Proposed rent control for Pico Rivera mobile home parks on hold - The Whittier Daily News

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Despite refusing to approve rent control for its six mobile home parks Tuesday, Nov. 9, Pico Rivera council members, who split on the vote, said the next day the idea is still alive.

Mayor Raul Elias and Council members Eric Lutz and Monica Sánchez, saying the proposed ordinance needs more work, voted to refer it to a City Council committee or a study session in the future.

Councilman Gustavo Camacho and Andrew Lara opposed the motion, saying they supported the rent control ordinance.

“We need to come back for a study session to see if we can come out with something better and not pass a symbolic ordinance,” Lutz said.

“I’m optimistic about getting resolution to benefit the majority of mobile home owners,” he said. “It’s not something we can hash out overnight.”

The proposal — drafted by City Attorney Arnold Alvarez-Glassman — would allow a mobile home park to only increase space rent once per year, cap annual increases to 3%, create a registry of mobile home park spaces, establish a base rent, and establish a process to allow mobile home park owners to petition and demonstrate to the city that the annual rent increase does not allow for a reasonable profit on their investment.

Lutz said most of the 405 mobile home owners will get little help because under state law the ordinance would not apply to anyone with a lease of a year or more entered into before Feb. 13, 2020 until Jan. 2025.

For example at Westland Estates, 4139 Paramount Blvd., most of its 67 mobile home owners will be exempt, Lutz said.

Meanwhile, the city is going to spend between $600,000 and $800,000 to administer the law, he said.

“This is on the backs of Pico Rivera residents,” Lutz said. “If you’re going to do a good deed, we should make sure we’re spending money wisely.”

Council members have been under pressure from mobile homeowners to pass some kind of rent control for the last year.

Residents have complained about escalating rents, housing cost-burdens and maintenance and safety concerns, City Manager Steve Carmona said in a staff report.

Ruth Briggs, who lives in Villa Nova Mobile Estates, 8509 Beverly Blvd., complained about rising rents.

“The first and second years I lived in Villa Nova, my rent was increased by $10, the third year went up $30 and the fourth year went up $45,” Briggs said.

“At this rate, it’s become difficult to keep up with expenses,” she said. “I can no longer afford to stay in my home if the rent keeps going up higher.”

Maria Aguilar Rios in a Monday phone interview said some mobile homeowners are paying more than $1,000 a month and getting as much as 7% increase in rents.

Rios said both Lutz and Sanchez said they would support a rent control ordinance when running for City Council in 2020.

“I’m very disappointed and frustrated,” Rios said Wednesday by phone, referring to Tuesday’s vote.

“They made promises to the community,” she said.

Both Lutz and Sanchez spoke by phone Wednesday.

“I didn’t have a platform on rent control in my campaign,” said Sanchez, who added she is willing to listen.

Lutz said he too never made promises but wants to do something that will help all mobile homeowners.

Camacho and Lara said the proposed rent control law would help low-income residents.

“Those people are barely scraping by,” Lara said. “I see my parents who don’t have two pennies to rub together. There are very few things on this council we can do to help people.”

Lara also wanted to add amendments that would ensure the law only applies to mobile homeowners, not to the rest of the city, and that any general rent control proposal would have to be approved by a vote of the people.

Camacho, in a Wednesday telephone interview, said he remains optimistic and said he isn’t giving up.

“I believe this is the right decision for our city,” Camacho said. “When someone says it will have a negative impact, I disagree. It will have no economic impact.”

Jerry Gonzales, regional representative for the Western Manufactured Housing Association, said rent control isn’t justified because there have been few rent increases in the last two years in the state.

“For those on hard times, owners will work with them in a collaborative manner until they get back on their feet,” Gonzales said.

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