OSTA: Empowering Park & Marina Residents
If you are an Oregon Manufactured Home Park or Marina resident who owns their home, but rents the space or slip in which your home is located, then we are here for you.
OSTA is your support network, a trusted source of information about your rights, and your advocate for more secure housing through improved legislation.
Through these efforts and initiatives, we enhance your quality of life.
OSTA is a nonprofit, grassroots organization that seeks direction from members, avoiding a top-down approach, regarding decision-making on critical issues affecting members’ lifestyle choices, quality of life, and rights as residents in manufactured housing and floating home communities.
OSTA works to provide an expanding array of programs, information, and services to its members. It is an organization focused, not only on protecting the rights of homeowners as residents in parks and marinas but an organization that supports all aspects of manufactured and floating home living.
To enable this to happen we rely on members, teams, and colleagues, across the state who support this common vision. This work requires time, investment, and dedication to serve our 80,000+ residents and we rely solely on memberships and donations to achieve our goals.
Join OSTA Link
https://oregontenants.com/membership-account/membership-levels/
OSTA: Empowering Park & Marina Residents
Zoom In: Online meeting to Combat Housing Inequities
Living in a manufactured home community and wondering how to combat skyrocketing rents and unfair housing practices? Get ready to uncover the critical insights shared by Bill Bateman, Co-President and Communications Director of the Oregon State Tenants Association (OSTA), as we delve into the pressing issues facing residents of manufactured or floating home communities in Oregon.
Join the upcoming Zoom sessions, scheduled for September 9th through 12th, which offer a vital platform for seniors to share their experiences and support new legislation spearheaded by Representative Pam Marsh. These sessions will address three main areas of concern: rent hikes outpacing Social Security benefits, complicated rent resets that hinder unit sales, and arbitrary cosmetic improvements required before selling. We also emphasize the importance of forming tenant associations to amplify collective power and fight back against community intimidation and bullying.
Inspired by Stephen Gabriel's powerful lyrics, addressing Stephen Biko, we explore igniting positive change through collective action. Learn how to become an unstoppable force for good in addressing social issues with passion and determination. Stay informed and engaged with our Zoom updates, email interactions, and by subscribing and sharing our podcast. Join us Monday at 11 o'clock for the latest updates and discussions. Let's work together to drive legislative change and ensure a fairer housing market. Until next time, stay safe, spread the word, and let's be the fire that can't be extinguished.
If you wish to call in here is the phone number and meeting ID you will need:
+17193594580,,84965664505# US
Monday, September 9,⋅11:00 am – 12:00 pm
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84965664505
Sept. 10th OSTA Renters Drop-in
Tuesday, September 10,⋅6:30 – 7:30 pm
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87971046317
Sept 11th OSTA Renters Drop In
Wednesday, September 11,⋅9:00 – 10:00 am
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81205449085
Sept. 12 OSTA Renters Drop In
Thursday, September 12,⋅4:00 – 5:00 pm
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83002120913
Join OSTA Link
Comments or Questions for the Podcast
Email: bbateman@oregontenants.com
Copyright OSTA2045,2025 Not for rebroadcast w/o express written permission. Please share and download for educational purposes with attribution.
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Well, hi everybody. Thanks for stopping in. We have another OSTA special update. Come on in and let's tell you all about our special Zoom sessions. Welcome in. I'm Bill Bateman, co-president and communications director for OSTA, the Oregon State Tenants Association, and we have a newsletter out that's got some information you are going to want to see. If you're not a member, we'll talk about how to be a member very shortly.
Speaker 1:But basically we talked about a survey that's going to be held near the end of this month. It's been put together to help structure changes in the laws to address problems we have. Those problems were specifically rent increases that are outpacing Social Security and will cause your space rent to double in 10 years. Rent reset raising the rent when you move, making it harder for you to sell your unit and more expensive for the next person coming in. And arbitrary requirements for cosmetic structural improvements before you can even consider selling your unit structural improvements before you can even consider selling your unit. So those are three common complaints here in the state of Oregon. As a resident of a manufacturer or floating home community, you know those are your top three issues. Well, representative Pam Marsh heard your concerns and created a committee of individuals who volunteered their time to assist in writing new legislation for the upcoming legislative session. So here is your chance, as a senior from the state of Oregon, to have your voices heard.
Speaker 1:Now the big concern is making sure everybody gets an opportunity to participate. So we are going to have four Zoom sessions. The first one is going to be on September 9th the dates and login information will be in the box where you signed in to the program and they're going to be on Monday, the 9th. We're going to have one on September 11th. We're going to have one on Tuesday the 10th and actually Thursday, september the 12th, and they'll be coming at different times of the day and the good thing is you only have to attend one session. So Monday through Thursday, a session every day at a different time so you can take part. We'd also like to invite you to schedule a viewing party, because not everybody is Zoom friendly. Not everybody knows about Zoom or how to use it, and some folks, I understand, don't have computers or are not really high on the computer list of ability. So, okay, not all of we seniors are techies, so perhaps in your mobile home park you could have something in the clubhouse and all watch this together. Now we do have a limit of how many people can get in 200 for each meeting but if you happen to have one of those meetings at your mobile home park, 50 people can watch on one connection.
