Hemet residents urge council to investigate steep mobile-home rent hikes and press for transparent annexation process
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Summary
Mobile-home residents told the Hemet City Council they face repeated rent increases — including notices of an 8.6% rise effective Jan. 1, 2026 — and urged the council to refer the matter to the city’s rent-review commission; speakers also raised broad concerns about a proposed annexation and possible conflicts of interest in the review process.
Several Hemet residents used the city council’s public-comment period on Nov. 12 to press for action after repeated rent increases at London Spires Mobile Home Park and to demand more transparency on a proposed annexation.
"I'm respectfully asking that this council to refer this matter to the city's rent commission for investigation to determine if increases are lawful and to protect Hemet residents from potential abuse," said Antonia Mengler, who identified herself as a London Spires resident. Vicky Kitchen, another park resident, told the council that ownership changes and a series of increases have left many seniors on fixed incomes vulnerable: "For the fourth time in 4 years, we're facing another rent increase... the proposed increase will mean a jump of around $59 per month for most residents." Kitchen also cited what she read from state law limiting certain park rent increases and asked the council to refer the petition to the Hemet Mobile Home Rent Review Commission.
Residents provided specific numbers: speakers said London Spires has about 165 spaces with roughly 150 occupied and described prior increases of 5%, then 9%, 8%, 9%, and a new notice of 8.6% slated to take effect Jan. 1, 2026. Julie Pauley, government affairs director for the Southwest Riverside County Association of Realtors, told residents the council itself cannot unilaterally apply a rent change review; instead, she advised, residents must file the petition following the procedures established by the voter-created rent-review commission.
Several speakers also raised objections to the way the city has handled an annexation proposal that would add unincorporated land to Hemet. Jenny Hess said the March 25 presentation proceeded despite requests to table and called for more community engagement and answers about alleged private meetings among petitioners. Hess asked directly whether council members support annexation and urged the council to facilitate transparent dialogue.
Council members acknowledged the concerns during the meeting. Council member Mills said he wanted the rent-review commission "going on this because their rent is gonna be January 1" and encouraged residents to follow the commission's petition process. Staff and several council members indicated they would look into the claims and the procedural steps residents would need to take.
The council took no formal enforcement action at the meeting; council members and staff instead described the administrative paths available (the rent-review commission and the existing code and petition processes) and encouraged residents to submit paperwork required by those processes. Residents said they would continue to press the council for oversight and answers ahead of any effective rent increase.
