The Problem
Over 400 families across Richmond are living in mobile homes that are in terrible states of disrepair. These homes lack insulation, which leads to extreme temperatures in the summer and winter. In addition, many deal with collapsed roofs, walls, and floors, along with flooding and leakage. Click here to watch a video that RISC members made illustrating these problems.
Children living in these homes regularly get sick due to mold, missing school and having to stay home in the place that is making them sick. This news report from VPM highlights these homes and concerns of residents.
Click here to watch the healthy homes portion of our Nehemiah Action 2025, which describes the issue more in-depth.
Paulina Chavez speaks about the housing conditions she faces. A repaired mobile home in Richmond.
OUR SOLUTION
To address residents’ housing conditions, we identified the need for a mobile home repair program as a viable solution. This program would be modeled after existing critical home repair programs (such as those operated by Project Homes and Rebuilding Together).
ISSUE CAMPAIGN HISTORY
At our Nehemiah Action in 2022, we presented to city officials that approximately 20 homes could be repaired or replaced with $300,000. We asked our public officials to invest this amount, through the city budget. In Spring 2022, City Council amended the budget to include $300,000 for the mobile home repair and replacement program.
However, in Fall of 2022, we discovered that the city was not releasing the funds, so we organized. RISC members turned out to four City Council meetings (twice with 150 members) and garnered the attention of the news. On March 27, 2023, the day prior to our Nehemiah Action, pressure was high on the city to release the funds. City Council acted, coming to a consensus to release the funds immediately to Project Homes. The program started in June 2023, and 21 homes were repaired. Click here to watch a video that illustrates these improvements.
Since then, we have asked the City Council to commit $1.3 million more, representing a total of $1.6 million for mobile home repairs. In 2023 and 2024, we were able to again win funding for this critical program. 50 homes have already been repaired, with enough funds to repair 50 more.
At our Nehemiah Action in 2025, we reminded Mayor Avula that this urgent problem needs immediate help. We asked him to allocate $2 million per year (for the next three years) towards making these repairs. He committed to allocating $800,000 towards healthy homes, and then promptly reneged on this commitment 2 days later.
100 homes will be repaired - but that leaves 300 families desperately in need of repairs to their homes. We are continuing to fight for these 300 families so they can make their mobile homes safe, healthy, and dignified.
VIDEOS OF OUR HEALTHY HOMES CAMPAIGN
Click here to view the Healthy Homes Portion of our Nehemiah Action 2025.
Click here to view the Affordable & Healthy Homes portion of our Nehemiah Action 2024.
Click here to view the Affordable & Healthy Homes portion of our Nehemiah Action 2023.