Mobile home residents in Colorado race to make competing offer for Boulder County park

Residents have until December to submit an offer for the 213-home San Lazaro Mobile Home Park, which is listed for $42.5 million. Residents have spent the last few months fundraising and organizing an effort to buy the park themselves. 

Then, on Saturday, many say they received a letter saying another buyer had already submitted an offer. While many residents own their individual homes, some are concerned a new park owner could raise lot rents.

After 12 years of living at the park, Pedro Zepeda isn't sure he'll be able to afford extra expenses. 

"It's really hard to know what's happening now," Zepeda said. "It's hard to pay all expenses and bills, and now we have to pay rent... I was working 17 hours a day before. We have to work more hours, so it's going to be hard."

But residents are still moving forward with their effort as they work to find grants and partner with local non-profits, alongside community fundraising.

"Huge price tag: $42.5 million is a lot," resident Marcus Christopher said. "San Lazaro is really a community. It's family members. It is people really helping one another." 

Colorado law gives mobile home park residents 120 days to submit a competing offer after receiving notice of the sale. Saturday's notice is dated Aug. 5. Resident John Bellos is part of the resident steering committee working on the purchase effort and says this notice gives residents a deadline to work toward. 

"We've been working really hard on this for months, and it's like now we have a deadline. It's almost like helpful to know like we have a deadline that we have to hit," Bellos said.

Residents have also spent months asking the city and county about possible financial assistance and meeting with local leaders regularly. But City of Boulder officials say until the park is annexed into the city, which is a consideration-- the city's options are limited.

"There's nothing the city can do from a financial standpoint," said Kurt Firnhaber, director of Housing and Human Services for the City of Boulder.

Firnhaber said one roadblock is that any effort to purchase the park would put significant pressure on the city's affordable housing budget. "Bringing in a project like this would wipe out our affordable housing initiatives for several years," he said.

Even if residents are able to purchase the park, there would be additional costs. The city estimates San Lazaro needs about $10 million in infrastructure repairs, which, if annexed, is where the city could help with finances.

"It's going to take real resources to address that once they purchase the property as well, and that's where I-that's where the city really sees that they could provide some assistance," he said.

Residents have also asked Boulder County for funding and are hoping to hear from county commissioners this week.

For now, the steering committee is working toward a mid-December deadline to submit a competing offer.

Zepeda said the outcome could determine whether current residents can afford to stay.

"If nobody helps us, everything is going to change. Many families have to move, and this is not good for anybody here," he said.