Charlottetown, PE - Today MLA Matt MacFarlane is calling on the provincial government to take the necessary steps to purchase the Evergreen Village mobile home park in Summerside to prevent dozens of residents from potentially losing their homes.

On September 21, 2024 residents of Evergreen Village were served a notice giving them until October 31 to purchase their lots for $40,000, or face eviction within the next year. Many residents have indicated that they cannot afford to buy their lots or cover the high costs of moving their homes and purchasing new land.

"Many of these residents are living in fear of homelessness, with no place to go," said MacFarlane. "Government knew about this situation before the notice was even circulated, yet it chose not to act. Now we are left with a crisis where many Islanders are facing impossible financial demands, with a rapidly approaching deadline."

MacFarlane pointed to government's track record of purchasing homes for public housing and called for similar action to be taken in Evergreen Village.

"The Minister of Housing, Land and Communities purchased homes in the past year for public housing initiatives. I'm calling on the Minister to do the same thing here. The government should purchase the lots at Evergreen Village, allowing residents to stay in their homes."

With the province’s vacancy rate at a mere 1.1% and property prices at an all-time high, MacFarlane warned of the consequences if government fails to act.

"I've spoken with many residents who have reached out to me, pleading for help. Many of the homes in the park are older models and are not able to be relocated to new lots, even if there were new lots to move to. And $40,000 to buy the current lot is out of reach for many, creating an impossible situation. These Islanders need immediate action."

With the October 31 deadline looming, time is of the essence and government must step in, protect residents, and ensure that they are not left without homes in an increasingly unaffordable housing market.