RivCo announces plans to close Oasis Mobile Home Park, putting an end to unsafe living conditions
There are now plans to shut down the Oasis Mobile Home Park in Thermal, after residents have experienced unhealthy living conditions for years.
Supervisor Manuel Perez announced the agreement between Riverside County, Torres Martinez tribe and Bureau of Indian Affairs on Wednesday.
“The Parties (Riverside County, Torres Martinez Tribe and Bureau of Indian Affairs) collectively have agreed that the goal for the Oasis Mobile Home Park is closure due to unresolvable health and safety issues that continue to cause exceptional hardship to residents. We understand that there are humanitarian issues involved with these actions. We are currently working on the development of MOUs between the parties to authorize cooperative actions and intergovernmental measures to reduce the tenants in the park.
“We understand that this effort is long term and may take as long as five years to achieve the goal. We will continue to work with residents on relocation as quickly as possible. This effort will take community support and we appreciate any assistance that can be provided.”
Supervisor V. Manuel Perez
“It’s been a very uncomfortable situation," said resident Magdalena Arroyo, who’s just one of the hundreds of residents facing hazardous living conditions.
The announcement came as Environmental Protection Agency met with residents to hear their concerns firsthand. “A result of the lack of infrastructure to this part of the Valley, a lack of investment, a lack of investment to water and wastewater, a lack of investment in electricity infrastructure and much more,” said EPA Regional Administrator Martha Guzman.
The decision to close the park is a moment many residents have been waiting for. “We’re beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel,” Arroya explained as she looks to a better future.
But until then, the focus is on reducing the amount of tenants in the park. There have been efforts from the county, state and federal government to relocate residents.
“First and foremost, starting with enforcing no new residents coming into the housing units that have the families that have been relocated, so that we don't have a continuous problem,” said Guzman.
Policy Advocate with the Leadership Council, Omar Gastelum, believes the decision to close the park is a long time coming. “It would allow the county to now enter the park and address habitability issues that residents have been raising for a long time. It would allow them to address issues regarding trash in the park safety issues, electricity, all these things that must be addressed while residents are being relocated.”
Supervisor Perez said the closure of the park is a long term effort and can take up to the next 5 years to achieve. But, he says he’ll continue his efforts to find residents a new home until then.