Speaker 1:The idea is to help share this message with folks who didn't get the newsletter. To get you involved in following our podcast is a quick way to find out about information and activities to help you sign up to support the legislation when it's time, because first thing to do is write the law. The second thing to do is get that information to the legislators, to let people in your district know A we're here. B we care very much about this. And C we want you to support it. So we want to figure out ways to sign you up to help support the legislation when it's time.
Speaker 1:Also, we want to share the horror stories of bad situations. Stories of bad situations. We know we have the rent increases, the rent resets and requirements, but there are other issues that have come to light Attempts at intimidation, bullying, threats being made. You're going to get evicted if you bring this up. I actually had someone say this to me. Well, you don't want to be messing with that. You can get evicted. That's illegal. You can't do that, but it's happening because folks are afraid to report it.
Speaker 1:The last thing we're going to talk about is how to organize Organizing a tenants association. There are three steps to do it. Now we do hope you're also going to join OSTA. By joining OSTA and there's a link at the bottom of this podcast for you to do that and it's only $30. And I know some people $30 can be a big deal While we're looking to find sponsors, people who would like to sponsor our program, just like they sponsor the TV shows you watch.
Speaker 1:So if you're in a position, you'd like to sponsor OSTA, that would make it easier for us to extend scholarships or programs for seniors who are really, really in tight financial straits. So lots for us to do, lots for us to talk about at this program. Horror stories it's amazing. I have seen things as I go around the state I'm in southern Oregon and it is unbelievable the type of things we see and the type of behaviors, threats being made, and we actually went to the point of beginning the process of getting a restraining order against one of the persons who worked in this park. They're no longer here, but folks were just stunned to find out. You can do that. Yes, by forming a tenants association, you have far more power than if it's just you arguing with another individual.
Speaker 1:We'll talk a lot about all of these things in the upcoming programs. So they're going to be on September the 9th at 11 o'clock. September the 10th, 630 to 730 pm. If you have to work, this might be convenient. Wednesday, september 11th, 9 am and September the 12th at 4 pm. The links the Zoom sign-in links, are below in the box. If you have any problems, you can go to the OSTA website. We'll also be posting those links on the OSTA website.
Speaker 1:Put together a group, get a bunch of people. We need to have folks testify. We need to hear from you. This is your opportunity. I talk to a lot of people. They say, gee, what can we do? This is something you can do and it doesn't cost you anything. Yes, it would be great if you were a member of OSTA, but you don't have to join to attend these Zoom meetings. This is about you and I.
Speaker 1:Because I live in a mobile home community in southern Oregon, I'm a volunteer. That's the other thing. It's very important. People think, well, you're getting rich on this. We are all volunteers here at OSTA. We're not asking you for a major credit card so we can go off to a fancy retreat somewhere. These are folks just like you who live in a mobile home community, who are working to make things better for all of us. So join us. If nothing else, get a group together and join at any of those four drop-ins and we'll be gathering information. We hope you'll join. If you don't, please take part anyway. If you've got any questions, my email is on the login here as well. We're easy to get in touch with. Come in, watch the Zoom meeting, take notes, part in it is.
Speaker 1:Share your tales. I know the top three stories are the rent increases, rent reset and arbitrary, cosmetic, structural. So if you've got a horror story beyond that, I'd like to hear it. If it gets interesting enough, we might even have a special Friday, the 13th horror story session if we've got enough interest. So I got an interesting email. They said oh boy, we are really excited to see Osta's new newsletter. It's back and it's nice to see and this is a sign of life. No, people, this is not signs of life. Osta is back and we are here. We're working with other communities, with other people in this same area of work, we're working with other communities, with other people. In this same area of work, we're working with our elected officials. It's all about us being able to stay in our homes, preventing homelessness, preventing greed, and if you'd like to be a part of that, if you'd like to be one of the people.
Speaker 1:I guess my favorite quote is from the Stephen Gabriel, in one of his songs, talked about the problems in South Africa, and one of the lyrics is you can blow out a candle, but you can't blow out a fire. Let's be the fire and the good kind. Not a wildfire, not a wildfire, not not a brush fire, not one of those, but let's burn with the intensity of correcting things that are wrong. Come see us. I look forward to seeing you at any of our zoom updates and do subscribe, join and share this podcast. It's going to be one of your ways for quick information and a way to keep informed. I welcome your emails, I welcome your presence on Monday at 11 o'clock and all the other times. Until then, be safe, spread the word and have a good day. No-transcript.
