THE EVOLUTION OF THE VISTA VILLAGE HOMEOWNERS’ ASSOCIATION
We are still a young organization, officially launched in early 2016. Thanks to our creative, dedicated, and hardworking volunteers, we have developed quite rapidly. Here is our story from preconception to today. We hope you will join us in our incredible journey forward.
OUR STORY
PRE-HISTORY
Prior ongoing attempts made for many years by local Vista Village residents to organize to solve conflicts and issues between park residents and park administration.
5/30/2009 – The Colorado Coalition of Mobile and Manufactured Resident Rights and All Parks Alliance for Change sponsors a Colorado-wide conference, “Organize to Change Mobile Home Laws in Colorado” for Colorado Mobile Home Owners. The conference was to help organize and change legislation to resolve community issues by establishing homeowners’ legal rights and building local resident associations.
7/2010 – Colorado Statute Title 38 Article 12 (Mobile Home Park Act of 2010) goes into effect 7/1/2010. Establishes legislative rules and regulations concerning increased protections for mobile home owners who lease space in mobile home parks. Establishes the statutory right that residents have the right to peaceably assemble in the common areas of the park and have a right to meet and establish an HOA. In our case this includes the parks and the clubhouse. Meetings by homeowners or by the HOA relating to mobile home living and affairs of the park cannot be subject to prohibition by park management, provided rules for reserving the areas in advance are met. No meetings can be held in the streets or thoroughfares. Details for the act are in the statute, which can be viewed in the link below. Sponsored by Senator Heath and Representatives Hullinghorst and Kefalas, among others.
A link to Senate Bill 10-156 http://tornado.state.co.us/gov_dir/leg_dir/olls/sl2010a/sl_343.pdf
2015
Early 2015 – Word of the prohibition of sales of pre-HUD homes becomes known followed by the inception of an immediate need in Vista Village for community organization. A Vista Village resident is blocked by park administration from selling his pre-HUD (1976) home and keeping it in the park, even though the home is in good condition and passes a home inspection. The home would have to be removed from the park at the time of sale, thereby rendering it virtually worthless.
4/2015 – The resident along with other Vista Village resident activists, appeals to the Boulder City Council for help in establishing rights for selling of pre-HUD homes in mobile home parks and for leaving them in the Park after the sale. During this and later discussions with City Council, it was brought out by homeowners that along with the prohibition of selling of pre-HUD homes and allowing them to remain in the Park, there were many additional issues of concern with the administration of mobile home parks.
4/21/15 – Boulder Vista Village Mobile Home Park sends memo to all tenants regarding sale of pre-HUD (1976) homes advising that after conversations with the City Council and the City Attorney, the Park would not interfere or prevent the in-park sale of a mobile home manufactured on or before 1976, and stating that this agreement may only be rescinded after giving 120 days written notice to the City Council and the City Attorney.
6/2015 – City of Boulder awards a contract to the National Manufactured Home Owners Association (NMHOA) to represent home owners’ concerns in securing amendments to Ordinance #8043. The fee for their services is $20,000 and covers their representation for ALL four mobile home parks in Boulder. NMHOA is a nationwide organization dedicated to promoting, representing, preserving, and enhancing the rights and interests of mobile home owners throughout the country.
6/16/15 – Public Hearing for Amending of Ordinance #8043. Second reading by Boulder City Council to amend chapter 10-12 “Mobile homes” and add a new section “Limitation on Required Upgrades to Existing Mobile Homes” and other amendments.
Before Boulder City Council
7/28/15 – Amendments to Boulder Mobile Home Ordinance #8043 go into effect. The Ordinance declares that no person, including without limitation a park owner, shall prohibit the sale of a mobile home or require an owner of a mobile home within a mobile home park to remove the home from the park at the time the home is sold provided that the purchaser shall enter into and be bound by the rental agreement of the park owner. A new section also is added setting limits on required upgrades to an existing mobile home. The passage of this ordinance was accomplished by the extraordinary efforts by manufactured home owners and the support of the Boulder City Council and Mayor.
