Welcome to the archive of Mapleton Hollow's community newsletter!
The Mapleton Mobile-izer is issued quarterly, following the MHA membership meetings. Special editions are issued as needed, for example before a quarterly meeting where MHA members will be voting for executives or making an important decision...
Volume 6, Special Edition Newsletter of the Mapleton Home Association [MHA] January 2001
Resident Buyout of Mapleton Park Takes a Giant Step Forward
COUNCIL RESOLUTION FOR RE RESIDENT OWNERSHIP PASSES
City shows commitment to resident purchase with passage of resolution
Inside This Issue
Text of Council Resolution
By the editors
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On Tuesday, January 2, 2001, Boulder City Council unanimously passed a resolution that directs Housing and Human Services Staff to work with representatives of the Mapleton Home Association on a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to develop plans for a resident purchase of Mapleton Park from the City of Boulder. This significant step has two immediate ramifications. The MHA can use this resolution to approach granting agencies and lending institutions for grants and loans needed to buy Mapleton Park from the City. More importantly, the MOU sets up a project timeline and defines the terms and conditions that must be met by the Mapleton Home Association in order for the City to be able to sell the Park to the residents.
Mark Reeder, Co-chair of the MHA Business Committee opined, "This is an important development in the residents, drive to purchase Mapleton Park. On the completion of the MOU, staff and the MHA will have developed a business plan as well as the details of a contract for a resident buyout of the Park."
An MOU is a significant document, requiring many hours of work. The MHA is fortunate to have Thistle Community Housing to help them with this project. Any residents wishing to help with the MOU please contact Mark Reeder, #14, 303-444-4140.
Resolution Text:
RESOLUTION FOR THE PURPOSE OF PRESERVING THE MAPLETON MOBILE HOME PARK AND PROMOTING EVENTUAL RESIDENT OWNERSHIP OF THE MAPLETON MOBILE HOME PARK LOCATED AT 2635 MAPLETON AVENUE IN BOULDER COLORADO.
WHEREAS, the need for permanently affordable housing in the City of Boulder has been established through a public process leading to the acceptance of the Comprehensive Housing Strategy by the City Council in February, 1999 and in the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan which seeks to establish at least ten percent of the City's housing stock as permanently affordable; and
WHEREAS, the City of Boulder purchased the Mapleton Mobile Home Park, containing approximately 15 acres and 130 homes, on March 7, 1997 for purposes of preserving its use as a mobile home park and to facilitate the construction ox the Goose Creek flood control channel; and
WHEREAS, the City of Boulder is committed to preserving the Mapleton Mobile Home Park as a mobile home park that is permanently affordable to low and moderate income households; and
WHEREAS, the City of Boulder plans to sell the Mapleton Mobile Home Park following completion of the Goose Creek flood control channel; and
WHEREAS, the City of Boulder is interested in promoting resident owned mobile home parks within the City of Boulder as a means of preserving both mobile home parks and the permanent affordability of mobile homes within mobile home parks; and
WHEREAS, a majority of the current residents of the Mapleton Mobile Home Park, through their non profit corporation, the Mapleton Home Association, have expressed their desire to purchase the Mapleton Mobile Home Park from the City of Boulder; and
WHEREAS, the City of Boulder and the Mapleton Home Association have agreed to develop, in the year 2001 ' a memorandum of understanding between the City of Boulder and the Mapleton Home Association that provides a project timeline and defines the terms and conditions that must be met by the Mapleton Home Association in order for it to be considered a viable purchaser of the Mapleton Mobile Home Park, located at 2635 Mapleton Avenue in Boulder. NOW, THEREFORE be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Boulder that the preservation of the Mapleton Mobile Home Park , located at 2635 Mapleton Avenue in Boulder, and the opportunity for eventual resident ownership of the Mapleton Mobile Home Park is consistent with the Comprehensive Housing Strategy and the housing goals of the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan and consequently the City Manager is hereby directed to develop a memorandum of understanding between the City of Boulder and the Mapleton Home Association that provides a project timeline and defines the terms and conditions that must be met by the Mapleton Home Association in order for the City to consider it to be a viable purchaser of the Mapleton Mobile Home Park when the City is prepared to sell the Mapleton Mobile Home Park.
