Mee
t Isabel Sanchez, housing activist
Grassroots community organizer and urban farmer听Isabel Sanchez transformed Mapleton Mobile Home Park in Boulder to a community that follows sustainable principles and practices. Under her guidance as a board member of the park's听Home Owners Association (HOA) for 11 years, including president of the board for four of them, Mapleton's regulations now allow families to raise chickens, rabbits and bees. Today there are more than 45 organic gardens in the park, as well as five households raising chickens, three raising rabbits and five beekeepers.听 And all of the听projects have helped build a more connected and stronger community, she says.
Sanchez is a听permaculturist, locally known as the "Guru of Permaculture." For seven years she was the program director for听the Denver nonprofit, The GrowHaus, where she taught听permaculture and created听curriculums for children to learn听how to grow food, raise chickens and听choose healthy lifestyles.听 She recently听started听a new business,听, which offers classes and workshops for backyard garden design and permaculture.
(Note:听Unlike most mobile home communities in Boulder which are owned by private corporations, Thistle Communities, a nonprofit, owns the land beneath Mapleton Mobile Home Park.)
听
Describe your path to becoming a housing activist.听
I was born in 1962 in communist Cuba.听My family witnessed first hand what happened after the revolution in Cuba听and worked tirelessly to get my sister and me听out of the country.
I immigrated听to the US when听I was 5, and I was raised in听Greenpoint, Brooklyn. I听grew up listening to听my parents and other听Cuban听families听talk听about communism and the losses they听suffered.听 I learned that because my parents had refused to be a part of the communist party,听their food rations were taken away, and they were forced听to accept听food from relatives and neighbors听until we were able to flee the country.
Food scarcity is something that was a huge part of my developmental years, and I believe it's听why I鈥檝e dedicated so much of my life to preventing this kind of injustice in all the communities I鈥檝e lived and worked in. And I learned very early听on that听we, as a people, need a听voice.听
I started gardening with The Green Thumb Organization when I was 18 and pregnant with my first son. My love for having the power to grow my own food and the connection with the soil grew from there. It was one of the most empowering experiences in my life up until that point. It made a lasting impression.
In the late 1980s听with a听6-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter, I moved to the East Village where we squatted in an听abandoned building听in Alphabet city.听I would approach听the city, saying, "There are 10 families fixing abandoned buildings using听their听own听resources, so听sell the buildings听to us."听 We were able to buy some, and we later added greenhouses and chickens听on听the roof tops.听It was here where my advocacy in housing issues was born. Many meetings were held in the building where I lived with my family, and the community made important decisions on how we could support the homeless and unjust policy changes that were occurring in New York City. In 1988, NYC听passed a law that homeless people could no longer reside in the parks. This brought on riots and protests from the community to recognize that the civil rights of the homeless, the poor, the mentally ill听and the addicts were being violated. As a result of the protests, some buildings that were squatted in became听legal residences for those people in need. That experience showed me that when that when people are empowered to use their voice, real change can happen.
A听huge听thing听I learned from my NYC听experience was about听food听deserts. If you听don鈥檛听have听housing,听you probably听can鈥檛听afford healthy听food.听You buy fast food鈥揷heap food that will only get you sick.
I was involved with that for 10听years, and then I got really听burnt out. Some people had mental illness, and some people had听addictions,听so I听needed听a break.听听
By that time I was the mother of four children, and I wanted to teach them to live off the land. We moved to Northeast Pennsylvania where we purchased a house built in the 1800鈥檚 on seven acres. I would spend the next 10听years learning about animal husbandry and听farming, and my passion for living off the land was solidified. I would go on to have two more children while living here. I have many fond memories of seeing my little ones run around naked in the yard with the chickens, bunnies, goats, and pigs while my older city kids adjusted awkwardly to farm life, learning how to milk goats and to deliver听animal babies.
Why did you decide to live in a mobile home community?听
One听of my children had graduated听from听Naropa,听and听the听other听was听graduating that year. I moved听to Boulder because they were here, and I听wanted them to be role models for the younger kids.听I have eight kids ages 13, 14, 17, 21, 24,听30, 35 and听40. All my children live in the park. My听18-year-old and her 24-year-old听brother live听next door. My 30-year-old daughter and my son who is 40听live听on the other side of the park. And my five grandchildren live here too.
