I would hope regular readers would know that I wouldn't refer to people in such a negative way. In fact I'm speaking quite literally here - trailers reduced to trash. This picture is from the trailer park at Piper and
Here's a picture I took of the park in 2008 when this fence had just gone up. You can see that it was full of low cost housing. Here's a picture I took last week at the same spot along the fence.
View at fence opening July 2010
View at fence opening August 2008
This used to be full of trailers with little gardens.
The trailer park at 40th and Piper takes up quite a bit of space and I'm sure the property value is much higher than when it first became a trailer park and maybe the owners feels they can use the land more profitably. Or perhaps they've gotten older and just wants to get their cash and the new buyer wants to build. Who knows? Trailers seem like a poor option where the winters get really cold, but they also aren't cubby holes in long dark corridors. The people at this park had quick access to the out of doors, little yards and gardens.
I recall news stories in past years about trailer park closures and people not being able to find space to relocate their trailers. I can't find any of those stories online. But my sense is that the number of trailer parks is shrinking and there are fewer places that people can park them. Here's a google list:
I recall news stories in past years about trailer park closures and people not being able to find space to relocate their trailers. I can't find any of those stories online. But my sense is that the number of trailer parks is shrinking and there are fewer places that people can park them. Here's a google list:
I'm not really making a statement one way or the other about this. I don't know enough to do that. Things change. I'm just putting this up for the record. Maybe others can interpret what this means for Anchorage and the people who live here.
There are still trailer parks around. Just a few blocks south of the now defuncting Piper/42nd trailer park across Tudor, at Piper and 46th, is a small trailer park with maybe half a dozen trailers.
It's sad to see the trailer parks go. They are inexpensive places to live and still have what homeowners have, the privacy of no one listening in on the other side of your living room or bedroom wall, a little spot to garden, a neighborhood of people that you can choose to interact with if you like. I lived in trailer courts in Anchorage in the 70's, we often formed little communities, caring for each others children, sometimes exhanging car repairs for cookies. During the pipeline boom little trailer courts with antique Airstreams and 8 X 50 housetrailers were the ONLY affordable housing. While many of us were able to finish school, save money and move on to other stages in our lives, for others, seniors and the disabled, this was the only option, other than a ratty apartment at the end of a long dark hallway. Where will they have to live, if they can't have the independence of a park?
ReplyDeleteTying to build downpayment from savings, Gene and I lived in a trailer in west Anchorage from 1987-97. It was a mature spruce, park-like setting by West High School and it was a great decision. We lived, total monthly costs, for $450, letting us set aside a good amount. We bought a condo in the summer of 1997 and actually sold the trailer at break-even for the cost and improvements we made to it.
ReplyDeleteWe had some really nice neighbors and because of our zip code, even got a secret service vetted invitation to H W Bush birthday in Texas one year! Only $25,000 per person. We declined as we had other engagements.
Trailers, or other low-cost product, can and do serve a valuable function as an option in any housing market.
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