Euclid Beach mobile home residents not giving up their fight

The Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless and the United Residents of Euclid Beach are not giving up a fight to protect the mobile home park in Collinwood.

Driving the news: The groups unveiled a painted trailer emblazoned with messages — "Residents demand to stay!" and "Let E.B. residents stay" — during a demonstration yesterday outside the downtown offices of the Western Reserve Land Conservancy.

• Representatives from the groups also delivered nearly 5,000 signatures from an online petition to save the community.

Catch up quick: The conservancy announced in February its plans to convert the site to greenspace, which would displace residents of the 139 occupied mobile homes.

What they're saying: "We need to stand for something, or we'll fall for anything," resident Heather Malone said at the demonstration.

• "I'm here to stand for Euclid Beach residents. … We are people. We have homes. We have a community and love for each other."

The other side: WRLC has maintained that its top priority is treating residents with fairness and compassion.

• Yes, but: It has shown no willingness to entertain the option of a reduced mobile home footprint on the park site, which many Euclid Beach residents support.

• "I don't want to give tenants false hope," WRLC's senior vice president Matt Zone said on the Sound of Ideas last month. "We will follow every statutory requirement, but the park is closing down on Sept. 1, 2024."

Sam's thought bubble: WRLC has been adamant to date, and it seems unlikely to budge.

• But conservancy officials should prepare for ongoing vocal opposition. Residents feel duped and will probably continue to be thorns in WRLC's side.