There are 227 homes, all owner-occupied. According to the 2000 census, there are approx. 850 residents, including 300 children under 18, a multicultural mix of Hispanic and white.
We are mostly working families, with some seniors.
After a few years, the park's name as The El Granada Mobile Home Resort was changed to El Granada Mobilehome Park, then El Granada Manufactured Home Community, as that became the correct designation for the type of homes here.
The Pillar Ridge name for our community was voted on by the residents in 2004 when the non-profit Millennium Housing bought the property. The El Granada name had bad memories associated with it, and was always geographically confusing, since we're not in El Granada, so we picked a name that referred to our main geographical feature, the ridge directly behind the park.
The community was owned by the Galland family in Utah from 1969 until it was purchased by the non-profit Millennium Housing in 2004. There was a long, troubled history between residents and the previous park owner. In the 1980's, the residents organized a class action lawsuit over rising rents and failed maintenance promises. The residents prevailed with a multi-million dollar settlement ,and much utilities renovation work done in 1990. In 2000, the residents again organized over rising rents, and management and maintenance issues. This 4-year struggle, with the help of many in the County and on the Coastside, culminated in the Board of Supervisors passing a mobilehome rent control ordinance for unincorporated areas of the county in 2003, and the subsequent agreement by the park owner to sell to the residents' chosen non-profit (Millennium).
If you check out the information on the next page, you can see that in 1966-72, the park provided lawn grass seed to anyone who wanted it, and gardening tools. They also had shuffleboard, ping pong, leather crafts, horse shoes, a wood working shop, square dance lessons, and some other features that we don't have today. However, we still have the swimming pool, pool table, upgraded clubhouse kitchen, t.v. area with comfortable couches, and many other amenities to make up for it. In addition, a new play yard and hiking access are in the works.
All in all, the Pillar Ridge community is a viable option for people who want to live afforadably in the very expensive, fiscally prohibitive Bay Area, a location that typically carries the highest property values in the (mainland) United States. The communinity continues to thrive, and is a very important part of the Coast's history.
"Pillar Ridge", rather than keep the confusing
"El Granada" name.
