Mobile Home Parks Rent Panel OKd

The Oxnard City Council will appoint a committee of residents, property owners and officials to review the city’s rent-control system for mobile home parks.

Under terms of a 1991 agreement with mobile home park owners, the City Council will be able to revise its rent-control system in October 1998. The agreement was reached after mobile home park owners sued the city to challenge its rent-control system.

The city’s current system allows owners to increase rents each year based on the inflation rate, with increases limited to a 3% to 8% range. For larger rate increases, owners must demonstrate financial necessity to the city’s mobile home rent review board.

Anticipating conflict between renters and property owners over rate increases and other issues next year, the council on Tuesday called for formation of a review committee.

Councilman Tom Holden suggested attorneys not be included on the committee after some mobile home park residents complained.

In recent years, numerous groups of residents have challenged rent review board decisions on rate issues. Mobile home park resident Martin Jones noted that park residents--many, she said, among “the oldest, poorest in Oxnard”--often represent themselves, while park owners usually have attorneys.

According to city officials, about 8,000 Oxnard residents live in 22 mobile home parks in the city. City staff workers are expected to provide information on forming the committee to council members within a few weeks.