CHASING THE DREAM: “A DECENT HOME”

JACK: GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO 'METROFOCUS.'

I AM JACK FORD.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN AMERICA, THERE IS ONE TYPE OF HOUSING THAT IS NEVER IN THE CONVERSATION BUT IT SHOULD BE.

MOBILE HOMES.

THEY REPRESENT THE LARGEST SOURCE OF UNSUBSIDIZED AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE COUNTRY.

FOR MANY EXPERIENCING HOUSING INSTABILITY, MOBILE HOME PARKS REPRESENT THE ONLY HOUSING OPTION THEY CAN ACTUALLY AFFORD.

BUT AS THE NEW PBS DOCUMENTARY TITLED 'A DECENT HOME SHOWS, MOBILE HOME RESIDENTS ARE ALWAYS VULNERABLE.

SOMETHING ACTIVISTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE LOOKING TO CHANGE.

LET'S TAKE A QUICK PREVIEW.

ACROSS AMERICA, MOBILE HOMES PROVIDE MUCH-NEEDED AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

EVERYBODY'S DREAM IS TO HAVE A PLACE THEY CAN CALL THEIR OWN.

BUT THERE IS A CATCH --

IT'S ABOUT WHO OWNS THE LAND.

MOST RESIDENTS OWN THEIR HOMES, BUT NOT THE LAND THEY LIVE ON.

AS RENTS SKYROCKET, AMENITIES ARE FIGHTING BACK.

'A DECENT HOME,' ON 'AMERICA REFRAMED.'

JACK: JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT THIS FILM IS THE DIRECTOR, SARA TERRY.

ALSO WITH AS TO TALK ABOUT WHERE MOBILE HOMES FIT IN THE HOUSING LANDSCAPE IN NEW YORK STATE, AS WELL AS WHAT NEW YORK LAW SAYS ABOUT MOBILE HOMES, IS KIERSTEN KEEF, SENIOR ATTORNEY WITH THE EMPIRE JUSTICE CENTER'S ALBANY OFFICE.

WELCOME TO BOTH OF YOU, THANKS FOR JOINING US.

GUEST: THANK YOU.

JACK: IT'S A MARVELOUS FILM.

VERY COMPELLING AND VERY INFORMATIVE.

WHICH IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT WHEN PUTTING TOGETHER A DOCUMENTARY.

SARA, LET ME START WITH YOU AS A DIRECTOR HERE.

WHAT WAS IT ABOUT THE STORY THAT DREW YOU TO IT?

GUEST: I ACTUALLY BEGAN FILMING IN 2015.

THE CLINIC WAS READING AN ARTICLE IN THE GUARDIAN THAT WAS FOCUSING MAINLY ON MOBILE HOME UNIVERSITY, WHICH IS, IN THE FILM YOU WILL SEE IT AS A PLACE WHERE MID-LEVEL INVESTORS ARE TAUGHT TO BUY AND SELL PARTS AND MAKE THE MOST MONEY, WHICH WAS OUTRAGEOUS ENOUGH, BUT WITHIN THAT STORY THERE WAS A VERY SHARP PARAGRAPH -- SHORT PARAGRAPH THAT SAID THE CARLYLE GROUP, ONE OF THE LARGEST PRIVATE EQUITY FIRMS IN THE WORLD, IS STARTING TO BUY MOBILE HOME PARKS AND THE REST OF THE PRIVATE EQUITY WORLD IS WATCHING.

THAT WAS JUST, LIKE, I THINK THE WEALTH GAP IS THE BIGGEST ISSUE THAT WE FACE IN THE WORLD, AND TO THINK THAT THE WEALTHIEST OF THE WEALTHY WERE BUYING UP HOMES THAT PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE WITH THE LEAST MEANS TO ACTUALLY OWN A HOME -- PRIVATE EQUITY WAS BUYING UP THE PARKS, THE LAND -- JACK: WE WILL GET TO THAT IN A SECOND AND WILL TALK ABOUT THAT.

GUEST: YEAH.

BUT IT WAS THAT.

IT WAS, LIKE, WHO ARE WE BECOMING AS AMERICANS WHEN THIS IS WHAT CAN HAPPEN? IT WAS TOO MUCH.

