Albemarle County awarded grant to assist mobile-home park residents

People who live in mobile-home parks – an estimated 20 million Americans, about 6 percent of the population – are afterthoughts when it comes to public policy.

Ask me how I know.

I grew up in a trailer park, and then, as an adult, the first home for me after college was in a mobile-home park in Augusta County, run by an absolute slumlord.

Which is why I’m applauding Albemarle County government here for seeking out a Community Development Block Grant to support the redevelopment of the Southwood Mobile Home Community with a sanitary sewer project.

The $2 million state grant will extend public sewer lines to existing mobile homes at the Southwood Mobile Home Community, allowing existing, occupied mobile homes to access public sewer.

The 63 homes are currently served by outdated, inadequate septic systems, which are expensive to maintain.

Newly installed sewer lines will be adopted into the public sewer system managed by the Albemarle County Service Authority.

“This $2 million CDBG award for the Southwood Sanitary Sewer Project will ensure that Albemarle County can replace failing septic systems with public sewer service, improving the quality of life for Southwood residents and supporting the preservation of affordable housing in Albemarle,” said Albemarle County Board of Supervisors Chair Ned Gallaway.

Albemarle County uses CDBG funding to support projects fostering affordable housing and community improvements.

The Office of Housing partners with nonprofits and private residential developers to apply for federal CDBG funding for residential construction projects that provide at least 51 percent of the total residential units as affordable housing.

The CDBG is contingent upon funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

“The Albemarle County Office of Housing is excited to continue the county’s partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville in their efforts to bring important, positive change to the Southwood community,” said Stacy Pethia, director of housing for Albemarle County.