VENTURA : City Won’t Condemn Mobile Home Park

After years of debate, Ventura City Council has decided against condemning the Ventura Marina Mobile Home Park.

Park tenants have lobbied the city for years to condemn the property and force the family that holds the lease on the park to sell it to the homeowners. These tenants say they are tired of paying rent hike after rent hike and want to control the park’s finances themselves.

Up until September, Wayne and Norma Peterson, the lease’s owners, were willing to participate in the condemnation. However, in a letter to the council dated Sept. 19, the Petersons said they had waited three years for a decision and could wait no longer. They will oppose any such proceedings in the future, they said.

At Monday’s council meeting, council members heard from some residents who opposed the condemnation proceedings, including Mary Meyer, a former member of the mobile homeowners’ board of directors.

“The idea of buying the park is a good one, but the cost involved and the money available makes it impossible at this time,” said Meyer, who maintained that only one-third of the residents supported the condemnation. “Everybody keeps talking about, ‘We’re going to own our property, own our land.’ We’re not going to own anything but a lease.”

Council members said they were wary about wading into the domain of private property rights anyway, but with such disagreement between the owners and the residents--and even among the residents themselves--they would certainly steer clear of the issue.

“If I felt there was a unanimous feeling out there (in favor of condemnation) that might sway me,” said Councilman Gary Tuttle, before the council voted 7 to 0 to oppose the condemnation.