Christmas Letter

Learn more about power building, organizing tactics, legislative reform success stories, and what you can do in 2022 to make a difference.

Read a personal account of how 'families being forced out of their manufactured homes by predatory corporate community owners is more common than most realize'  and how you can take action. 

 

Santa Ana City Council will vote on its first Rent Stabilization and Eviction Protection Act this Tuesday

 

AB 861 signed by Gov. Newsome

        SUMMARY

Requires mobilehome park management to comply with any park rule or regulation which prohibits mobilehome owners from renting or subleasing unless management is renting or subleasing to an employee.

Senate Amendments

1) Specify the number of rentals that management may directly rent within the park for the purpose of housing onsite employees.

2) Exempt tenancies established prior to January 1, 2022, from this bill as long as a tenant listed on the rental agreement continues to occupy the mobilehome.

3) Provide that the requirement for management to comply with park rules or regulations on renting does not apply to a park owned and operated by a 501(c)(3) non-profit or a government-owned park with affordability restrictions. States that this exemption only applies to homes and sites restricted for use as affordable housing.

 

COMMENTS

The Applicability of Park Rules and Regulations to Management: Existing law states that the owner of a park, and any person employed by the park is subject to and must comply with all park rules and regulations. This bill provides park management must also follow park rules and regulations on renting and subleasing unless management is renting to an employee. In 2013, Attorney General (AG) Kamala Harris put forth a legal opinion after receiving a request from Assemblymember Das Williams on the applicability of mobilehome park rules and regulations. Specifically, Assemblymember Das Williams' request asked the AG the following question: "If the management of a mobilehome park has enacted rules and regulations generally prohibiting mobilehome owners from renting their mobilehomes, is park management bound by these same rules and regulations?" The conclusion of AG opinion was as follows:

"With the possible exception of rentals to park employees under appropriate circumstances that satisfy certain statutory requirements, if the management of a mobilehome park has enacted rules and regulations generally prohibiting mobilehome owners from renting their mobilehomes, then park management is also bound by these same rules and regulations." (Attorney General Opinion Number 11-703).

In the AG's opinion, one narrow exception is provided for park owners to rent mobilehomes to employees of the park. Specifically, the opinion notes, "we acknowledge the view that, as a practical and economic matter, park owners must be able to rent their mobilehomes to park employees." With regards to the employee exemption, the opinion continues, "a genuine and demonstrated need for park management to rent its own mobilehomes to park employees may come within the exception provided in section 798.23(b)(2) for '[a]cts of a park owner or park employee which are undertaken to fulfill a park owner's maintenance, management, and business operation responsibilities.'"

Overall the AG concluded that the statute amended by this bill, Civil Code Section 798.23, binds park management to follow enacted rules and regulations that prohibit renting in the park. The statute has not changed since the AG issued the opinion and the committee is not aware of any case law which contradicts the opinion. As such, it would initially appear that this bill is not necessary. However, mobilehome owners report inconsistency in the enforcement of park rules and regulations related to renting and subleasing.

The bill specifies three exceptions to the prohibition on management subleasing and renting units when mobilehome owners are also prohibited from renting or subleasing. First, there is an exemption in the case where management would be renting or subleasing to an employee. AB 861 allows two mobilehomes to be rented to employees and, for larger parks, management may rent one additional unit to an employee for every 200 mobilehomes in the park. In other words, a park with 199 units could have two employee rentals, a park with 200 – 399 units could have three employee rentals, and so on. The second exception is for tenancies which were in effect prior to January 1, 2022. The bill allows park-owned mobilehome rentals to continue as long as a tenant had a rental agreement in place prior to January 1, 2022. However, once the tenant moves out, the exception ends and management is prohibited from renting or subleasing if owners are prohibited from renting and subleasing. Finally, the third exemption is for mobilehomes with affordability requirements that are owned by a government entity or which are owned and operated by a 501(c)(3) non-profit.

