Mobile-home residents urge Lake County supervisors to impose temporary moratorium on park rent pass-throughs

Scores of mobile-home residents urged the Lake County Board of Supervisors on May 19 to act quickly to protect homeowners from large fee increases and pass-throughs by park owners while the county completes a proposed rent-stabilization ordinance (RSO).

David Barry, associate manager with the Golden State Manufactured Homeowners League (GSMOL), told the board that many mobile-home residents are captive consumers who own their homes but rent the land beneath them. "We're seeing people who are barely getting by as it is being threatened with impending rent increases as high as $350 per month," Barry said, asking the board to "make a motion to enact a temporary rent increase moratorium retroactive to January while you finalize your RSO." He warned that unchecked increases could make long-time residents homeless.

Several Sterling Shores residents echoed that request. Maya Lin said her park received a hand-delivered notice from Caritas Corporation imposing a $450 pass-through charge and announcing a 7% ongoing fee increase; she said prior increases since 2024 have already added about $60 per month for many residents. "You need to implement a moratorium and reverse this to 01/01/2026," Lin said, asking the board to act at the next meeting.

Tom Flanagan and Steve Zirker, both Sterling Shores residents, described how pass-through fees and increases tied to transfer of lot ownership make it harder to sell homes and disproportionately harm seniors and low-income households. "Please attach a moratorium on these pass-through fees that are retroactive to January 1," Zirker said.

The remarks came during the board’s public-comment period. Board members acknowledged the comments; no formal vote on a moratorium occurred during the meeting. Chair (speaker 1) closed public comment after the last in-room remarks and indicated the two pulled consent items would be considered later in the day. The RSO remains under development; residents urged the board to pair that long-term effort with a short-term moratorium to prevent immediate, sharp increases.

What happened next: The board received the public comments and did not adopt a moratorium at the May 19 session. The matter remains in the board’s purview for future action as staff and supervisors continue work on a rent-stabilization ordinance.

Why it matters: Mobile-home residents in Lake County report near-term fee increases and pass-through charges that they say could push low-income and elderly homeowners into financial distress. A moratorium would be a short-term, local protection while the county considers a broader policy change.