GALLATIN COUNTY — Earlier this month, residents at King Arthur Park and at Mountain Meadows Estates announced their respective tenant unions and their goals to become resident-owned communities. Now, a week and a half later, those residents came together again at Gallatin County Courthouse, with the support of several elected officials.
“The City of Bozeman and the Bozeman City Commission have the back of these tenants,” said Deputy Mayor Joey Morrison.
“We stand with all of you,” said Sen. Cora Neumann.
“You folks are the salt of the Earth,” said Rep. Brian Close.
“I stand with you,” said Rep. Josh Seckinger.
In July, tenants from King Arthur Park and Mountain Meadows Estates saw the land their homes are on up for sale online, prompting worry over rent hikes and displacement.
“I was planning on staying there for the rest of my life,” said Rose Sanderson, who have lived in Mountain Meadows Estates for 13 years. She says her home is her pride and joy.
“It’s been a dream come true,” she said.
The organic garden she’s been growing since she moved in is especially important to her. She says she hoped to one day have an organic product stand to share with her neighbors.
“If I have to move, that would all be over,” said Sanderson.
Sanderson said she attended both press conferences and is grateful for the support she’s received from local officials.
“It gives me hope,” she said, “Because there are actually people in positions to help us, you know, make this into a reality.”
County Commissioner Zach Brown says he’s advocating for these mobile home parks because they are vital to the community.
“We’re not seeing any new mobile home parks being developed so it’s important to preserve the ones we have,” said Brown.
Other elected officials said they sent letters to Gary Oakland showing their support of the residents and shared the same sentiment as Brown.
“Owning the land that your house is on, it feels like a basic right to me,”
said Sen. Neumann.
Currently, residents pay at King Arthur Park pay $850 per month for rent, while Mountain Meadows Estates residents pay $870 per month, according to King Arthur Park Tenant Union president Timaree Driscoll.
Over the past few weeks, residents have banded together to urge Oakland Companies, which owns the land the two mobile home parks are on, to sell to them.
“We’re not asking for a handout; just a hand up, so we can make this purchase,” said Debi Rooks, a King Arthur Park resident, at the last press conference.
So far, Bozeman Tenants United says the residents have received no response from owner Gary Oakland on their request to work together. Residents said that if he doesn’t select their bid, they plan to collectively bargain.
WATCH: Press conference at Gallatin County courthouse with support of elected officials
“We will continue to stand together as a community to face whatever comes next,” said Nathanael Homan, President of Mountain Meadows Estates tenant union, at Monday’s press conference.
Gary Oakland told MTN ahead of the press conferences that he’s selling the mobile home parks because he wants to retire.
For residents, preserving their homes is the number one priority.
“We 338 families are Bozeman. We are the heartbeat,” said Sanderson.