According to the Author

"The MRL states that park management, employees, and residents are subject to the rules and regulations of the park, but this has often gone unenforced. Clarifying this section of the MRL will prevent an unfair double standard from arising, one where park management are able to rent and sublease their spaces while residents are not. It is important to me that park residents are protected and treated fairly because for a low-income park resident, losing housing is much more devastating than it is for traditional renters. For park residents, losing housing means paying high fees to relocate their home or potentially losing lifelong investments."

Arguments in Support

The Golden State Manufactured Homeowners League (GSMOL) writes, "the [MRL] allows park management to prevent homeowners from renting out their manufactured homes or subletting the space where their mobilehome is located. Although the law states that all park rules apply equally to owners and residents, some park owners felt that rules regarding renting and subleasing did not apply to owners…AB 861 would avoid an unfair double-standard by clarifying current MRL and codifying the Attorney General Opinion requiring park management to comply with all park rules relating to renting and subleasing manufactured homes and units without limiting their ability to rent or sublease to a park employee."

Arguments in Opposition

The Western Manufactured Housing Communities Association (WMA) writes in opposition to the bill, "Most residents (especially senior citizens) want to be ensured a certain quality of life and comfort that their neighbors know the rules and regulations and abide by them. Having residents adhere to rules and regulations helps ensure peace of mind and helps with home sales.

 

Connecting Older Adults to Emergency Rental Assistance Programs

 

Click here to view a larger version or download. 

October 2021 Issue of our magazine is now available

 

Read it here.  

Mobile home park vacancy control approved (Santa Barbara)

 

KENNETH SONG/NEWS-PRESS
Flamingo Mobile Home Park, located in Santa Barbara’s Eastside, was sold in 2018. There are 69 units in the park.

Read the article in the Santa Barbara News-Press here. 

Yountville Town Council Discussion of Rancho de Napa (Update)

 "Mobile home units in a mobile home park in the senior mobile home overlay zone shall be occupied only consistent with the definition in Section 17.44.020 so that at least 80% of spaces and mobile home units are rented and occupied by at least one person who is age 55 or older. The age restriction stated herein does not apply to or affect ownership of mobile home units, but is occupancy requirement."

Some residents believe that this will lead to more investor ownership and renter occupancy and higher prices for owner/occupants. 

Information about the meeting on on 9/21 is here.   

Update:  Town of Younville 'Senior Mobile Home Overlay" is available here. 

Mobile home park resists proposed ordinances

 

KENNETH SONG/NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
The Flamingo Mobile Home Park in Santa Barbara’s Eastside has 69 units, most of which are owner-occupied.

Read the Santa Barbara News-Press article here.

“SIDEWALK RALLY”

When: September 26, 2021

Time: 11:00 to 1:00 PM

Where: 260 American Canyon Rd, American Canyon, CA 94591

WE ARE HAVING A  "PEACEFUL SIDEWALK RALLY TO PROTEST"

• "Unlawful Charges for Trees & Driveways"
• "ABUSIVE RENT GOUGING OWNERS"
• "CONTINUOUS RESIDENT & SENIOR ABUSE"
• "HIGH RENTS & INCREASES"
• "SURPRISES ON YOUR STATEMENTS"
• "BIASED & RACIAL PREJUDICE”

                         *** ***

SIGNS Will Be Provided

"YOU MUST STAY ON THE PUBLIC SIDEWALK"

(OUTSIDE THE MOBILEHOME PARK)

No Owners, Management, Employees or any Persons connected in any way to them are allowed to attend this event.

Mountain View passes rent control for mobile homes, capping rents across city's six mobile home parks

 

Mobile homes in Mountain View will soon be covered by rent control, followed by a 6-1 vote by the City Council. Photo by Michelle Le

Read the Mountain View Voice article here. 

California back rent payments remain slow but speed up as eviction ban approaches end

 

Avictorero, Dreamstime.com

Read the Napa Valley Register article here. 

