Affordable housing must be protected

Open,
No one said that ALL manufactured communities must be affordable but the LAW in San Rafael said that our community must be rent controlled, so when people (like myself and the other 400 families in Contempo) purchased our homes we factored in ALL the costs (just as I'm sure you do when considering a major purchase) We all bought what we could afford. Now our rents WILL go up (unless the appeal goes through) to $1925, my current rent is $725 +$24 (for "capital improvements") so my rent will nearly triple, I certainly did not factor THAT into my purchase here at Contempo. EVERYONE expects that expenses go up in life, but few could or would plan for a TRIPLING of costs ALL AT ONE TIME.
I invite you to come visit my home.

Open wrote:

Just a question, Who ever said that living in a manufactured home community was meant to be "Affordable Housing"? Everyone has this ideas that manufactured home communities are for low income families, I think that is the problem!

Back at you, do you understand the point now?

I live in a newer mobil home in Napa Valley and I'm on the board of directors of the home owners association. I am very upset with the owner of your park trying to raise your rent to almost $2,000 a month. From what I heard on the news, some judge agreeded with him to let him do this. Is this true? Not one single person here where I live could afford such an increase. In fact we are working very hard right now to try to prevent this from happening. But what I fear the most is if the owner of your park does indeed get away with this then it will set a presidence to all mobil home park owners, not only here in California, but everywhere. What can we do to stop this greedy owner?

Time travler wrote:

What can we do to stop this greedy owner?

for starters VOTE NO on 98 and YES on 99....spread the word.

Thank you and good luck to you and your community!

There are several issues here. Some have been addressed. Let's look at this a little deeper.
1-Apartments and Mobile Homes are not equal.
Apartments the Landlord is responsible for upkeep and maintenance.
Mobile homes-The mobile home owner is entirely responsible for the upkeep and maintenance:
Replace fresh water pipes-$3000
To replace roof $5000-$8000
To replace windows easily $3500
See where this is going. Apartments and mobile homes are not equal. Landlord responsible for all upkeep and maintenance.....Mobile homes , mobile home owner responsible. Period.
2-Then we have the owner of the mobile home park not keeping up and/or keeping minimally the park cleaned up
3-The threats of pass thrus to do routine maintenance
4-Illegally charging residents for road upkeep and power upgrades when park was given special prices in return for park owner to maintain and keep up facilities and NOT pass the cost to the mobile home owner.
5-Apartments do not have mortgages...Many mobile homes do.
6-Many mobile home parks were designated for low income or disability or low rent. That is why they cannot and/or supposed to not be leased out for profit.
If any are it is the fault of the park manager not doing their job of policing and acting on policy.
7-Many seniors are on limited budgets. That is why they sought mobile homes. Many barely have enough for their meds or food. This is criminal to allow this company to make mockery of the judicial systems and to tie the courts up for to maintain Sam Zells ego.
8-Sam Zell is out to break rent control not only in mobile home parks but to break rent control period.
Rent control came into being because of bloodsuckers like him who took advantage of those on fixed incomes.

To the idiot who wrote get a job or a roommate...
One-Many parks have restrictions as to whom you can have as a roommate.......or you lose rent control......
Two- It has nothing to do with getting a job, many are seniors and disabled.

To the person who commented about Affordable Housing
You are correct there are million dollar manufactured homes on the beach where the space rent is $2500...People going in know that. They have the money to do so. That is their choice.

The parks referenced here are for the average joe or senior who makes minimum wage sometimes middle wage but who do not have the resources to purchase a regular home and get the tax benefits of home ownership........

What is really behind this, is Sam Zell either wants to redevelop the land into more lucrative housing or commercial building and take away affordable housing.

Mr. Underhill forgot to mention when they pull out a old home and put in new they charge big bucks.

Most mobile home owners also pay for ALL of their utilities on top of mortgage and space rent.

Apartment dwellers usually pay for utilities sometimes trash, some do not pay for water.
You are talking apples and oranges here.