Board seeks to preserve mobile home rent controls

Urged on by 250 supporters, Ventura County supervisors Tuesday agreed to push for revision of a state law they say is being used by mobile home park owners to eliminate rent controls.

Relying on a decade-old law enacted to give mobile home residents the option of buying their lot, park owners across California have submitted applications to subdivide, said Supervisor Steve Bennett.

Once one lot is sold, the rent on the other spaces rises to market rate over four years, Bennett said, though low-income tenants would still be protected under state rent-control provisions.

The state legislation and subsequent court decisions made cities and counties virtually powerless to stop conversions, Bennett said.

In Ventura County, at least two owners of rental mobile home parks are considering conversion to resident ownership. Other conversions are underway or completed in Santa Rosa, Palm Springs, Lompoc, Carson and Santa Monica.

“It is time for the state Legislature to wake up and realize that the stock of affordable housing ... is at risk across the whole state of California,” Bennett said.

Bruce Matthias, a spokesman for a park owners’ lobbying group, challenged Bennett’s assertions.

No one is forcing tenants to buy their lots, he said, adding that he’s unaware of “sham conversions” used primarily to get rid of rent controls.

“It’s a good thing on balance,” he said of the ownership option. “There is a possibility that a handful of residents could be disadvantaged.”

Supervisors Kathy Long and Linda Parks joined Bennett in passing a resolution voicing their support for revisions to the government code. The board majority also instructed the county’s attorneys to work with state officials to find a suitable fix.

Supervisor Peter Foy voted against the measure, and Supervisor John Flynn was absent.

Foy said he was uncomfortable restricting property owners. “I just have a hard time with us unilaterally coming in and saying, ‘OK, here’s what you can do,’ ” he said.

Ventura County’s rent control law covers 1,289 households in 22 mobile home parks in unincorporated areas. Tenants own their coach but pay a monthly rent for their lot.

Bennett told the packed chambers that the intention of the state law was good but the results backfired. Many of those in attendance were seniors on fixed incomes, and several speakers said they would be unable to buy their lot if conversion takes place.

“These are all people with very, very little money,” said Ruben Ruiz, who lives in a Casitas Springs park. “They can only live there because of rent control.”

Conversion would also affect middle-class residents who already have a tough time finding housing in pricey Ventura County, speakers said.

“We are teachers, nurses, firefighters, hospital personnel,” said Sunshine Appleby, an Ojai resident. “What happens when your service personnel can no longer live in your community?”

Two state legislators, Assemblywoman Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa) and Sen. Ellen Corbett (D-San Leandro), have agreed to carry a bill this session, Bennett said.

A tenants’ lobbying group, meanwhile, has declared the issue its top legislative priority.

A previous attempt to fix the legislation got watered down in committee hearings, said Maurice Priest, legislative advocate for Golden State Manufactured-Home Owners League.

“We need cities and counties who share our concern to support the legislation,” he said. “It doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy, but it can be done.”

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catherine.saillant@latimes.com