Mountain View poised to pass mobile home rent control next week

 

Mountain View's mobile home parks could soon be protected by rent control. Photo by Sammy Dallal

Read the Mountain View Voice article here.  

Don't let fire destroy your home

 

260 American Canyon Road, American Canyon, CA .  Read more here.   

September issue of our magazine is now available

 

Click here

San Rafael, low-income tenants resist rent hikes at site

 

Residences of the R.V. Park of San Rafael are seen past the community’s entrance in San Rafael on Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2021. (Alan Dep/Marin Independent Journal)

Read the article in the Marin Independent Journal here.  

August 2021 issue of our magazine is now available

 

Click here.  

Protesters decry reports of bias and mistreatment in American Canyon mobile home park

 

Protestors gathered before the American Canyon Mobile Home Park on Sunday, protesting what they say is biased and abusive treatment by management.      
Photo by Napa Valley Register 

Read the Napa Valley Register article here.  

Rental relief assistance program to start up Monday

 "A rental relief assistance program run by Fair Housing Napa Valley and several other groups will be launching July 26 to help local landlords and tenants apply for state relief from back rent accrued during California’s COVID-19 eviction moratorium."

Pablo Zatarain, executive director of Fair Housing Napa Valley.
Photo by the Napa Valley Register

Read the Napa Valley Register article here. 

Protest: July 25th, 2021

 

Sale Of Mobile Home Parks In Carson Displaces Hundreds Of Elderly Residents

 

Read about it here.  

Funding for seniors impacted by Covid

 

Click on document to enlarge

AB-832 COVID-19 relief: tenancy: federal rental assistance

 

Concerned about eviction due to Covid-19?

Don't lose your home - understand your rights!

• Read this summary of AB-832
• If you've missed payments due to Covid-19, your landlord must follow these instructions by 7/31/21 before attempting to evict. 
• Your landlord must provide you with a copy of this document.  

According to one state employee  "... the arrears rent refund will now be 100%... Also, if the manager and resident have already submitted applications and it they have been approved they do not have to re-apply to receive the additional 20%.  The state will notify and either send the additional 20% or include it in the reimbursement."

Mobile Home Owners Fear Evictions as Pandemic Protections End

 

Read the New York Times article here. 

Gavin Newsom extends California's eviction ban despite opposition from Realtors and landlords

 

Photo by Ringo H.W. Chiu

Read the article here.  

Monthly GSMOL luncheons in Petaluma to resume

 

June 2021 Issue of our magazine is available

 Click here. 

Questions and Answers Re: Assembly Bill 2782

 

