Oregon Mobile Manor Will Rise Like Phoenix from the Ashes

JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. — A portion of the City of Phoenix will rise like the ashes of the 2020 Almeda Fire with the construction of 120 homes in Royal Oak Mobile Manor, replacing dwellings gutted by flames in one of the worst-ever wildfires in Oregon.

The fire left 118 families living in the mobile park without a roof over their heads. However, in November 2022, Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) held a ground-breaking ceremony to construct 118 new homes at the mobile park. The project should have been completed by September 2023.

First Batch of Mobile Homes Were Not Fit for Human Occupation

However, the homes were unfit for human occupation last summer. They were riddled with mold, multiple code violations, and leaked water. The discovery shocked previous residents of the Royal Oak Mobile Manor, many having lived in temporary housing since the 2020 disaster.

This June, the state provided $17 million for 118 new homes at the mobile park, with the Jackson County Housing Authority mandated to select the manufacturer.

Previously, 140 homes had been purchased for $26 million from Nashua Builders in Boise, Idaho, through a brokerage, Pacific Housing Partners. According to a report, the mobile homes passed inspection in Idaho before going  to Oregon.

Klamath Falls Company Selected to Construct the New Homes

Jackson County Housing Authority director of real estate development, Ryan Haynes, says his agency selected InteliFab from Klamath Falls to construct the new homes.

Haynes says he will adopt a hands-on approach to the project with regular site inspections to ensure that ‘everything is completed in a first-class manner.’

Haynes confirmed that an order for 40 units had been placed and was hopeful that these would be ready for occupation by April 2025. Two additional orders of 40 units each will be placed at later stages.

The OHCS and the Oregon Department of Justice are involved in legal proceedings regarding the original batch of homes that attracted speculation about where to point the finger of blame. Some thought the state was negligent because the homes were in storage for months while a suitable site was sourced.

The OHCS, however, denied that defects were caused while the units were in storage, saying instead that there were problems with the manufacturing.

The new homes will be allocated to families who lost their properties in the 2020 Labor Day wildfires and meet financial eligibility requirements. Priority will, however, be given to previous tenants of the mobile park.

ACCESS, a nonprofit organization that assists wildfire victims with alternative housing, says it will be qualifying applicants as soon as the go-ahead is given by OHCS. The organization has expressed delight that the project is now moving forward positively.