Mobile‑home residents press Petaluma for stronger enforcement and relief from rent increases

Multiple mobile‑home park residents addressed the council on Jan. 5 to press for enforcement of Petaluma’s rent‑stabilization and vacancy‑control rules. Speakers described recent sales of park lots with steep increases in ground rent and alleged that some owners have used loopholes to charge triple ground rents when lots change hands.

"Ground rents on 4 Bell went previously for $720 ... now listed at $1,875," one resident said, arguing that the revised vacancy‑control ordinance, meant to be retroactive, prohibits large retroactive ground‑rent hikes except in limited circumstances. Several speakers also reported widespread towing and parking issues during the holidays and asked the council to restore parking and allow residents to obtain personal trash service without penalty.

Janice Parker and others delivered petitions asking the city to restore parking at Littlewoods and enforce existing law. City representatives in the meeting reiterated that recent ordinance clarifications strengthened vacancy control and that the city has pursued enforcement and litigation in some cases.

Why it matters: Residents said the changes and alleged owner conduct threaten housing stability for low‑income and senior mobile‑home owners, a group the speakers said often own their homes but rent the lots. Several commenters asked the city to pursue stronger enforcement and to provide clearer complaint pathways.

Next steps: Council did not vote on new enforcement measures during the meeting; speakers said they will continue to press the city to act and pointed to past arbitration and appeals they said favored residents.