Rent Relief Program Highlights Partnership with Contra Costa County

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   Date: June 10, 2021 Contact: Russ Heimerich 916.651.1385 Russ.Heimerich@bcsh.ca.gov   California COVID-19 Rent Relief Program Highlights Partnership with Contra Costa County, Announces Improvements to Application Process   Rent relief application has undergone extensive streamlining, and website portal is now in six languages, and the state has increased the number of Community-Based Organizations to over 100.   ANTIOCH – Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency (BCSH) Secretary Lourdes Castro Ramírez and Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) Director Gustavo Velasquez held a news conference today to highlight the California COVID-19 Rent Relief program’s partnership with Contra Costa County, to announce significant improvements to the rent relief program, including enhancing the application experience, and bringing in more Community-Based Organizations to assist with education and outreach.   “The success of the California COVID-19 Rent Relief program depends on partnerships like the one we have with Contra Costa County and our Local Partner Network organizations to reach those hardest-hit by COVID-19,” said BCSH Secretary Castro Ramírez. “Contra Costa County has been an outstanding partner from the very beginning and has moved aggressively to bring on local community-based organizations to assist residents in applying for rent relief.”   “Contra Costa County appreciates the state’s partnership in implementing the Rent Relief program that helped residents apply for rent and utilities assistance as early as possible,” said Supervisor Diane Burgis, Chair of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors. “Together with the County’s extensive public outreach and collaboration with community partners, we have assisted renters and landlords to apply for nearly $50 million to date. With millions already delivered, we look forward to helping many more individuals and families gain back much needed financial and housing stability.”   Partnerships like those with Contra Costa County and community-based organizations across the state have an added importance: their feedback has been instrumental in efforts to improve and streamline the rent relief program. As a result of that feedback and new guidance from the U.S. Treasury, two significant improvements have been made to significantly streamline the experience for applicants.   First, the application itself has been drastically simplified. The application has been redesigned for better user experience and it now takes substantially less time to complete – under an hour, where previously it had taken 3-4 hours. The number of documents to upload has also been reduced to 3-4, down from 7-9 previously. And the simplified application now includes screening elements to help reduce the number of questions people need to answer based on their individual needs and circumstances, and there are now in-application tips to help applicants answer the remaining questions. The streamlined application has been tested by representatives from the rent relief programs Local Partner Network, who report it is much easier to get through.   “People who have started applications but have not yet submitted them have been sent an email telling them that the process is now much simpler and inviting them to sign back in and complete their applications,” said HCD Director Velasquez. “People who have already submitted applications do not need to do anything else.”   In addition, the application portal, HousingIsKey.com, has been made accessible in multiple languages. The entire website has been translated into Spanish, simplified Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean and Tagalog. It is the first time that an entire state website has been translated into so many languages.   “We will continue to make improvements as we receive additional input from our stakeholders,” said Director Velasquez. “In the meantime, we urge anyone needing assistance applying for rent relief to contact the California COVID-19 Rent Relief call center, which can provide assistance in more than 200 languages, at 833-430-2122 or visit HousingIsKey.com

What do I want for my birthday? Your support for Rent Stabilization!

 

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Fresno City Council approves city's new authority over mobile home parks following fatal fire

 

Photo courtesy of ABC30 Fresno

Watch the news story here.   

Despite hot housing market, residents in a Sunnyvale mobile home community unable to attract buyers

"Dozens of residents at the 812-unit Plaza Del Ray mobile home park said they’re stuck, unable to attract buyers because of climbing fees that would be passed on to new buyers."

Watch the KTVU report here.  

 

In major milestone, US earthquake early warning system now covers entire West Coast

 

Read the article here.   

Consumer complaints - help for Napa County residents

Are you having an issue with your park's management?

The Consumer/Environmental Protection Unit (CEPU) investigates and prosecutes cases involving fraudulent, deceptive, and/or illegal business activity that victimizes Napa County residents, threatens public safety, or endangers Napa County’s environment and natural resources. 

Learn how to file a complaint here. 

Our new magazine is here!

 

Read it here

April Updates

 

Letter To Mobilehome Park Residents

 

What Happens When Investment Firms Acquire Trailer Parks

Illustration from The New Yorker

 "The financial industry’s pursuit of profits from mobile-home communities is undermining one of the country’s largest sources of affordable housing."

Read The New Yorker article here.

Changes with our magazine, and other important news

 

"..more than 400 seniors who live on a fixed income... have less than 12 months to relocate"

Imperial Avalon Mobile Home Estates from Avalon Boulevard in Carson. Photo by Iracema Navarro.

Hundreds of fixed income seniors will lose their current homes due to redevelopment in Carson.  Read the RLn article here.  

Read the latest posts from MHAction

 

 Including West Peoria owner goes against Mobile Home Landlord and Tenants Rights Act

HCD Creates Additional Division for Financial Assistance

 

The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) realigns to optimize financial assistance.  Read about it here. 

As a reminder, HCD is a great resource for mobilehome owners.   Access their site here, or from the Resources tab on this website.  

Eviction moratorium in California extended through June 30, 2021

 

Read Governor Newsom's announcement here. 

February 2021 edition of our magazine now available

 

Click here

Sandpiper Mobile Home Village land ownership changes hands in $20 million sale

Residents are concerned about their futures.   Read the article here.

2020 Legislative Changes Impacting Mobile Parks