Council appoints Erica Steele to Mobile Home Fair Practices Commission

Cathedral City Council voted unanimously to appoint Erica Steele to the Mobile Home Fair Practices Commission after a brief interview during the Sept. 10 meeting.

Steele told council she applied because she considers manufactured housing an important source of affordable housing and described a personal connection: she lived in a manufactured home as a child and said that type of housing helped a family member escape domestic violence. “Manufactured housing is one of the last forms of affordable housing that we have left in this country and, in our city,” she said.

Council members asked about the commission’s role and how Steele would handle conflicts between park owners and residents. Steele said the commission must balance residents’ protection from unconscionable rent increases with owners’ rights to a reasonable return, and emphasized listening, empathy and adherence to the ordinance’s guidelines. She described the committee’s likely work—reviewing rent-hardship petitions where owners claim increased operating costs, for example.

After the council’s round-robin questioning, a council member moved to appoint Steele; the motion passed “all ayes.” The council did not record a roll-call vote tally by individual names in the public transcript beyond the standard “all ayes” statement. The appointment requires commission onboarding and scheduling of future hearings as needed.