SIX WEEKS LATER I WAS FILMING AT MOBILE HOME UNIVERSITY.

JACK: A QUESTION I OFTEN ASK FILMMAKERS IS, WHERE DID THE TITLE COME FROM?

'A DECENT HOME' HAS SOME LEGAL SIGNIFICANCE.

EXPLAIN THAT TO US.

GUEST: FOR MANY YEARS, OF A WORKING TITLE WAS 'THAT IS HOW WE ROLL.'

I DECIDED THAT WAS TOO JOKEY AT THE END.

WE WERE CONSIDERING SOME HISTORIC LEGISLATION AROUND HOUSING IN AMERICA AND THERE WAS A 1949 ACT THAT IS STILL ON THE BOOKS, THE HOUSING ACT.

IT PLEDGES A DECENT HOME FOR EVERY AMERICAN CITIZEN.

AND I WAS, LIKE, YEAH, 'A DECENT HOME,' THAT IS WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT.

THERE IS YOUR TITLE.

RIGHT THERE.

JACK: KIERSTEN I KNOW THAT IN THE FILM, THE IDEA THAT THESE MOBILE HOME PARKS CAN BE AT LEAST PART OF THE SOLUTION TO OUR HOUSING CRISIS IS SIGNIFICANT HERE.

FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, IN THE WORK THAT YOU DO, IS THAT SOMETHING YOU WOULD AGREE WITH?

GUEST: ABSOLUTELY.

AND I WILL JUST ACKNOWLEDGE, THE COMMUNITY RENEWAL NEW YORK STATE HOUSING AGENCY HAS RECOGNIZED THIS IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS AND DEVELOPED PRODUCTS AROUND FINANCING.

BUT ABSOLUTELY, THERE ARE ABOUT 1800 MOBILE HOME PARKS THROUGHOUT NEW YORK STATE.

AND I THINK THERE ARE JUST UNDER 85,000 OR SO HOUSEHOLDS IN MOBILE HOME PARKS.

IT REALLY IS A KEY PIECE TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FABRIC IN NEW YORK STATE.

JACK: SARA, SEVEN EUROS TO PUT THIS TOGETHER, THE FILM SHOWS VARIOUS LOCATIONS -- SEVEN YEARS TO PUT THIS TOGETHER, THE FILM SHOWS VARIOUS LOCATIONS.

THERE IS A BIT OF A STIGMA MANY PEOPLE MIGHT ATTACH TO THE THOUGHT OF LIVING IN THE MOBILE HOME, IN A TRAILER PARK.

WHAT DID YOU FIND WITH REGARD TO THAT IDEA OF A STIGMA IN YOUR TRAVELS?

SARA: STIGMA WAS PART OF THE STEREOTYPING THAT I WANTED TO BREAK.

I KNEW PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN MOBILE HOME PARKS.

PART OF THE REASON WE HAVE THOSE STIGMAS IS MEDIA AND HOLLYWOOD REPRESENTATION OF THEM AS LAS T-END RESORTS, METH LABS.

I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THESE PARKS AND WHAT MADE THESE COMMUNITIES HOME.

I AM CONSTANTLY PORTRAYING HOME THROUGHOUT THE FILM IN EACH OF THE PARKS.

AND I FOUND ONE OF THE MAIN STORIES IN THE FILM IS ABOUT A LOW INCOME PARK IN COLORADO THAT IS MAINLY HISPANIC.

HISTORICALLY MOBILE HOME PARKS HAVE BEEN WHITE LANDSCAPES.

THAT IS CHANGING.

I ALSO WANTED TO THROW IN A LITTLE SURPRISE THAT WOULD SORT OF GO, YOU THINK YOU KNOW WHAT A MOBILE HOME PARK LOOKED LIKE AND YOU THINK YOU KNOW WHO LIVES THERE?

THERE IS A PARK IN THE FILM THAT IS LITERALLY RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO GOOGLE HEADQUARTERS, WERE GOOGLE EMPLOYEES ALONGSIDE FIXED INCOME SENIORS LIVE, BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD HOUSING ANYWHERE IN SILICON VALLEY.

IT IS JUST A WAY OF TRYING TO SHAKE YOU UP, YOU KNOW, TO SHOW YOU THAT LANDSCAPE.

