LAGUNA BEACH : Mobile Home Rent Control Backed

The Planning Commission is recommending that the City Council adopt a controversial rent control ordinance that would apply to all permanent residents in the city’s three mobile home parks.

Before about 100 spectators, some of whom spoke emotionally for or against the measure, commissioners debated the issue until after midnight Wednesday before voting 3 to 2 to urge adoption. Kathleen Blackburn and Wayne Peterson voted against the measure.

The majority recommendation, which the City Council will consider Tuesday, varied markedly from the ordinance proposed by city staff.

That ordinance called for rent stabilization only for current residents who have “moderate” incomes of $53,000 or less, the median income in the county, according to the Orange County Housing Affordability Index.

However, the commission is recommending that the rent stabilization apply to all permanent mobile home park residents and that it remain in effect for one year. During that time, the commission said, the city should adopt a relocation ordinance to define a landowner’s responsibility to tenants when a park is closed and to give mobile home owners the first opportunity to buy the park if it goes on the market.

As now proposed, the ordinance would allow mobile home park owners to raise rents only once a year by a percentage tied to the consumer price index.

The commission also asked that the city investigate various ways to maintain a stock of affordable units in Laguna’s mobile home parks, said Kathy Lottes, assistant community development director. While the commission focused on rent control and did not delve deeply into the issue of controlling the resale of the trailers, Lottes said the city might consider that option later to supplement affordable housing in Laguna.

Since a rent control measure might not be in effect until mid-June, the City Council will be asked to extend by 90 days a rent freeze placed on mobile home parks in December and which is set to expire Tuesday.