Board Opposes Vote on Mobile Home Rent

Saying it would hurt senior citizens and low-income families, Ventura County supervisors unanimously approved a resolution Tuesday opposing a ballot initiative that would abolish local rent-control laws governing California’s mobile-home parks.

“What this will do is take away local control and we’re opposed to that,” said Supervisor Susan Lacey, who proposed the resolution.

The initiative, which is sponsored by owners of mobile-home parks, would eliminate the county’s own mobile home rent-control ordinance as well as several separate city ordinances if it is approved by the state’s voters next March, officials said.

In place of the local ordinances, the Mobilehome Fairness and Rental Assistance Act would require that park owners set aside 10% of their spaces for low-income residents who would then receive a 10% discount on their rent.

Despite her vote opposing the ballot measure, Supervisor Judy Mikels said she does not believe that mobile-home owners should be treated any differently than apartment owners. She said seniors and low-income families also live in apartment dwellings and do not receive any discount on their rent.

Mikels, however, said the statewide ballot initiative is so poorly written that she could not support it.