VENTURA : Mobile Home Group Backs 3 for Council

Ventura City Council candidates Donna De Paola-Peterson, James Friedman and incumbent Jack Tingstrom have been endorsed by the Ventura City Mobile Home Owners’ Coordinating Council.

An election committee made up of eight mobile home park residents selected the trio after conducting interviews with the 12 candidates seeking three open seats on the Nov. 7 ballot.

“In our opinion, these three people have enough common sense to see the reality of the issues and vote accordingly,” said Hal Simon, co-chairman of the election committee.

Rent stabilization has been a pressing issue for the city’s 3,000 mobile home park residents, who have complained of unfair rent hikes in the city’s 10 mobile home parks for more than a decade.

Mobile home park residents have been active in past council elections, holding candidates’ forums and giving endorsements.

But this year is particularly important for the group because an initiative on the state ballot next spring would prevent any new rent-control ordinances from taking effect.

Mobile home park residents hope to revise a city ordinance on rent regulations before the March election to prohibit sharp rent hikes in the future.