Bellflower Uses HOME Funds to Address Blighted Trailer Park

The City of Bellflower has become a partner as a unique infill housing project using a combination of private investment, Home Investment Partnerships (HOME) Grant Program funds provided by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and local moneys. The project replaced a deteriorated 22-unit trailer park with fifteen new manufactured housing units. Three of those are HOME-funded, affordable units (priced well below the county median of $540,000). A total of $500,000 in HOME funds was spent on the project.

The housing project is known as the Palm Vista Modular Housing Park. It provides for manufactured housing units transported to the project site. Only the garages and foundations are constructed on-site. Each two-story unit is approximately 1,250 square feet. They have three bedrooms and two baths. The developer was Pacific Real Estate Investment Group of Long Beach.

Each unit in this planned unit development will be owner-occupied. There are common areas. A neighborhood association has been formed to be responsible for maintenance. The project also provides for 99-year, pre-paid leasehold for the individual lots. The residents will own the units out right. The payments will be fixed over the life of the lease. Washington Mutual is the lender for the project. Mortgages are secured by the manufactured homes that are titled as real estate.

The trailer park was located just north of the Civic Center. It had for many years been a blighting influence on the neighborhood. It was also a serious challenge for law enforcement. The State had originally approved 22 trailer pads and four bungalows. Over the years, many of the trailers had been moved off and not replaced. Squatters occupied most units at the time the project was initiated. The City required the developer to pay for relocation payments to the remaining eligible tenants.

The housing site is within walking distance of downtown shopping, transportation lines, the County library and a local park. As part of the project, the City required the property owner to dedicate right-of-way so that he City could construct new curb, gutters and sidewalks on the street.

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