People living in manufactured home parks are soon to join the next wave of homelessness. We are seniors, veterans, widows and other vulnerable people fighting to remain in affordable housing. We’re not renters. We’re homeowners and taxpayers. Our homes are on a handkerchief-size piece of ground that we rent and must maintain.

Across the nation, we face escalating rental rates, along with separate steep rent hikes for new tenants. These new tenant rental rates make it hard to find buyers willing to assume that cost. For many residents, this situation is stressful and negatively affects physical and psychological wellbeing. It instills a deep-seated fear as we face the possibility of becoming homeless.

The prospect of being unable to sell our homes—should the need arise to relocate to a care facility or to live nearer to our children for support—casts a shadow over our well-being. We’re asking for empathy and help. Currently, Oregon Housing and Community Services is applying for a $25 million federal grant that could help Oregon park residents band together to buy the parks where we live under Oregon’s Manufactured Park Dwelling Preservation Fund Program.

There are over 1,066 manufactured home parks in Oregon, with over 62,861 spaces for homes in those parks. We feel we should have an equal opportunity to take part in our fair market economy, just as manufactured home park owners do. We want to be able to sell our homes if we choose. Instead, we’re trapped. Something must be done to protect this form of affordable housing.

Judy Annin, Lebanon

Annin founded the Facebook group Manufactured Homeowners for Change, Oregon

To read more letters to the editor, go to oregonlive.com/opinion.