Mobile home owners advocate Demas dies

When landlords of local mobile home parks were raising rents and making large profits off seniors with fixed incomes, Vickie Demas stepped up.

Fifteen years later in the midst of scandal, Demas, the controversial president of the Mobile Home Owners League of the Silver State, was asked to step down.

During the years in between, the longtime lobbyist spearheaded change that will have a lasting effect on the industry.

Helen Victoria Duvall Demas died Sunday at the age of 77. A memorial service will be 3:30 p.m. Thursday at the Jaycees Seniors Community Clubhouse, 5895 W. Harmon Ave.

Born Dec. 18, 1921, in Fairbanks, Neb., Demas was a Las Vegas resident for 50 years and worked as a waitress in a local hotel-casino for 28 years.

In the mid-1970s Demas became president of the Mobile Home Owners League and provided a voice for mobile home residents at a time when there were no laws to protect them from decisions made by park owners.

"She probably authored most of the mobile home legislation in the state," said Karen Hayes, a friend of Demas and former county commissioner. "So much legislation we have now is because of her."

At times she was unyielding, but most of her motivation came from the people in mobile homes who were low-income or fixed-income residents who needed help, Johanna Coop of Las Vegas, Demas' daughter, said. "She was a real scrapper."

In 1978 Demas ran for the County Commission District F seat on a platform of rights for mobile home owners. In 1989 she lobbied to regulate rent in mobile home parks. Many owners at the time were receiving annual 11 percent rent increases. Demas herself had seen her rent rise 400 percent in 17 years.

"Even though she never got rent justification through, it made people really aware of it and they quit gouging the people," Hayes said. "She started out when there really wasn't anything. (The homeowners) had legitimate problems."

Demas rallied mobile home owners together, setting up chapters in different mobile home parks.

Led by Demas, the mobile home owners also fought against tyrannical landlords who would evict tenants on a whim, 80 percent of whom were seniors who were locked into the parks because of the high cost of moving mobile homes. Because many parks wouldn't take homes more than five years old, those who could afford to move were unable to unless they were willing to purchase new mobile homes.

As a result of the group's efforts it was more difficult for park owners to evict tenants because they had to provide reason and notice. Owners were also required to attend training classes. Double charging for utilities was eliminated.

Demas also championed the cause of building the Jaycees Senior Park, where rents remain consistent.

However, in 1993 she was ousted from her position after state Sen. Bob Coffin, D-Las Vegas, said she offered him a $7,500 bribe. Members of the league said the controversy reduced membership and tainted the group's reputation.

Demas denied offering Coffin a bribe. She said she had told him mobile home owners prepared to support him in the next election in return for his vote on a mobile home rent control bill. In her defense, Demas stated the group didn't have that kind of money.

No charges were filed, but Demas agreed to no longer lobby the Legislature.

That same year Demas and her husband pleaded guilty to making false statements on an insurance application to obtain money by faking a car accident.

After stepping down, Demas remained active with the Jaycees Foundation Board at her own mobile park home.

"It's too bad her name has been sullied because she did do a lot of good," Hayes said. "If there was an issue that she believed in, she endured it until the end."

In addition to her daughter, Demas, who served in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps. in World War II, is survived by one son, Victor Calvin of Las Vegas; four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Donations may be sent to Family Home Hospice, 1701 W. Charleston Blvd.

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