Correspondence - #33 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Western M Manufactured Housing Communities i Association September 20, 2021 The Honorable Jessie Lopez Council Member, City of Santa Ana 20 Civic Center Plaza Santa Ana, CA 92701 RE: Item 33. Adoption of Rent Stabilization Ordinance and Just Cause Eviction Ordinance. Dear Council Member Lopez: Western Manufactured Housing Communities Association (WMA) is a statewide trade association representing mobilehome community owners throughout California and many here in the City of Santa Ana. We are opposed to the proposed rent control ordinance. Rent Control and Just Cause aren't needed in Santa Ana Santa Ana already has rent control. The Tenants Protection Act of 2019 provides robust protections for tenants of rental units throughout California. In Santa Ana's mobilehome parks, many spaces are governed by long term leases. The leases are voluntarily entered into and fully enforceable in court. Long term leases cap rent at low, cost of living standards. They are viable alternatives to rent control that have been in place in Santa Ana for decades. The City of Santa Ana reviewed all of Santa Ana's 29 mobilehome parks in 2019. The 288-page report revealed that these private communities are well maintained, professionally managed, and no evidence of widespread rent spiking throughout the entire city. At that time, the entire council unanimously rejected rent control specifically because of the lack of any citywide issues. Safety nets are already in place for mobilehome residents facing financial hardships with a mobilehome parkowners' rental assistance program. Parkowners have been administering and paying for their own rental assistance for decades through MHET's Orange County Mobile Home Assistance Program. Low-income residents can apply for assistance assuring no one is losing their home due to financial hardships. These funds do not need to be repaid and no lien is placed on their property and they are not available in jurisdictions with rent control. Further, local "just cause" protections are not needed locally. California's mobilehome residents already have "just cause" protections in state law. These additional Western Manufactured Housing Communities Association Sacramento Office: 455 Capitol Mall Suite 800, Sacramento, CA 95814 1 (916) 448-7002 Regional Off cc : 40335 Winchester Rd. #E 165, Temecula, CA 92596 1 (951) 704-2427 1 julie@ pa ul eco nsul ti ng.com