MOORPARK : 1,250 Seek Vote on Mobile Home Rents

The owner of a Moorpark mobile home park who opposes a new city ordinance that would regulate the rents he charges has apparently gathered enough signatures to force a public vote on the matter.

Representatives of Dale Williams, owner of the Villa del Arroyo mobile home park, on Friday gave the city a petition with more than the about 1,250 signatures needed to force a vote. The document was turned over to the county Board of Elections, which has until Dec. 22 to certify the signatures as belonging to city residents who are also registered voters.

In the meantime, the ordinance slated to go into effect Monday will be put on hold.

If enough of the signatures are certified as genuine and the council does not voluntarily repeal the ordinance--which is unlikely--the city would be forced to hold a special election on the initiative measure. City Clerk Lillian Hare said such an election probably would be held in late March or early April.

The council last month unanimously adopted an ordinance that would regulate the amount of rent Williams can charge new tenants after mobile homes are sold. The ordinance would

cap any rent increase at 5% or the Consumer Price Index--whichever is less--over any 12-month period and would allow just two such increases every five years.

The city already regulates annual rent increases on units that are not sold.

Williams responded to the new law by hiring The Wessell Co., a Burbank-based political consultant, to gather the needed signatures over the objections of a vocal group of tenants who support rent control.

Councilman Scott Montgomery blasted the petition drive as soon as the signature gatherers arrived in town, calling them an unwanted outside intrusion into city affairs.

Montgomery renewed his criticisms Monday. “I think it’s unfortunate when someone like this manipulates a process that should be for the public benefit and uses it for the private gain,” he said.

“Obviously the people of Moorpark didn’t demand this referendum, and if it does qualify it will be defeated and the ordinance will be strongly upheld by a huge majority,” Montgomery said.