During the almost four-hour long September hearing attended by hundreds of people, park residents told commissioners that the rents at Santa Paula West are already among the highest in the city and disputed the basis of the increase sought by SP West, LLC.Tenants questioned park maintenance, rent comparisons to other area parks, and lack of children play space, and actual rent profit, among other issues.Also at issue was the rate of return to the park owner: “. . .the way the situation is today in this country,” with rising unemployment and diminishing wages, “I think 6.4 percent is fair,” said Wood at the September hearing.The only residents of Santa Paula West Mobile Home Park at the Nov. 13th commission meeting were Richard and Mary Hughes. During the almost year-long rent increase dispute, Richard Hughes created a new mobile home renters’ rights group.
Mobile Home Rent Review Commission adopts increase
December 10, 2003
Santa Paula News
The Mobile Home Rent Review Commission held a quiet meeting on Thursday, the exact opposite of recent gatherings where hundreds of residents of an area park jammed the Community Center to object to a proposed mammoth rent increase.
By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesThe Mobile Home Rent Review Commission held a quiet meeting on Thursday, the exact opposite of recent gatherings where hundreds of residents of an area park jammed the Community Center to object to a proposed mammoth rent increase.“This must be some kind of record,” said Commissioner Carmita Wood when the Nov. 13th meeting ended within five minutes after adoption of the resolution finalizing the rent increase at Santa Paula West Mobile Home Park.It’s been almost exactly a year since those living in the park received notice that the owner wanted a $268 average monthly rent increase, setting off a firestorm from the mostly low-income residents.At the Sept. 16th hearing, rescheduled from January, a city study that recommended a 9.6 percent $111 increase was rejected by Commissioners Wood and Shirlee O’Malley who opted for a 6.4 percent benchmark, creating an increase of $2.39 percent. Only Commissioner Timothy Hicks supported the higher increase.