THERE IS A PARK IN IOWA WHERE A RETIRED GRANDMOTHER IS LEADING THE BATTLE AGAINST THE PRIVATE EQUITY FIRM THAT BOUGHT IT.

THEY ARE HOME, THEY ARE COMMUNITY.

PLACES WHERE PEOPLE CARE FOR EACH OTHER, CARE FOR THEIR HOMES AND IT IS WHERE THEY FEEL THEY HAVE GOT A SHOT AT WHAT WE HAVE CALLED THE AMERICAN DREAM.

JACK: LET'S GO BACK TO WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, WHERE YOU WERE SAYING THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN THESE HIGH-LEVEL FINANCIAL FIRMS ARE BUYING UP THESE MOBILE HOME PARKS.

IF SOMEONE IS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE NOTION OF OWNERSHIP, THEY MIGHT SAY, WELL, MAY BE THAT IS A GOOD DEAL FOR THE PEOPLE WHO OWN THE MOBILE HOMES.

SOMEBODY GOING TO THROW SOME MONEY AT THEM.

BUT AS YOU TALK ABOUT IN THE FILM, THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT CATCH-22 HERE IN TERMS OF OWNERSHIP OF MOBILE HOMES WHICH ALLOWS THAT TO HAPPEN.

WHAT IS THAT, EXPLAIN THAT TO US.

KIRSTEN: THE TRICK WE HAVE ALLUDED TO IS THE FACT THAT THE PARK OWNER OWNS THE LAND.

THE OWNER OF THE HOME THAT IS ON THE LAND AS TO PAY RENT FOR THAT LAND.

THERE IS ALMOST NO PROTECTION ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES -- IT IS CHANGING A BIT IN RECENT YEARS, BUT THERE'S ALMOST NO PROTECTION FOR PARK RESIDENTS IN TERMS OF HOW OFTEN THE RENT CAN BE RAISED, BY HOW MUCH THE RENT CAN BE RAISED.

IT IS JUST LITTLE POCKET OF WHAT WAS A MOM-AND-POP BUSINESS FOR MANY YEARS WHERE PEOPLE WERE NOT INTERESTED IN MAKING HUGE PROFITS, AND THAT PRIVATE EQUITY WAY OF, THEY FIND AVOIDS TO FILL IN CAPITALISM, THEY SAW THERE WAS MONEY TO BE MADE HERE AND WITH NO PROTECTIONS AND WITH VERY FEW COSTS TO THE PARK OWNER -- BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT MAINTAINING THE PLUMBING, YOU ARE NOT MAINTAINING THE BUILDING LIKE YOU HAVE TO DO FOR AN APARTMENT DWELLER, THAT IS HOW THESE GUYS PITCH IT TO INVESTORS.

CASH FLOW FROM DAY ONE.

GOOD IN ANY MARKET.

SO MANY PEOPLE ARE POOR AND WE ARE IN THE HOUSING CRISIS.

IT IS SO COLD.

JACK: WHICH, BY THE WAY, IT IS, YOU CAN UNDERSTAND FROM A PERSONAL NATURE, BUT IF YOU ARE JUST LOOKING AT IT IN DOLLARS AND CENTS, THE WAY YOU DESCRIBED IT, THERE IS AN ATTRACTION TO THAT.

HOW ABOUT IN NEW YORK STATE, ARE THERE ANY PROTECTIONS THAT CAN AID PEOPLE IN THESE TYPES OF SCENARIOS?

KIRSTEN: THE NEW YORK HOUSING AGENCY DOES HAVE PRODUCTS TO HELP MOBILE HOME PARK RESIDENTS BECOME A CO-OP OR AN ASSOCIATION AND PURCHASE A PROPERTY, THE PROPERTY UNDERNEATH IT WHEN IT COMES UP FOR SALE.

WE DO HAVE A LAW ON THE BOOKS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO GIVE THOSE RESIDENTS A RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL.

SO WHEN THE PARK COMES FOR SALE, IF THE RESIDENTS CAN MEET THIS IN PRICE THIRD PARTY MIGHT BE PURCHASING IT, THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO PURCHASE IT.