At Mapleton I started with an an open-market rate for my听lot rental, which is still much more听affordable than purchasing a condo or home in Boulder,听and I am now on a low-tier rate (affordable housing).听I had brought my greenhouse on top of my van and knew that I would听need space to raise听chickens听and grow food. If I had rented an听apartment, I would not have been able to do that.听
Now, I really love living here.听I am听involved in the community and with policy making. It鈥檚 not just for me, it鈥檚 for my听kids, and my听grandkids who live here too.听I want Mapleton听to be a听really wonderful听place for my family to live.听听
What inspired you to transform Mapleton to a park with sustainable practices?
When I first arrived听I realized听an equity needed to be established at Mapleton听with food听because even though we are听not in a food desert鈥搘e are located near听Sprouts,听Vitamin Cottage and Whole Foods鈥搈any residents can't afford听to shop at听those听stores. I realized听that I could听instead teach the residents听to听grow organic food. 听So听the minute I moved to Mapleton, I converted my lot to a听full-functioning听garden. People were amazed at how听fast I did it. I听started sheet mulching, collecting leaves and finding people who raised organically-fed goats and rabbits.听I went to the farmers market and networked. The second year听I put up my听听greenhouse,听and that was my donation听to the community.听听I听grew听about听5,000 plants听and gave听them听to听the families.
Many residents now have听gardens, and having gardens helped to build community.听 The gardens gave residents听a听feeling of purpose. People who were struggling alone, including seniors who听didn鈥檛听have听family听nearby, would听gather together.听听The seniors听who听can't听partake听in听growing听do听projects with the kids while their parents garden.听We fair share what we grow. All听these听things听build听community.
At first many听were听against bringing chickens into Mapleton because they thought the chickens听would attract wild听animals听and decrease property values. We听brought in cooperative听extention staff to talk to residents, so by the time it听went to a vote, the residents听were ready to take听on听a two-year听project which allowed eight听chickens per听property. The program was strict. The chickens听needed to have听shelter,听and the chicken area听had to be听placed in听a particular spot on the property.听 Homes are only about 10 to 12 feet apart, so neighbors were required听to sign that they would accept听chickens in adjacent yards.听In the beginning听only 10 residents听were allowed into the program, and there were听a lot of听meetings. Now if anyone wants to have chickens, they can, but they still sign an agreement with their neighbors and also sign that someone听can inspect the animals. The program has听been going on nine years,听and听it鈥檚 been wonderful.听I always joke and say goats are next, but I don鈥檛 have the energy.听
I think we are the only mobile home park in the city of听Boulder that has听these kind of听projects. We听showed听that even in small听spaces, there are endless听possibilities to听grow听your own food.听
What are some of the other community projects at Mapleton?
We started working with听CU Boulder's sustainability department, which听works with听FLOWS (Foundation for Leaders Organizing for Water and Sustainability)听about water听conservation. We work听with them听to capture water from the gutters for xeriscape gardening. FLOWS checked听the water pressure within homes and tested whether听there were听leaks in the lines. We also work with听Growing听Gardens, which reconnects people听with their local food systems and teaching gardening, cooking听and nutrition education.听We pick seedlings so families can plant. We听have parties with music to swap seeds. We received another grant听from the city听to buy art supplies so people can gather and do different projects.
麻豆淫院 from CU Boulder and听elementary schools as well as permaculture groups visit Mapleton. We do听workshops, and听the听students also help senior community members with projects. One project was building a bench with a听roof. The bench听sits there so听beautifully; there was no shade there before.
Many manufactured housing parks have old infrastructures. How are you addressing that?
We have an amazing board. We changed our rules, regulations听and听bylaws,听which is a huge undertaking. We听changed听property听managers.听
We听are now updating听water pipes, which will cost听$2 million. Our infrastructure was very old听and the water tasted听bad.听 After听surveying residents living on the north side of the park,听we showed the city why the residents weren鈥檛 drinking the water.听听We then received a grant from the city of Boulder's sugar tax听for听$675,000听to听work on the north side (the south side had been completed). Because听we are very stable financially as a听nonprofit,听we were able to get a very听low interest rate from the bank听and a few grants, so we鈥檙e in very good shape.
Was Mapleton听affected by the 2013 flood?
I first bought a tiny听home, 10 x 55,听and five of my kids lived there. The听greenhouse was our听living room. The door never closed; the outside and inside were one.听
And then the听flood came.听Mapleton Mobile听Home听Park was听hit hard because many homes听were older. My little home was 65 years old. When听Boulder听Creek听started听clogging听with trees, water ditches started overflowing听and water came听through my backyard. It looked like听Niagara Falls. The听water entered my home through听the ground听because the听soil couldn't absorb听the amount of water. My听husband works for听CU Boulder, so听he was gone听with the emergency at听CU. I was听here听with the kids and dogs. It was so bad,听that by the next morning when I came back, the听mattresses听were soaked, and a tree had听fallen on the听greenhouse. I wasn鈥檛听the only one鈥�32 homes got hit hard. After the flood, the city did a program to help mobile homeowners affected by the听flood,听because a lot of people continued听living in their homes that had听flooded. We fixed ours, but we were living in it while we were fixing it, which听was challenging with the kids and听animals.
