Residents of Hermosa Mobile Home Village, north of Durango, are on the cusp of securing protected, rent-stabilized housing.
After learning this summer that the owner intended to put the property on the market, residents moved quickly to form a cooperative and pursue a resident-owned community, or ROC. The owner recently accepted their offer, and the sale is scheduled to close in March.
Community leaders say the process has been relatively smooth, crediting a supportive owner and an improved system for ROC formations. Additionally, a countywide housing crisis ensured broad community backing, as the threat of steep rent increases under another private company proved a powerful motivator.
“I think most of the residents really do want to do this,” said Jan Wesley, who has lived at Hermosa Village for more than three decades and serves as president of the ROC’s board. “Nobody can go anywhere for what we’re paying right now, or even what we will be paying. There’s nothing in this town that is affordable housing for people on fixed incomes, or lower incomes.”
For mobile homeowners, a park sale poses a real threat. Rents can more than double each time a park changes ownership, and for Hermosa Village Residents – most of whom live on fixed or low-incomes – a sharp spike could price them out of their homes, and possibly the county.
“I would say (upon hearing the news) a lot of the park members immediately went to fear and panic,” said Brian Franks, who has lived in Hemosa Village for six years.
The shortage of affordable housing in Durango is well-documented and has been the subject of much discussion as housing costs have skyrocketed in recent years.
The median rent La Plata County residents paid in 2022 was about $1,350, according to the 2025 La Plata County housing needs assessment conducted by Root Policy Research for the regional housing alliance of La Plata County. Those numbers appear to be on the rise – by 2024, the median asking price for rental units was about $1,500.
At Hermosa Village, the average monthly lot rent hovers around $800, Wesley said. For her, and the majority of her neighbors – the park is one of the only affordable options.
Resident-owned communities – manufactured housing neighborhoods where the land is collectively owned and managed by the residents – give ownership and control to the people who live in the neighborhood. The absence of a for-profit company ensures stabilized rent.
After the owner’s disclosure of intent to sell, residents enlisted the help of Thistle ROC, a nonprofit organization that helps mobile homeowners secure financing to buy their land. A five-person board of directors made up of park residents was elected and Thistle guided them through the process of securing a multimillion dollar loan.
Franks, who serves as the board’s vice president, said the process has been far less daunting than anticipated.
“It is a much better, streamlined system than it was four years ago – three years ago even,” he said.
Still, he noted Hermosa Village benefited from unusually favorable circumstances. The current owner has been exceptionally supportive and accepted the residents’ $5.45 million offer over two bids ranging from about $6 million to $6.5 million, Franks said.
The support contrasts a recent effort in west Durango. Earlier this year, residents at Apache Mobile Home Park spent several months trying to form a ROC, with guidance from Thistle, but faced subtle opposition from the park owner.
The effort ultimately failed after residents learned the park sits in a flood plain, making it ineligible for financing from the primary lender.
Thistle staff members told Franks that the kind of owner cooperation seen at Hermosa Village is rare.
“You guys are lucky. Usually the owner doesn’t care. They want to take the big bid,” Franks recalled the Thistle representatives saying. “So we are quite lucky on that end.”
But one final hurdle remains before the sale can close in March.
Although the community has secured the loan and the owner has accepted their bid, organizers still must raise $800,000 to help offset rent increases tied to the repayment plan. A final vote of residents is required, and 80% must approve the purchase.
The sticking point is the remaining $800,000, which carries a 6.75% interest rate, Franks said. Without additional support, residents’ monthly rent would rise about $150 more than anticipated – a jump many cannot afford.
The board is seeking grants and donations to avoid that increase.
Last week, all five board members published a letter to the Durango community that outlined the situation and asked for philanthropic support in the Durango Telegraph.
Franks is also working with the Colorado Department of Local Affairs’ Division of Housing to pursue a lower-interest loan.
Although there are some hurdles, largely involving the application timeline, Franks said he is optimistic the community will secure the necessary funds and finalize the purchase.
Wesley shares that hope, noting the strength and cohesion among neighbors.
“We are a great community,” she said. “Most of us have lived here for a long time. We all get along. We have hardly any issues whatsoever.”
jbowman@durangoherald.com
