Westminster Expected to OK Mobile-Home Rent Control for Ballot

For many Westminster mobile-home park residents, the defeat of 1986’s Proposition N--a citywide rent control initiative for their parks--was bitter and emotional.

But a similar ballot proposal is before the Westminster City Council at tonight’s council meeting. The measure is expected to be approved for placement on the June 7 primary ballot.

Organizers, who represent the city’s estimated 5,800 residents of mobile homes, received enough signatures to have the county registrar certify a “rent-stabilization” initiative on Dec. 21.

‘Need Approval’

“We just need the City Council’s approval and we can get the initiative on the June 7 primary election,” said Anthony Bitonti, 78, a retired Los Angeles County deputy assessor and initiative supporter. The council must either adopt the initiative as an ordinance or place the initiative on the ballot.

Mobile home residents make up about 13% of the city’s 36,000 registered voters and represent one of the county’s largest mobile-home contingents.

“Westminster has one of the largest number of parks in Orange County and a substantial portion of the population,” said Don Anderson, a city administrative assistant and staff adviser to the city’s Mobile Home Park Commission.

There are almost 2,900 mobile homes in the city, with not enough space available for the demand, organizers said, so rent for spaces has increased up to $550 a month.

“There is a shortage for affordable housing, and it’s not only for mobile home parks, but for everything, including apartments and condominiums,” Anderson said.

Park residents said rents are being raised with little or no recourse for residents, many of whom are retired and living on fixed incomes.

Under the initiative, park rents in any year would not be raised greater than two-thirds of the consumer price index. The consumer price index, or CPI, is expected to be 4.1% to 4.2% for 1987, organizers said.

Also, in case of a rent disagreement or grievance, the issue would go to arbitration, with the loser paying settlement costs, Bitonti said.

1986 Election Recalled

Initiative organizers still recall the 1986 election, where park owners waged a successful but expensive battle against passage of Proposition N.

The proposition, the second in two years, was defeated--10,822 to 9,686 votes--in November, 1986.

“At the time, it was estimated that park owners spent more than $130,000 to fight Proposition N,” Bitonti said. “When our new initiative gets on the June ballot, I estimate the owners might spend upwards of $300,000 to get it defeated.”