Mapleton received 32 new homes through听FEMA. It听was听a听challenge听because the original homes were听small, and the replacements were big. I ended up staying听with my kids in a hotel for听eight听months until our new home was听put in.
I听documented听the entire听process, and I show this as a case study when I teach听permaculture. When the flood hit my home, I听was flourishing. I听had听fruit听trees,听the kids had a tree听house above a shed. It was all on the principles听of听permaculture听in a small space, creating as many yields as possible. After the flood, I took everything听out. I听moved trees. My soil is听gold, so I听took the soil from the raised beds. Different people would come and help. Our new听home arrived听in February, and听by听August I had a full harvest. I put the raised beds in, built听a chicken coop听and redesigned the whole lot. Not that I enjoyed everything. I thought I was going to lose my mind because I was working full time commuting听to听Denver, and I had the kids and听my dogs in a hotel, and I听had to come back to Mapleton to feed听the chickens. It听was听not听a ride听in听the park. Some people were struggling with their applications, and they felt like they couldn鈥檛 do it, and听I was encouraging them. Everyone would help听each other when it was time for someone to move. People had been听living here 30 years and had stuff under their trailers. It听was not听easy. But听now we are so grateful that FEMA funding was available. Some of these families would not have听ever听been able to afford a home.听 We all pulled together, and we were听able to听do this for each other.听
What are some of the benefits of living in a mobile home community?
When 9-11听hit, we听were in Pennsylvania about two hours from NYC,听I听had seven听acres, and听my听taxes听were around $400 a year.听After听Sept. 11, my property taxes went up to听$2,700 in one year because so many people were trying to move to our area after the terrorist event. It made me realize that when I became听older, I would probably not be able to afford to live there.
Today I have a听three-year-old home. My property听taxes are approximately听$400, but compared to听Boulder homes鈥揳nd my kids are in the same school district as those who own homes鈥揑 don鈥檛 pay hardly anything. People are realizing mobile home parks are听an affordable听way to live.听听It鈥檚 much more听sustainable听because you are听not heating big homes. Maintenance is a lot less than a big home.听So听more听people are being sold听to the idea of听living in mobile home parks. A lot of the mobile home parks that are near water now听cost around听$200,000 for a property. Even听$200,000听is nothing compared to the听real-estate听market听of a home in听Boulder or Florida.听
How many hours a week do you work as an HOA leader?听听
I work approximately 12听hours each听week, and that鈥檚 when听everything听is听pretty smooth.听 The听management committee chair always calls me if something needs听resolution because I have been on the board so long. We do board meetings once a month, but when I was the chair, it was two meetings a month.听And then the quarterly resident meetings,听the emails,听the听newsletters, the听tree projects and now we鈥檙e doing the听infrastructure for the water,听which is enormous. The construction crew is tearing听up听the听streets,听so we arranged the parking for families. At some point during construction there鈥檚 going to be听no electric or water,听and we鈥檙e听organizing that.听
Why are HOAs important for mobile home parks?听
HOAs are important because they give听residents a voice, and knowledge gets shared. Our board puts out听a monthly听newspaper and organizes quarterly meetings听where the community comes together.听And if there's anything big to vote on, we start preparing residents before the meetings so their voices are听heard. This model works because we are working with听a nonprofit (Thistle Communities). Private park owners听can raise your rent听$100 to $150 a month听if they don鈥檛 like you. They can add听a million rules. People who have听been living听in mobile home parks have become听a portfolio of income for private owners. These private owners want all the old folks to leave and to bring听in new people. Then听the听rents听are raised to $800 and听$900, they charge you for the听water bill, and before听know听it,听you are paying听in听a mobile听home park听what you would听pay听for a Boulder apartment. People听are still attracted to mobile home parks because they can have听a backyard听to garden, whereas most Boulder apartments don鈥檛 have that. At a mobile home park, you听have two parking spaces in听front听of your home.听听Not everyone has parking in Boulder.
