The City Council first entered the mobilehome space rent control arena through the adoption of Ordinance No. 79-470-U a mobilehome space rent increase moratorium on May 23, 1979. This action was taken due to the request of a number of mobilehome park residents in the city who were either experiencing or about to experience some rather steep rent increases at the time. Subsequently, an ordinance creating a Mobilehome Rent Review Board (Board) or (MRRB), composed of equal numbers of Park Residents, Park Owners and At-Large Members was adopted on August 20, 1979 through Ordinance No. 79-485-U (Ordinance). The Ordinance created a 15 member Board empowered to grant rent increases based on 11 factors described in the Ordinance. In addition, the Ordinance extended the rent increase moratorium until the MRRB became operational.

The City's general fund budget was amended whereby an Administrative Program Specialist and Clerk Stenographer were hired as staff support to the MRRB. The Board had its first meeting on November 13, 1979. The composition of the MRRB has changed several times over the years since its initial 15 person membership. First the Board was reduced to seven members: two (2) Park Resident Members, two (2) Park Owner Members, and three (3) At-Large Members. There were also a total of three (3) alternates, one (1) representing each of the above groups. This was later modified through Ordinance No. 86-742 to all three (3) Alternates being Public or At-Large Members.

More recently, the Board was reduced further through Ordinance No. 92-983, No. 92-988-U and No. 92-994-U to five (5) members: two (2) Park Resident Members, two (2) park Owner Members and one (1) mediator. There were again three (3) Alternates; however, they were once again one (1) from each of the above groups.

Most recently, the Board was again modified back to the seven member format in 1998 through Ordinance No. 98-1130 with two (2) Resident Homeowners, two (2) Park Owners and three (3) At-Large Members from the community who are not Resident Homeowners, