As mobile homes make way for a public park in Basalt, some say a non profit organization has broken promises about how it would help residents. More than 200 people in the flood-prone Pan and Fork Mobile Home park now have to move or get ready to, as riverfront work starts there. One resident Adriana Torres, says years ago, the Roaring Fork Community Development Corporation, or CDC talked about relocating the residents.
"The organization, the Roaring Fork CDC, they promised to us and talked to us beautifully. ‘We’re going to find a place for you guys, maybe affordable houses or another trailer park,’ and then suddenly they disappeared, no more talking, no more conversations and I know they don’t have the magic wand to find housing, but at least they need to face us and say, ‘there’s nothing for you guys, you need to find a place.'"
Other residents have voiced similar concerns. The Aspen Times reports 25 people from the trailer park spoke up about the same issue at a Town meeting Tuesday night.
The Roaring Fork CDC has been involved in the project for years. In 2011, the organization purchased the five acres the trailer park sits on and then sold half to the town. Colin Laird is with the organization. Aspen Public Radio's Marci Krivonen spoke with him.
