Corrective commentary: Setting the record straight on RTC, mobile home parks in Live Oak and the June 30 deadline

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A recent Lookout Santa Cruz article reported that the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) is sticking to its June 30 deadline for removing so-called “encroachments” in two mobile home parks along the rail corridor in Live Oak. But the article, based on statements from RTC staff and commissioners, includes several claims that do not reflect the actual situation on the ground — and that have caused distress for many residents.

As a longtime resident of Castle Mobile Home Estates, I feel a responsibility to clarify what’s happening and what’s not.

First and most importantly, no agreement has been made between residents and the RTC, nor has there been any formal negotiation between RTC staff and the mobile home park’s ownership. In fact, the RTC’s legal team has not yet responded to the March 25 letter from the attorney representing Castle Mobile Home Estates. That letter lays out serious legal and procedural objections to the RTC’s enforcement actions. It remains unanswered.

Despite this, RTC staff have publicly stated that some kind of “collaborative agreement” has been reached with residents to suspend enforcement. That is simply not true. There has been no such agreement — collaborative or otherwise.

Furthermore, the RTC completed its boundary survey last year. Since then, management has asked them not to return to the property, in part to protect residents from additional stress. There are no ongoing inspections, nor any new understanding of boundaries in progress.

What’s more troubling is the broader narrative being shaped. Comments have implied that residents are resisting cooperation or that enforcement is inevitable and necessary. This misses the point entirely. Residents have lived here peacefully for decades. Modest fences, shrubs and backyard features were placed in what people reasonably believed to be their private property. These aren’t new structures. They’ve existed for years — long before the RTC ever bought the corridor. And at no point until recently did anyone suggest they were a problem.

There is no active lawsuit, no judicial order, and no legal mandate forcing residents or park owners to tear down anything. What we have instead is a deeply confusing situation — created not by residents, but by years of inaction, poor communication and avoidable delay from the RTC itself.

Supervisor Manu Koenig has been one of the few public officials consistently willing to engage with residents directly. He responded promptly to concerns when RTC staff did not. His comments at the Mobile and Manufactured Home Commission reflected his understanding that no immediate physical removals would occur after June 30. That was helpful and reassuring. But some of the statements attributed to him — particularly regarding agreements and inspections — might have been based on inaccurate or incomplete information provided by RTC staff. It’s critical that the commission, and the public, hear a clear update based on the facts.

And this brings us to the bigger picture.

When the RTC purchased the corridor in 2012, it knew that legal uncertainties would arise along this old, narrow right-of-way. It has had more than a decade to address them, and it has long been aware of railbanking — a well-established legal mechanism that could resolve these conflicts by preserving the corridor for future rail use while allowing legal trail development now. Railbanking would clarify property rights, prevent litigation and protect adjacent homeowners. It is routinely used in other parts of California and across the country for exactly this purpose.

The RTC has had that option all along — and has failed to pursue it.

Instead, it is now threatening legal action that could destabilize two of the last truly affordable housing communities in Santa Cruz County. Between Castle and Blue and Gold Star Mobile Home Park, nearly 500 voters live in these mobile home parks — many of them seniors, working families and longtime residents with deep ties to the community.

We keep hearing about the importance of building affordable housing, but what about preserving it?

This situation doesn’t require threats. It requires leadership. The RTC should halt enforcement, respond to the outstanding legal concerns and finally open a transparent discussion about railbanking and real solutions. The residents of these parks deserve clarity, not confusion — and respect, not rhetoric.

Cami “Clemensen” Corvin is a lifelong local whose family has called Santa Cruz home for over 100 years. With more than four decades of experience in the legal field, she has built a respected career as a paralegal and currently operates her own business in Capitola as a notary public and legal document assistant. Cami is deeply passionate about justice, the protection of animals and wildlife and preserving the rich history of Santa Cruz County.