Open Letter from United Residents of Euclid Beach

NEOCH is proud to support and stand with United Residents of Euclid Beach, a newly formed tenant union at Euclid Beach Mobile Home Park.

Residents of the Euclid Beach Mobile Home Park voted on August 3 to form a tenant union called United Residents of Euclid Beach to collectively vocalize growing fears of displacement and an uncertain future for the mobile home park residents. One week after forming the union, tenants sent an open letter to Western Reserve Land Conservancy (WRLC) leadership that includes several requests on how WRLC should handle decision-making on matters that will impact the mobile home community, including a 3-year minimum notice of any relevant changes to their housing.

WRLC is currently undergoing a planning process to determine how the land’s future use will benefit the immediate and broader community, but many longtime residents are fearful that they’ll be displaced. "When I purchased this home, I intended to die here. My husband is disabled, and our paychecks aren't getting any bigger. There is a sense of pride in owning a home in a safe community, and the zen lakefront atmosphere is easy to relax in. That's what home's all about: relaxing, being with family, and loving where you live. I hope that isn't taken away from me," says Mary Johnson, a longtime resident.

Anthony Beard, another Euclid Beach Mobile Home Park resident, shares that, "This place is my home – the most important place in my life. I love being here and I made an investment to make this my forever home. Being displaced from my community during such challenging economic and social times is unimaginable. We, the United Residents of Euclid Beach, are committed to making sure people are able to stay, not taken advantage of or persuaded to leave one by one."

Organizers with the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless (NEOCH) are supporting United Residents of Euclid Beach to ensure that their voices are heard, and that the future of the mobile home park leads to no net loss of affordable housing. “Cleveland needs to be creating more affordable housing, not bulldozing the housing stock we do have,” says Barry Goldberg, Housing Justice Community Organizer with NEOCH. “Many residents have told us they want to remain in their homes. We hope to work with the Western Reserve Land Conservancy and United Residents of Euclid Beach to find a plan that benefits everyone, including residents who want to stay.”