A link to the full Ordinance #8043 Municode Library: https://www.municode.com/library/co/boulder/codes/municipal_code?nodeId=TIT10ST_CH12MOHO_10-12-25LIPRSAMOHO
7/2015 – Boulder City Council hires NMHOA as an organizer of homeowners and liaison between homeowners and landowners for Boulder mobile home parks. They are awarded $30,000 for their services for the remainder of 2015.
7/2015 Attendees sign up to become “core members” to begin the long road to organizing a community homeowners’ association.
8/2015 – Core members come together as a Strategic Planning task force for community organization. Over the next several months, they write the bylaws, set up communications with the City of Boulder and NMHOA, recruit candidates for a Board of Directors, organize for the HOA’s General Meeting, organize for membership recruitment, organize canvassing to inform park residents of the legal existence of the HOA and that it is not associated with park administration and to invite the community to an Open House Meet and Greet, produced the General Meeting of the HOA to review the Bylaws and nominate candidates for the Board, and arranged the First Annual General Membership Meeting and Election. Core Members continue to attend board meetings and act as advisors to the Board.
10/16/15 – Vista Village Home Owners’ Association files Articles of Incorporation with the State of Colorado and applies for non-profit status in Colorado.
11/11/15 – General Meeting of the HOA reviews the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws for the newly formed Vista Village Homeowners’ Association (V.V. HOA) and to nominate candidates for the Board of Directors. Open to the Vista Village community. Kylin Parks (NMHOA) was present to help review issues and answer questions.
2016
1/2016 – NMHOA (through Ishbel Dickens) garners a grant for $4500 from the Boulder Foundation for translation and interpretation services for use by Boulder County mobile home parks for organizational and communication needs.
1/2016 – NMHOA’s contract as organizer and liaison for homeowners is extended for increments of 6 months at $25,000 each. Until the end of 2016, if necessary.
1/12/16 – Kylin Parks (NMHOA) attends a specially-scheduled meeting of the Core Group plus final Board nominees to help the HOA prepare for the January General Meeting, the board of directors election process, and enrollment of members.
1/2016 – Canvassing of Vista Village residents to inform residents of existence of the HOA and of the upcoming Open House, voting on the bylaws, and election of the Board of Directors.
1/24/16 – Open House Meet and Greet to meet nominees for the Board of Directors, introduce issues, and prepare to vote.
1/27/16 – First Annual General Membership Meeting and Election to sign up for membership, pay dues (only $10/year), vote on final version of bylaws, and vote for up to 7 candidates for the board.
2/10/16 – Senators Kefalas and Ulibarri present Mobile Home Bill (Senate Bill 16-057) to the state committee at the State Capitol. Fails to pass 3:2. Further attempt will be next year. This was 2nd attempt.
To link to the full introduced Colorado Senate Bill 16-057:
2/11/16 – First meeting of the new Board of Directors. Open to HOA members. Board selects 4 executive officers with remaining 2 as members at large. Executive officers are selected by the board as directed in the bylaws. Other official business is conducted, including decision to authorize expenditure of $35/year for VV HOA to become a member of NMHOA. A few initial committees are suggested.
2/23/16 – Know Your Rights Workshop for Manufactured Home Owners held at Boulder Public Library to review tenants’ rights for lot renters in Boulder’s mobile home parks. Reviewed Colorado Statute and Boulder Ordinance #8043. Presented by Ishbel Dickens and Kylin Parks of NMHOA and Ann Norton (Colorado housing attorney) of Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED). Also introduced in attendance was Jim Zak, Westminster lawyer specializing in civil litigation, mediation, and interest in tenant rights for mobile home owners (303-427-1516).
2/25/16 – First of seven additional board meetings through 7/7/16 HOA members are informed of and invited to these meetings, which generally are held at member homes. Initial meetings are oriented toward essential business of a new organization. Subsequent meetings are quite lively and full, including discussions of new and ongoing projects as well as issues of the park and exploring solutions to homeowners’ needs. Due to time constraints, discussion is limited to the Board and Core Members, with time limits set for others who wish to speak to certain issues. Only members of the board may vote.
4/16/16 – Workshop on “Organizing and Outreach” presented by Kylin Parks of NMHOA. Open to VV HOA members with invited guests from other mobile home parks in Boulder. Held at the VV Clubhouse.
