Local News in Brief : Action Starts on Rent Petition

While petitioners were at polling places Tuesday gathering signatures for an initiative to eliminate much of Carson’s mobile home rent control ordinance, about 100 mobile home owners came to the council meeting to urge council members to campaign against the proposed measure.

The council directed City Atty. Glenn Watson to research what sort of campaigning would be permissible for council members during an initiative process.

The proposed measure would restrict rent control to those mobile home owners who fall below federal poverty guidelines. Rent increases for mobile home owners not meeting the poverty guidelines would not be limited, except for the first two years, when rent increases would be limited to 9% annually.

The owners of mobile homes oppose the measure, saying that rents would increase too much and they would have to leave. On the other hand, park owners backing the measure say that rent control makes it impossible for them to turn a profit, adding that the Carson ordinance is the reason that two and possibly more mobile home parks in Carson are closing.