In the Emma neighborhood northwest of downtown Asheville, North Carolina, residents are working to preserve mobile home parks as a source of affordable housing. Laura Garcia, a 49-year-old resident and grocery store owner, is part of a group that has formed cooperatives to buy the land under their homes. With help from the nonprofit PODER Emma, these residents now have more control over their housing. Four parks in Emma have adopted this model. Manufactured homes make up 71 percent of the neighborhood’s housing.
PODER Emma, led by director Andrea Golden, supports mobile homes as a housing option for working families. The group’s motto is ‘Community Development Without Displacement.’ The organization aims to keep Emma affordable and diverse. The neighborhood is one of the few in Buncombe County where Latino, Black, and low-income white families have stayed, despite rising housing costs in other parts of Asheville and the county.
A current dispute involves a proposed development at 815 Emma Road. A special use permit was approved to build 107 market-rate rental townhouses on 12 acres. PODER and two members have filed a lawsuit in Buncombe County Superior Court to challenge the county Board of Adjustment’s decision. They argue that keeping existing affordable housing should be a priority and that large developments can lead to displacement…