Camarillo adopts 180-day interim moratorium on mobile-home land rent increases, caps annual hike at CPI+1% (4.2%)

The Camarillo City Council on Wednesday approved an interim urgency ordinance that temporarily limits increases in mobile-home land rent to a maximum of 4.2% annually — a figure staff described as the Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim consumer price index (CPI) plus 1% — while the city studies a permanent rent-stabilization policy.

The 4.2% cap was adopted after an initial motion to limit raises to 3.2% failed for lack of the four-fifths vote required for an urgency ordinance. Councilmembers then approved a substitute motion, 5–0, to set the cap at CPI plus 1% for 180 days. The ordinance takes effect immediately and applies only to mobile-home land-rent leases during the moratorium period.

The decision followed more than three hours of public comment on the item, including testimony from several mobile-home residents who said rapid rent increases have made their homes unaffordable. “I pay almost $2,000 now,” resident Rosalio said through an interpreter, describing a rent rise from about $1,300 since he moved in. Terry Connell, who said she retired early and has a limited income, told the council that “constant rent increases may force many of them out of their homes.”

City staff presented data showing Camarillo’s parks have some of the highest land rents in the county and noted the urgency measure is intended to prevent park owners from imposing large increases while council and staff draft a permanent ordinance. James Fowler, a city staff member presenting the item, told the council the interim rule would be limited to land rent for mobile-home spaces and would last six months.

Park managers and owners also addressed the council. Mike Cirillo, president of Star Management, which operates Casa del Norte, said his owner has historically tied annual increases to CPI and described family ownership and a long-term outlook for the park. Cirillo questioned whether some of the datasets shown to the council reflected resale rents rather than the parks’ average rents and asked staff to verify the figures.

Councilmembers said they did not favor long-term rent control for typical rental housing but viewed the mobile-home situation as distinct because homeowners usually own the dwelling but lease the land beneath it. Several councilmembers urged a balanced interim approach that protects residents while recognizing owners’ operating costs. Councilmember Tremblay said he was “not in favor of rent control, generally speaking,” but supported a temporary moratorium and proposed CPI plus 1% as a reasonable interim cap.

The council directed staff and the existing ad hoc committee to return within the 180-day period with detailed recommendations for a permanent ordinance. The urgency ordinance includes language to treat the 4.2% figure as a fair-return cap for the moratorium’s duration and keeps other procedural elements of existing law in force, including required notice periods under state civil code.

The council’s action was procedural and time-limited; members said a permanent policy would require further study of park operating expenses, capital-improvement pass-throughs, insurance, taxes and the effect of resale (“decontrol”) provisions on homeowners’ equity.

The ordinance passed with a 5–0 roll call (Councilmember Martinez Bravo — yes; Vice Mayor Tennyson — yes; Councilmember Tremblay — yes; Councilmember Santangelo — yes; Mayor Kildee — yes).