THERE ARE ISSUES WITH THE BILL CURRENTLY.

ACTUALLY A BILL HAS BEEN INTRODUCED IN THE LEGISLATURE THIS SESSION THAT WOULD ENHANCE BILL AND IMPROVE IT AND MAKE IT MORE MEANINGFUL FOR THE PARK RESIDENTS TO BE ABLE TO PURCHASE.

JACK: SARA, I AM SURE IN YOUR TRAVELS AND DIGGING INTO THESE ISSUES, YOU HAVE SEEN THE PUSHBACK WHICH ESSENTIALLY SAYS, THERE IS SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T SOUND FAIR HERE TO THE OWNERS, BUT IN TIMES OF OUR CAPITALISTIC SOCIETY AND THE STANDARDS THAT WE GO BY, IF THE PEOPLE WHO OWN THIS LAND CAN MAKE A PROFIT BY SELLING IT, SHOULDN'T THEY BE ALLOWED TO DO THAT, TO BENEFIT FROM THEIR INVESTMENT WHENEVER THEY MADE IT, AND HOPEFULLY THE HOMEOWNERS WILL STILL BE ACCOMMODATED?

WHY SHOULD WE STEP IN AND INTERFERE IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM WITH THAT COMMERCIAL TRANSACTION?

SARA: WHY SHOULD WE IN ANY WAY TRY TO TEMPER PREDATORY CAPITALISM?

WHAT SOCIETY DO YOU WANT TO LIVE IN?

WHERE MAKING A DOLLAR IS THE GOD THAT RULES EVERYTHING, AS GORDON GEKKO FAMOUSLY SAID, 'GREED IS GOOD.'

MILTON FRIEDMAN IN THE 1970'S WROTE IN THE 1970'S, SAID THE GOAL OF A CORPORATION IS TO MAKE MORE MONEY FOR ITS SHAREHOLDERS.

THAT FLIES IN THE FACE OF ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS WE CAN ASK OURSELVES AS AMERICANS, AND THAT IS, 'IS A HOME SOMETHING AN INDIVIDUAL, A FAMILY NEEDS TO BE SAFE AND TO THRIVE, AND ARE AFFORDABLE HOMES SOMETHING A COMMUNITY NEEDS TO HAVE A THRIVING CITIZEN BASE, OR IS A HOME A COMMODITY, TO BE BOUGHT AND SOLD TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER?'

BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THE WINNING PART OF THAT ARGUMENT IS, 'IT IS JUST A COMMODITY THAT ANYBODY CAN BUY AND SELL.'

YOU LOOK FURTHER AND YOU WILL SEE PRIVATE EQUITY REEKING HAVOC IN THE ENTIRE HOUSING MARKET ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BUYING UP SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES AND TURNING THEM INTO RENTALS.

. THEY ARE DESTROYING ONE OF THE MOST BASIC THINGS THAT I HAVE ALWAYS CHERISHED ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AN AMERICAN.

THAT IS WHAT THIS FILM IS ABOUT.

WHO ARE WE BECOMING IF THIS IS THE MODEL THAT WE SORT OF GO, LIFE IS GOOD.

MAKE AS MANY AS YOU CAN AND HURT ANYBODY YOU CAN.

IT DOESN'T MATTER AS LONG AS YOU MAKE A BUCK.

I CAN'T LIVE IN THAT AMERICA.

JACK: GOES BACK TO THE TITLE 'A STATUTORY GUARANTEE THAT EVERY AMERICAN CITIZEN IS ENTITLED TO A DECENT HOME.'

WE COULD TALK FOREVER ABOUT THIS, BUT WE HAVE THE TYRANNY OF OVERTIME RESTRAINT.

IT IS A MARVELOUS FILM.

IT DOES WHAT A DOCUMENTARY SHOULD DO, IT INFORMS AND MAKES YOU THINK.

SARA, TO YOU, CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT.

AND KIRSTEN, THANK YOU FOR FILLING US IN ON WHAT THE NEW YORK STATE AREA IS DOING, WE WILL SEE WHERE THIS GOES.

THANK YOU AGAIN SO MUCH.

YOU ALL BE WELL.

GUEST: THANK YOU.

GUEST: THANK YOU.

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