ORD 1588 - Laserfiche WebLink

space is rented or leased. Removal and/or relocation of a mobile home from a park space is not a practical alternative to accepting an excessive rent increase in that it can only be accomplished at substantial cost, and in many instances may cause extensive damage to the mobile home and loss of appurtenances such as integrated landscaping and supporting structures inconsistent with the new location. Two of the parks are senior parks and most of the Home Owners are senior citizens, many of whom are living on fixed incomes. Because mobile homes are often owned by senior citizens, persons on fixed incomes, and persons of low and moderate income, exorbitant rent increases fall upon these individuals with particular harshness. D. During 1991, the Park Owners and Mobile Home Owners expressed to the City that they were interested in negotiating a new Agreement and after several months of negotiations, a new Rent Stabilization Agreement ("the March 17, 1992 Agreement") was developed and approved by the Park Owners and the City. However, one of the Park Owners will not sign the new Agreement. Without benefit of an Agreement to stabilize mobile home rents, a Park Owner may impose whatever rent he or she chooses, to the detriment of the Mobile Home Owners. In fact, the one Park Owner who has not signed the March 17, 1992 Agreement has raised rents on mobile home spaces within his park during 1992 at a rate higher than what is permissible under either the January 19, 1988 Agreement or the March 17, 1992 Agreement. E. The City has sponsored and facilitated extensive negotiations to eliminate the need for the ordinance codified in this Chapter. It has been assisted by the Pleasanton Mobile Home Committee consisting of park owner representatives and mobile home tenant representatives- The negotiations involved representatives of the one Park Owner who has not signed the March 17, 1992 Agreement and Home Owners who live at that Park and their representatives- F. The City Council declares that it is necessary in the public interest to establish a means by which to resolve the potentially divisive and harmful impasse between Park Owners and Mobile Home Owners. After consideration of numerous factors, among which are the relatively small number of parks located within the city, the level of organization and communication between mobile home owners in each park and mandates of state law, regulations which best fit the needs of the city have been selected. G. The regulations which are set forth in this Chapter are designed to produce stability in rent increases for Mobile Home Owners while recognizing the rights of Park Owners to receive a fair return on their investment. The standards, - 2 -