San Juan Capistrano : City Adopts Changes in Mobile Home Rent Law

Wording changes to dispel confusion over recent amendments to the city’s three-year-old ordinance on mobile home park rents have been unanimously approved by the City Council.

An amendment approved last month allows renters to file for a public hearing within 30 days of the effective date of a rent increase. On Tuesday, however, the council voted to further amend the law to state that park residents who lease, rather than rent, are not eligible to petition for a hearing when faced with rent increases.

An additional change approved by the council Tuesday also affects an amendment it approved last month. The portion of the ordinance which permits park dwellers to reject capital improvements that would lead to higher rents, such as spas and swimming pools, was clarified to read that only one vote per space is allowed.

In other action, the council voted to give itself an immediate 5% pay raise, with an additional 11% salary increase to go into effect next May.

Currently, San Juan Capistrano’s five council members each receive $255 a month. The initial raise will bring that figure to $268 a month, while the raise in May will round out the monthly salary to $300.