Mobile Home Owners Air Concerns at Hearing

Appearing at a special legislative hearing Wednesday, mobile home owners complained to lawmakers about how they’ve been forced to sell their homes to their parks, rather than get their best price on the open market.

About 60 attended the morning-long hearing presided over by State Sen. Joe Dunn (D-Santa Ana), chairman of a committee researching mobile home problems. His counterpart in the Assembly, Lou Correa (D-Anaheim), also was on the panel.

Speakers included mobile home owners who said they lose money on sales of their mobile homes because of competition from park operators. Representatives from park owners denied there is a widespread problem and urged the legislators not to pass any new laws that would impede them from doing business.

Park owners say they play a valuable role by vetting potential owners to make sure they can pay for land rents.

Mobile home tenants around California have complained for years that the process is abused and sending potential buyers to park management can, one way or another, lead to a lost sale. Often, critics say, park owners use these powers to steer buyers to mobile homes they have purchased from other residents.

The roadblocks park operators allegedly set up to thwart sales not handled by the park include demanding long leases and high rent; demanding an exemption from rent control; and demanding extensive repairs of the mobile home before a sale can go through.