Santa Clarita / Antelope Valley : Lancaster Buys 2nd Mobile Home Park for Housing Needs

The city of Lancaster purchased its second mobile home park and is moving ahead with plans to use the parks to provide housing for low- and very-low-income residents.

The Lancaster City Council, in its capacity as the city’s redevelopment agency, unanimously agreed Monday to purchase Brierwood Mobile Home Estates from James Baum for $8.5 million. The 311-space park at Challenger Way and East Avenue H includes a pool, spa, clubhouse, kitchen, meeting and rooms, playground and picnic area.

In November, the city approved the purchase of the 123-space Desert Sands Estates Mobilehome Park. Several months ago the council agreed to buy Lido Estates Mobile Home Park but reversed its decision after residents opposed the move.

Eventually the city hopes to purchase other mobile home parks. The council recently created the Lancaster Housing Authority, which acquires, develops and operates mobile home parks.

On Monday the council also created the Lancaster Civic Improvement Corp., a nonprofit agency that will oversee the management of the city-owned mobile home parks.

Council members consider the city’s purchases an effective way to preserve affordable housing in Lancaster.

The redevelopment agency has received $1 million from the state for the purchase of 50 double-wide manufactured homes.

The agency will put the homes in the mobile home parks and offer lease-purchase agreements to the low-income families, such as a family of four with annual earnings of $24,150 to $38,640.