5/11/16 – VV HOA sends letter to Vista Village Management and Century Link Representatives to encourage communication that would hopefully expedite restoration of service to residents having problems with their telephone and/or internet service, some for an extended period of time. Letter was written after much research to discover the facts about responsibilities and reasons for delays in needed repairs. With cooperation of VV Management and representatives from Century Link, encouraged by communications from VV HOA and residents, service was repaired and restored.
6/28/16 – HOA Meeting on Communication with Park management (Kathy and Lester Newland), Ishbel Dickens, Kylin Parks, and members of the Board and Core Members.
7/21/16 – Ninth meeting of the Board of Directors. Mission statement is reviewed, refined, and officially adopted. “Our mission is to unite the community through social connections, mutual support, education, and advocacy for our homeowners’ rights.”
8/1/16 – Meeting with Senator John Kefalas in Denver for the first manufactured housing stakeholder meeting. Several members of the VV HOA attend the conversation about the important role of manufactured housing communities in addressing Colorado’s affordable housing crisis; how to consider solutions to address the areas of data collection, landlord-tenant relations (to level the playing field between homeowners and park owners), and MHC preservation (financing) and mitigation (when communities are lost and people are displaced); and new development. Contacts are made to begin working toward building coalitions with other parks across the state!
8/2/16 – Open-Air Conversation and Potluck for Board and Core Members begins a series of open, informal conversations to review our first 6 months including what has been accomplished, what needs improvement, and setting future targets.
8/7/16 – First HOA-Sponsored Community Social, Potluck is held at the Clubhouse.
8/7/16 – VistaVillageHOA.org – Website created over past few months is ready to be launched by announcement at potluck.
8/24/16 – A group of VV HOA members go to Ft. Collins upon request of a mobile home owners association there to offer mentoring by answering general questions about setting up a community HOA and, especially, to give moral support for their efforts.
8/25/16 – Monthly Board of Directors Meeting
9/13/16 – Monthly Board of Directors Meeting
9/20-9/22/16 – NMHOA Annual Convention, Las Vegas. Cynthia Holappa and Kathy Fiser attend the convention and report at Open-Air meeting 9/24 that they gleaned much invaluable information. Topics presented were predominately legal matters on the local, state, and federal levels; elections of representatives and how to get their attention; how each level of government serves us, what needs to be worked on, and how much they differ from state to state and local area to local area; how to build membership; and identifying the pitfalls of growing our membership.
9/26/16 – Ishbel Dickens, consultant and advocate, visits for an Open-Air potluck focused on defining who we are as an HOA. Also strategic planning is explored to further grow the HOA such as by establishing city- and state-wide coalitions; further defining our Action Teams (work committees); building credibility through diligent fact-checking and speaking only facts; building trust through ethical behavior and protocols; meeting one-on-one with individuals within the community; getting to know our local and state representatives and being on their mailing lists; plus many other ideas for community building and advocacy.
10/11/16 – Monthly Board of Directors Meeting
10/2016 – VV HOA Board Meetings scheduled for second Tuesday of each month, 7-9 PM. Location rotates at homes of the members of the Board and Core Group.
11/10/16 – Monthly Board of Directors Meeting Rescheduled from Tuesday 11/8 due to interest in national election coverage.
12/13/16 – Monthly Board of Directors Meeting
2017
1/2017 – First VV HOA Newsletter mailed to all Vista Village residents eligible for HOA membership.
1/14/17 – VV HOA All-park Social plus Annual HOA Membership Meeting, VV Clubhouse, 4-7 PM. An annual meeting for members and non-members from the community. It is an opportunity to meet others as well as to renew membership or sign up as a new member. Finger foods are provided followed by a presentation and open discussion. Then from 6:00-7:00 PM all HOA membership is encouraged to stay and attend a demonstration Board of Directors Meeting. HOA members are welcomed to attend and observe any Board of Directors meeting but may not vote. However, they can ask questions or speak briefly at the end of the meeting.
1/14/17 – VV HOA Facebook page created
2/14/17 – Monthly Board of Directors Meeting
2/28/17 – First C-MOB Meeting. C-MOB is the Coalition of Manufactured Home Owners in Boulder. It was recently formed to address issues that impact manufactured home owners in Boulder and beyond. Vista Village Homeowners’ Association is associated with the coalition, and encourages members and all residents to get involved. Ishbel Dickens is organizing these meetings.
