The Oregon Housing and Community Services OHCS department is set to auction defective modular homes purchased to rebuild Royal Oaks Mobile Manor in Phoenix, which was destroyed in the 2020 Almeda Fire.
After finding the homes to be unfit for habitation due to mold, water leaks, and other issues, OHCS aims to recoup some of the $24 million spent on them. The initial two-week auction starts October 29, with a second beginning November 7.
Sixty-eight homes are currently stored in Medford, with an additional 72 units still in Idaho to be auctioned in spring 2025.
OHCS Deputy Director Caleb Yant emphasized transparency, noting that buyers will receive detailed disclosures, access to inspection reports, code violations, and extensive photo documentation.
Buyers may also inspect the units with professionals of their choosing.
Originally, OHCS intended to repair and reassign these homes to fire survivors but shifted plans to replace them with newly manufactured homes, now expected to be ready for occupancy by April 2025.
Legal proceedings are ongoing to determine the cause of the defects, with OHCS and Oregon’s Department of Justice seeking accountability from the manufacturer, Nashua Builders, based in Boise.