
A Decent Home | Under the Shadow of Google
Clip: Season 11 Episode 3 | 3m 2sVideo has Closed Captions
Residents of a Mountain View, CA mobile home park share frustrations and fulfillment.
In Mountain View, California, Santiago Villa Mobile Home Park sits in the shadow of Google's headquarters. Residents, some of who work at the tech giant, talk about why living at the park is the only economical choice for them and their family. They also share frustrations regarding increasing lot rent as they own their homes but not the land, and development continues to pop up around them.
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Major funding for America ReFramed provided by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Wyncote Foundation, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Additional funding provided by Open Society Foundations,...

A Decent Home | Under the Shadow of Google
Clip: Season 11 Episode 3 | 3m 2sVideo has Closed Captions
In Mountain View, California, Santiago Villa Mobile Home Park sits in the shadow of Google's headquarters. Residents, some of who work at the tech giant, talk about why living at the park is the only economical choice for them and their family. They also share frustrations regarding increasing lot rent as they own their homes but not the land, and development continues to pop up around them.
Problems with Closed Captions? Closed Captioning Feedback
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Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship[Barbara] We would've never thought we were gonna move into a trailer.
Never in a million years.
[Brad] Probably the most expensive trailer park in the United States.
- [laughing] Definitely the most expensive.
[intriguing music] - A little over a year ago, I got a job with Google.
- I came out in 2013 to work for Google.
- We didn't qualify for any of the Section 8 housing, and so- but we couldn't afford the traditional homes.
- The rent was, like, 2,100, uh, for a studio.
- So we were really looking for a place that had enough room.
- So what was left- and that was, that was Santiago Villa.
- I depend on my, uh, Social Security to pay all my bills.
[Steve] The mobile home park, it makes moving into a home achievable for us.
- For the first time in my life, I have my own home.
There's a house listed in Palo Alto for $64 million.
I mean, $64 million.
Fif- compared to 54,000.
[chuckling] I mean- But I probably appreciate this maybe more than they appreciate that 64-million-dollar house.
♪ [Sara] There's a catch to this version of the American dream.
It's about who owns the land.
Like the people I've been meeting at Santiago Villa, most mobile home park residents own their homes, but not the land they live on.
They have to pay rent for that.
Lot rent.
And in most states, park owners can raise those rents almost any time they want to, by as much as they want to.
[indistinct chatting] - Every night, the sun sets in those three windows, so I have- Until Google builds their five-story building out there, I have the most splendid sunsets every night.
[solemn music] [Barbara] The lot lease is really scary because Google is buying up everything.
[Brad] We're vulnerable to- [Barbara] Vulnerable.
[Brad] Change, to other people making new decisions that will affect us.
[Barbara] Some pays- like, we'll have to rob Peter to pay Paul.
[Brad] Buy 50% less groceries.
- I mean, how many jobs can we work to pay land lease?
- Yeah.
- I don't, I don't know what we would do.
Ooh, nice.
That looks delicious.
Looks good.
What's your favorite part?
[Brad] Gravy.
[Barbara chuckling] - My favorite part is you guys.
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How are the lives of mobile home park residents impacted by class and economic injustice? (2m 8s)
A Decent Home | With Raised Rents, They Rise Up
Video has Closed Captions
Senators Elizabeth Warren and Zach Wahls talk about issues and solutions surrounding the m (1m 40s)
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipMajor funding for America ReFramed provided by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Wyncote Foundation, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Additional funding provided by Open Society Foundations,...