3/14/17 – Monthly Board of Directors Meeting
4/8/17 – Quarterly VV HOA Gathering for Membership and Residents at Boulder Municipal Airport Conference Room, 2:30-4:30 PM. The featured speakers are Lisa Morzel and Mary Young, City of Boulder Councilwomen and champions of Boulder mobile home owner’s rights. They inform us of various issues they are working on as advocates of manufactured home owners and open the forum to comments and questions from the audience. Attendance is strong and participation lively. A priority of the 2017 VV HOA agenda is to develop relationships with Boulder City Council members. We are advised that attending monthly council meetings so our faces become familiar will help our voices be heard with both the current council and future assemblies.
4/11/17 – Monthly Board of Directors Meeting
4/28/17 – C-MOB Meeting. Many engaging topics presented including CU students helping us design and use surveys and stories as a way to break down negative stereotypes about affordable housing in Boulder’s manufactured home communities; the possibility of bringing youth together around soccer in these cross-cultural communities; and possibility of using Nextdoor as an online communication tool. This is a very lively evening.
5/9/17 – Monthly Board of Directors Meeting
6/13/17 – Monthly Board of Directors Meeting
6/16 and 6/17/17 – First annual community-wide yard sale is coordinated by the VV HOA.
7/8/17 – Resilience Together Outreach offers a Rain Barrel Workshop for residents of Boulder (city) mobile home parks and residents of Boulder Housing Partners sites. The workshop leader is an AmeriCorps volunteer working in Boulder’s City Manager’s Office. The workshop is a free resource designed to train community members on how to install rain barrels in their own neighborhoods. Cell 858-668-6927 www.resilienttogether.org
7/11/17 – Monthly Board of Directors Meeting
7/15/17 – Quarterly VV HOA Gathering for Membership and Residents, Boulder Municipal Airport Conference Room. After socializing and refreshments the community enjoys a lively presentation, discussion, and Q&A by three of our elected officials: KC Becker, CO State Rep (House District 13) and House Majority Leader; Edie Hooten, CO State Rep (House District 10); and Suzanne Jones, Boulder Mayor and City Councilwoman. They mainly focus on issues of affordable housing and manufactured home communities.
7/19/17 – C-MOB Meeting, E. Boulder Community Center. Topics include updates on status of local ordinances that concern manufactured home owners, installing rain barrels in our communities, possibility of a Fall Forum for home owners, update on work various university departments are doing with/on behalf of manufactured home owners, presentation on how to apply for a neighborhood grant and the resulting community garden project, and update from City Housing Department staff on manufactured housing work the City is pursuing.
8/8/17 – Monthly Board of Directors Meeting
VV Residents with Councilwoman Mary Young at the Block Party
9/2/17 First VV HOA Sponsored Block Party – End of Summer BBQ Blast! Many residents come out to enjoy the BBQ. It’s a lively afternoon, with live music, with games and face painting for the children, with opportunities for conversation with neighbors, community organizations, and elected representatives and candidates. And of course, with food and beverages, too. The Daily Camera visits and publishes an article about the block party. Later it also publishes a correcting and clarifying letter from VV HOA available here. Many pictures are posted on our Facebook page. VV HOA is grateful to the volunteers and contributors who help make this event such a success. Made possible in part by the City of Boulder through use of the Block Party Trailer and a Spark Grant that provided substantial funding for this great community party!
9/12/17 – Monthly Board of Directors Meeting
9/21/17 – C-MOB Meeting, E. Boulder Community Center. Topics include: updates on status of local ordinances that concern manufactured home owners; presentation on organizing a community event with our BBQ Blast as an example; updates on progress of the Fall Forum for Colorado manufactured home owners; update on work various university departments can do with/on behalf of manufactured home owners; presentation by Boulder Neighborhood Liaison.
10/10/17 – Monthly Board of Directors Meeting
10/14/17 – Quarterly HOA Gathering for Membership and Residents, Vista Village Clubhouse Guests included keynote speaker Senator John Kefalas and City Council candidates. We were joined by incumbent candidates Mary Young and Sam Weaver, as well as new candidates Mirabai Nagle, John Gerstle, and Cindy Carlisle. As usual, we had plenty of yummy snacks and opportunities to visit.