Agenda for the MHA Winter Quarterly Meeting
by the editors
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The winter quarterly meeting of the Mapleton Home Association will be held on January 21, 2001 at Unity Church. The meeting time is 5:30 pm. This meeting is a significant and important event for the future of Mapleton Park and its residents.. Three agenda items will require a vote. Only current members can vote on these issues. If you are not a member and wish to vote you can join at any time up the start of the meeting. Membership is only $5.00 a year.
Please see Mark Reeder #14, Silvia Gentile #142, Ben Jensen, #178, Alex Wilson #58 or Gene Langlois #30 to become a member. Members will vote on a model for a resident purchase of the Park. Votes will also be taken on whether to use a portion of residents' rents to pay for a project manager.
The number one agenda item: Mapleton residents will choose the purchase model for acquiring Mapleton Park from the City. The choice is between the Limited Equity Cooperative and the Community Land Trust. Articles-describing the two models can be found at the Community Bulletin Board in Dumpster Park.
Residents will also vote on whether to divert rents that would normally go toward equity building to pay for a project manager. Our rents pay operating expenses, maintenance and mortgage expenses. What is left over goes into a fund earmarked for residents' equity. In nearly three years we have accumulated almost $500,000 dollars in equity toward a resident purchase of the Park. The MHA is asking res;-dents to allocate $15,000 of that equity to pay for an Acquisition Project Manager. This manager will work for residents in their drive to buy the Park. In addition to working with Housing and Human Services staff and Thistle Community Housing on the resident purchase project, the project manager will be responsible for writing grants to help raise money for a resident buyout, developing and implementing the acquisition model, and directing the resident part of the Memorandum of Understanding. (See City resolution page 2, eds note.)
Nominations for President and Secretary officially open at the January Quarterly meeting.
Finally, the MHA is asking for volunteers to staff a committee to investigate the possibility of bringing Cable TV to the Park. There is no guarantee this will happen. The major guideline is that any residents who do not wish to have cable, will not be forced to buy it.
Mapleton Murmurs
by Mark Reeder
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The Mapleton Home Association's quarterly meeting promises to be a rip-roaring affair with several important agenda items requiring informed votes. Residents will have a chance to speak their minds, which for some won't require more than one or two words ... President Ben Jensen has promised to drop the gavel on anyone whose behavior becomes boorish or antagonistic. Given some of our past meetings, we suggest using Thor's hammer to maintain. order ... Elections for President and Secretary will be held in April. The nominating committee of the MHA is headed by Vice-President Alex Wilson. Anyone wishing to run for one of these offices should see him. There's no pay but people call you Mr./Ms. President or Mr./Ms Secretary, when they're feeling benevolent. The other names they call you, we can't print here ... Finally, Steve Ruddock of Regency Mobile Homes (443-5599) will perform mobile home appraisals for $125.00. Steve knows of the situation in Mapleton requiring homeowners to get a second appraisal if they challenge the City's appraisal. Steve has many years of experience and is well recommended.
Employment Opportunity with the Mapleton Home Association
by the editors
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Position Title: Project Manager
Position Description:
The position is part-time supervised by the Business Plan Committee of the MHA.
" Start date will be in February 2001.
" Duties include:
Develop and implement an acquisition plan.
Apply for grants.
Meet and negotiate with City staff.
Educate Mapleton Community on project.
Applicant Requirements:
-Must reside in Mapleton Mobile Home Park -Must be 18 years of age -Must own a computer with e-mail capability -May not be an MHA Officer
Preferred Skills and Experience
-Grant writing.
-Proficiency in word-processing and spreadsheets.
-Knowledge of low/moderate Income housing and non-profit housing administration
-Experience in both Profit and Non-Profit sectors of Business field.
-Excellent Verbal and Written Communication Skills, Organizational/ Coordinator/Negotiator Skills and Understanding of financial reports
selection Process-. -
All interested residents are encouraged to submit resume and letter of interest. The MHA Steering Committee will review all applicants. Finalist applications will be reviewed by Thistle Community Housing,
To Apply:
All applications must be received by January 31, 2001. Submit applications to: Benjamin Jensen c/o MHA Offices 2635 Mapleton Avenue Lot # 178 Boulder, Colorado 80-'104-3834 No applications will be accepted after January 31, 2001.
More info
The Mapleton Mobile-izer is published quarterly by the Mapleton Home Association and is distributed free to all residents of Mapleton Mobile Home Park.