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Story Archive

Story of the Week: Luz Meza

My name is Luz Meza, and I have called Bell Mobile Home Park in Bell, California, my home for 19 years. I am a mother of three, including a son with a disability, and everything I do is to keep my children safe, stable, and together. They are the reason I stay strong, the reason I keep fighting to remain housed, and the reason I am sharing my story today. 

I migrated to this country following my husband, hoping for a better life for our family. Starting over in a new country was difficult. I didn’t speak English, I didn’t know the systems, and I had to learn everything from the beginning. When I discovered my son’s disability, I had to leave my job to care for him full‑time. Suddenly, the little income we had was not enough to keep renting. We needed something stable, something we could hold onto. That is why we bought a mobile home. It was the only path to affordable housing we could find. 

Over the years, this community has become my heart. I love my neighbors. I love gardening and taking care of my plants. I love the sense of belonging we have created together. Manufactured home communities like ours are some of the last truly affordable places left for working families, seniors, and people with disabilities. 

But today, our stability is under threat. 

The land under our homes is owned by the city, and they are trying to redevelop it. Families who have lived here for decades families like mine are living with constant stress, fear, and uncertainty. Many of us are dealing with health issues made worse by this pressure. Some families worry they will be forced to split apart, with parents or children having to return to Mexico while others stay here. Our seniors, many in their 70s and 80s, are terrified of having to start over again when they should be enjoying peace and dignity. 

We are not asking for luxury. We are asking for stability, dignity, and the right to remain in the homes we have built with our own hands.

Matt Chapman (Waukee, IA)