10/21/17 – CO Statewide Manufactured Home Owners Fall Forum, Environmental Design Building, CU Campus, Boulder, CO 9 am – 4 pm Representatives from VV HOA assisted in organizing and presenting this lively forum, led by Ishbel Dickens, our always helpful, knowledgeable and inspiring consultant. This was an opportunity for manufactured home owners from throughout Colorado to come together to learn about their rights, to hear how to engage effectively in advocacy efforts, and to begin the creation of a statewide homeowners’ association. Materials were provided in English and Spanish and there was Spanish interpretation throughout the event. Beginning with event attendees, a steering committee is forming to create a statewide mobile home owners association. This is a great step forward for protecting our existing rights as mobile home owners on leased land, and gaining more rights and protective legislation. Joining together to speak with a united voice is powerful, whether at the state or local level.
11/14/17 – Monthly Board of Directors Meeting
11/21/17 – City Council Passes Ordinance 8216 on Second Reading This ordinance provides greater protections for Boulder’s mobile home owners in land-lease communities. The three sections ensure rights to privacy, freedom from retaliation for certain specified actions, and required mediation in certain circumstances.
12/5/17 – City Council officially adopts Ordinance 8216 on Third Reading
12/12/17 – Monthly Board of Directors Meeting with celebratory social time, honoring Ishbel Dickens, our amazing consultant retiring at end of 2017.
1/27/18 – Annual HOA Membership Meeting Elections held for 2018 board of directors. All HOA members cast a ballot. An annual meeting held at the Boulder Airport down the street for members and non-members from the community. An opportunity to meet others as well as to renew membership or sign up as a new member. Finger foods provided followed by a presentation and open discussion. Issues discussed include Spanish outreach program, water concerns, and connecting with other Manufactured Housing groups throughout the state. Well attended with new membership enrollments.
6/2/18 – 1st Annual Pancake Breakfast
6/9/18 – Yoga, Music, Movement, Mindfulness #1 In collaboration with Mmmwhah! A local non-profit with founders in our park.
6/23/18 – 2nd Annual Vista Village Community Yard Sales
7/1/18 – African Water Drumming Percussionists, drummers, and people who just wanted to have fun created a great splash of music in the Vista Village pool! In collaboration with Mmmwhah!
7/7/18 – Yoga, Music, Movement, Mindfulness #2 In collaboration with Mmmwhah!
8/4/18 – Yoga, Music, Movement, Mindfulness #3 In collaboration with Mmmwhah!
8/11/18 – Summer Community Gathering At the Airport Conference Room. A review of VV HOA history, discussion of current issues, and introduction of our three person consultant team. Plus social time, refreshments, and live music by Bill McCrossen, neighbor and founding member of Mmmwhah!
8/26/18 – Show/Share/Create – In collaboration with Mmmwhah! Neighbors gathered at the Vista Village clubhouse to share their creative talents.
9/1/18 – End-of-Summer Community Barbecue and Concert Thanks to all the volunteers who helped make this day a success! Many members of the community came out to enjoy the sunshine, music, and good company – not to mention the abundant food, fruit ices, and a bounce house for the kids. Thanks also to the City of Boulder for grant money and use of the Block Party trailer!
9/16/18 – Show/Share/Create – In collaboration with Mmmwhah! Neighbors gathered at the Vista Village clubhouse to continue sharing their creative talents, expanding into collaborative co-creation.
10/20/18 – Consider the Options! Improving Living in Manufactured Housing Communities: from Ownership Options to Regulatory Change A forum presented at C.U. Boulder, sponsored by various groups including CMOB. In lieu of a Vista Village community gathering on this date, VV homeowners on our email lists were encouraged to attend this interesting forum. Panelists included the founding president of ROC-USA, as well as Boulder City Councilwoman Jill Grano and our state house representative Edie Hooton.
12/8/18 – Holiday Party, in collaboration with City Consultants Bilingual celebration with Santa Claus, gifts, prizes, piñata, dancing, elves, and plenty of delicious treats.