Locally groups have formed听to introduce legislation so that private owners听can't just come in and do whatever they want to mobile home residents
What has the Mapleton HOA been able to achieve?听What are you most proud of?听Has this been a rewarding experience?听
I am most proud of the听community building鈥搕o see everyone care for听each other.听 If someone听we听know听is听sick,听we bring meals. We have funding from the听city and private people have donated into听a fund so听if听someone听is听struggling, or if during COVID someone can't afford the rent, we听help them. We also have a city liason听who听brings information about resources听to the community.
The woman on the other side of my property's home听burned down. We were able to ask an owner who hadn't moved in yet if she could听live there when听he wasn't there,听and she lived there for four months. He听didn鈥檛听even听charge her听rent because听he听was听paying anyway, and she needed a place.
The听other four members on the board are dedicated. It doesn鈥檛 matter how many hours, if something comes up, we get together. There was听a resident with the coronavirus who听needed financial support. Everyone chipped in, and he鈥檚 getting food and financial resources now. He probably would have died听because听he听had no energy,听and there was听no food in the house.
Living in a manufactured home community is not perfect because we live听in such close quarters. There are seniors who are bothered by听noise. In a few situations people have mental illnesses, and听if they don鈥檛 take their听meds, it gets听pretty bad. There听are residents听who have very low incomes. Sometimes they听can鈥檛 pay听the听electric bill or this or that, and because of the听mental illness听they don鈥檛 have听capacity to seek help. There's听a听lot of trust听with听the听board听and听the management committee, and听if听we听know there鈥檚 a听need,听they can count on us. That feels听really听good.
On the part of听sustainability, it just makes me happy that I show groups听so many gardens.听We have听a听senior, he鈥檚 in an old senior home now, but when听I听would bring groups, he would come out with the teens听and听he would听show them how to make kale听chips, and听he听would听sun dry them. There was enormous amount of听connection and respect, and the kids would come back and say, "Could we go back to Gene鈥檚 house?"听听
We also work with the Boulder听courts, and people who get听credit for听community service do work in听our seniors' yards.听听Maybe the workers are having a hard time, but they come听here and see听that听we have this听little听village. We get pizza for them when they work here, and somebody makes cupcakes.听
We听rent dumpsters for cleanout days because some people don鈥檛 have the wheels or money to bring听their听larger items听to the听dump.听 We have听money that comes听from听the residents'听rent, and we听decided that we are doing this service because it beautifies the park.
What advice would you give to mobile听homeowners听who are thinking about starting an HOA?听
I would say they should look听at听other mobile home communities听that听have started HOAs.听 Do the听research,听get听involved, attend board meetings of other听communities,听look听at their newspapers and the听kind of information they want their residents to have.听The main thing is to decide on听the new HOA's goals. Do they听want a community听that is听just听affordable? Or do they want a community that鈥檚 more engaged?
How has the pandemic affected Mapleton residents?听
Many residents听have lost jobs.听听If someone is struggling, we recommend them to the our city liaison, and she听will connect them to resources.听We听work听with听Boulder听Food听Rescue. So twice to three times each听week food is delivered听here, and听volunteers听from our听community set听the food out, and families get the food. Some听families听don鈥檛 want to go there because听they are听embarrassed, so someone will take a few bags of food to听them.听听
Do Mapleton residents want to purchase听the park?
At Mapleton, residents听own their homes, but they don鈥檛 own the land beneath them. A nonprofit, Thistle Communities, owns the听land, and we have a听100-year听lease.听 Mapleton's听board听runs the听finances,听insurance, rules and regulations and the leases.听 Prospective resident applications are handled by Thistle,听which determines, based on income,听which听tier (affordable housing or market rate) applicants听qualify for.
Our goal is听to听become听land owners听and form some sort of a cooperative.听 We have attended听meetings with the nonprofit ROC (Resident Owned Communitites), which helps听create听cooperatives with mobile home parks听so residents can own the land.听 Other听organizations are working on affordable housing with mobile homes. In the听last few years,听acquiring mobile听home parks听have become听huge money makers,听so a lot of people are buying these mobile home parks, increasing the rent, and also听making them very听strict听cookie-cutter patterns. The homes have to be younger than a certain year, and if the year of the mobile home is much older, then it听has to be removed. Mobile home parks used to be the听most affordable听way for听low-income听families to听be able to afford a home, but it鈥檚听changed.
How much longer do you plan to听live听at Mapleton?
My eight children live at Mapleton, and my听three youngest still live with me.听I have five grandchildren here too. I probably will continue to live here after my retirement.听I am very happy here.
Read more stories from the "Voices" collection.
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