There are more that 50 mobile home parks listed in our local yellow pages, and more people live in them than most of us realize. However, such parks are increasingly being bought up by large, often national, developers who convert them to more lucrative housing such as apartments or condominiums. But when that happens, the individual resident owners are forced out and can be left with few options, few places to go and are often in need of help.

That raises some real questions. Does, or should, the community care what happens to the residents when they are in effect forced out? Who shares the responsibility and expense of a reasonable solution?

Lane County is trying to help, but what's fair and practical? It's a classic case of trying to fairly balance the conflicting rights and interests of private property owners and individuals. Lane County, Eugene and Springfield will have to decide.

Our speakers (and first questioner) are very much involved. All are members of the Manufactured Home Park Committee of the Intergovernmental Housing Policy Board, and Jennifer Solomon is the committee's chair. Come see civic government at work.

Our first question will be asked by Jennifer Solomon, member of Eugene City Council.