News Release

Nov. 6, 2017

After more than three decades of providing privately owned affordable homeownership opportunities to hundreds of senior households, the Marcus family has sold Friendly Village, a 224-pad senior mobile home park in Redmond, to the King County Housing Authority. The acquisition by the Housing Authority means that existing homeowners will not be displaced and the community will be preserved as affordable housing for active seniors.

 “Mobile home parks like Friendly Village, which provide affordable housing for seniors on a fixed income, are being closed at an alarming rate,” said KCHA Executive Director Stephen Norman. “Given the prime location and zoning of this community, less than a mile and a half from downtown Redmond, a private purchaser would have been under tremendous market pressure to redevelop the land into a more lucrative housing product. Sale of the park to a developer would have inevitably resulted in the loss of 224 homes for seniors. KCHA is deeply appreciative of local elected leadership, including Councilmember Lambert and Mayor Marchione and the City of Redmond for their support of this acquisition.”

There are over 100 mobile home parks in King County – providing affordable housing for over 9,000 households. Many of these communities consist of senior citizens living on fixed incomes. In 2017, five parks closed in King County – with many of the remaining parks in increasing danger of redevelopment as higher cost housing as land values climb. The replacement costs for this much affordable housing would be astronomic – and the loss of this inventory would further exacerbate homelessness in our region.

“In the face increasing housing costs, it’s critically important to preserve this source of affordable housing for seniors for the long-term,” said King County Councilmember Kathy Lambert. “I have very high praise and deep appreciation for the Marcus family’s willingness to work with the Housing Authority to preserve this resource. Friendly Village is a wonderful place and this new opportunity will bring peace of mind for many people for years to come.”

 “Mobile home communities like Friendly Village complement the affordable housing portfolio on the Eastside,” said Redmond Mayor John Marchione. “KCHA’s purchase of this community will prevent any potential displacement of seniors who call Friendly Village and Redmond home, but also assures long-term affordability for residents for years to come

 KCHA expresses thanks to the Marcus family, who has been committed to providing some of the most affordable housing opportunities to senior households in Redmond for more than 30 years.

Friendly Village was built in 1971.  Amenities on this almost 40-acre property include a 4,700 square-foot community building and a swimming pool.

 About KCHA

KCHA, an independent municipal corporation established under state law, assists

more than 19,000 households in the Seattle metropolitan region on a daily basis.  The Authority administers rental housing assistance, develops and manages affordable housing and works closely with community stakeholders to address local priorities such as ending homelessness, improving educational outcomes for the region’s low-income youth and assuring that disabled and elderly households can live with dignity.