When a San Mateo County inspection of the Sequoia Trailer Park in North Fair Oaks revealed that nearly every unit had fallen into disrepair or did not comply with applicable safety and health requirements, officials turned to RTP to provide renovation and repair services.
Beginning July 2022, with unique collaborative funding from the County of San Mateo, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Chan Zuckerberg Foundation, Grove Foundation, and Sobrato Foundation, RTP began to address category 1 repairs, defined as those posing the greatest threat. This included securing propane tanks, repairing leaking sewer lines, removing hazardous debris from under some of the units, replacing electrical cords that created a potential fire hazard, and fixing stairs so residents have a clear means of egress. The team has now turned its attention to less urgent repairs, such as replacing windows and light fixtures.
Brenda Cash is a mobile home owner and a recipient of many of the category 1 repairs, including, among other things, demolishing her existing non-compliant stairs and constructing new stairs, handrails, and a landing on the south entrance to her unit. “None of the repairs would have been possible without RTP’s help,” she said. “Frank, their repair tech, is an outstanding carpenter.”
The project, which is now focused on minor repairs, is expected to continue through July 2023.