove and the problem is the RVers. If the 24 association is able to purchase the Park, there will be no RVers. Mr. Anderson stated there is no 25 other affordable housing in St. Anthony and three bedroom apartments are not affordable. 26 27 A Lowry Grove resident stated she does not feel represented by the City Council and the Council 28 needs to help. She has sent a letter to each of the Councilmembers and no one has bothered to 29 respond. She has lived in Lowry Grove for ten years and believes it has turned into a dangerous 30 place. She has tried to have a dialog with Ms. Tomas but Ms. Tomas does not show her faith or 31 the fact she has children. She stated there is dangerous machinery destroying their homes and 32 putting the children in danger yet Ms. Tomas is not concerned. Since the beginning they have 33 been looking for $6 million but the offers for homes is not adequate so they continue working to 34 try to salvage Lowry Grove. She believed that Ms. Thomas has no compassion and is planning to 35 build very expensive condominiums. She asked the Council for justice, stating she wants to 36 remain in Lowry Grove and had hoped the Mayor or Council would visit Lowry Grove residents. 37 She stated they are willing to pay for the land to get Lowry Grove back to them. She showed 38 pictures of some of the mobile homes within the Park and of homes being demolished. She stated 39 just this week, a letter was received from Ms. Tomas stating she cares but that is too late. 40 41 Clara, resident of Lowry Grove and her mother stated last week, Clara found two quarters and 42 wanted to give the money to save her home. Clara asked why they are demolishing the homes, 43 noting this is the first time they have owned something. Her husband works and tries to put the 44 best materials in their home and the money offered is not fair. She stated residents need help, 45 noting there are many with handicaps. 46 47 6