Camarillo : City to Seek Grant for Ownership Aid

Camarillo City Council members passed a resolution Wednesday that could help low-income residents of the Rancho Adolfo Mobile Home Estates own one of the park’s 250 lots.

The resolution directs planning staff to prepare an application to the state Mobile Home Park Resident Ownership Program, which is administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development. The program “will help some of those who might not have been able to afford their lots,” Councilman Michael Morgan said.

If the state grants the application, it would provide qualifying park residents with long-term financing for up to 50% of the lot cost, but no more than $1 million per year, said Matthew A. Boden, planning and community development director. He said he did not know whether the state would set a ceiling on the total granted under the application.

About 100 of the 380 park residents, some of whom have lived there since it opened in 1978, have said they believe that they could qualify for the state financing, resident Andy Gabbard said.

Lot prices have yet to be decided, but two appraisals have set the average cost at $71,000, park manager Charles Betraun said. The ownership program is designed to protect the displacement of the low-income residents if and when the lots are put up for sale, Boden said.

City officials approved conversion of the park lots from rental to marketable units in February, 1991, Boden said.

The conditional-use permit allowing the conversion includes conditions to protect existing residents from sudden or sizable rent increases, and from being forced out if they don’t buy a lot, he said.