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San Marcos mobile-home residents say rent petition process was disrupted by management
Summary
Residents and advocates told the City Council that management at Rancho San Marcos and Lakeview inserted itself into the ordinance petition process and distributed ballots before a petition was formally filed, raising fairness concerns under the city's mobile-home rent ordinance.
John Mosher, a representative of the San Marcos Mobile Home Resident Association, told the City Council on May 27 that residents at Rancho San Marcos and Lakeview faced interference from park management in a rent petition process established by the city's mobile-home ordinance.
The dispute centers on a rent-increase notice that exceeded the consumer price index increase the ordinance allows and on park management sending a package with a ballot to residents before a petition was formally submitted. "The way the situation has unfolded isn't good," Mosher said.
The nut of the residents' concern is that the ordinance creates a 30-day window after a rent-increase notice during which residents can submit a petition and negotiate; Mosher said management's actions could undermine the petition and good-faith negotiation process. He also said some residents reported that their base rent was raised improperly when ownership changed, which the ordinance does not allow in certain transfers.
Mosher said city staff including "Sylvia, Yvette, and Phil" had met with residents and explained the ordinance, and he said the parks' management had inserted itself into residents' opportunity to complete and submit petitions. He asked the council to "keep your ears open" and to help ensure residents get a fair process.
No formal council action was taken on the matters Mosher raised during public comment. Mosher said residents will reach out to the city for follow-up and that staff members were already engaged with the parks.
The council records show the matter was raised during public comment rather than on a formal agenda item; Mosher described ongoing outreach between residents and city staff and asked the council to monitor the situation.
For now, residents and the resident association appear to be pursuing the petition remedies provided in the ordinance, and city staff were identified by Mosher as points of contact for additional follow-up.
