Remaining Duroville residents frantically search for new homes

Blanca Cantero and her husband are both without jobs and soon their family will be without a home. Days are numbered for their community at the Duroville Mobile Home Park. As of June 30, it’ll cease to exist, which is why more than 180 families moved to the nearby Mountain View Estates.

About 12 families, including the Canteros, remain and capacity at Mountain View was reached in May. Some neighbors say people who never lived in Duroville filled the space at Mountain View. Riverside County Supervisor John Benoit disagrees.

“It’s almost exclusively Duroville. Others had the chance to apply but we filled the demand of residences with those from Duroville,” said Benoit.

For many of the families left behind, they say the dirty, unsafe and unhealthy conditions are all they can afford.

Maria Salazar is one of them, saying she didn’t qualify for the new mobile home park.

“I have little money; $9,000 a year is not enough to apply there,” she said.

Benoit said, “We’ve been soliciting people to move for two and half years. We’re down to the ones who didn’t believe or had other reasons.”

However, as disbelief fades and reality sinks in, Benoit hopes families will take the county up on its offer.

“We’re still there to help, even though they’ve turned down the help, to make sure they have options, and we hope they avail with those options,” said Benoit.