Thousand Oaks seniors fight to keep their homes

Residents in Thousand Oaks gathered in front of City Hall this week, holding signs and chanting "Save the seniors" in a protest against losing their housing. 

These seniors, some of whom are in wheelchairs or require oxygen, expressed concern about the city losing housing for its most seasoned members. 

The Ranch Mobile Home Park has catered to seniors since the 1960s, but the confusion started a month ago when the complex, with 74 mobile homes, all lived in by seniors, got a new management company's rules and regulations. There was no mention of the complex remaining for those 55 and older only. The listing for the most recent sale called it family housing.

One resident, 96-year-old Hedda Hughes, couldn't make it to the City Hall, but she has lived in a mobile home park community for 20 years and fears being priced out. 

"I have $1100, I live on that, and if rent is six or seven hundred dollars, I have $400 to live on," she said.

Carol Classan, another resident, is rallying her neighbors to get the council's attention. 

"The city council is the only one who has the power and the authority to say this is a senior park," she told KCAL News Tuesday. "They've already done it, so how can this management park turn it into a family park?" 

Harmony Communities, the management company, wants to change the policy but said the change doesn't affect rents.

"We wonder about the intentions of Harmony homes and what lengths they'll go to actually remove people," said one resident.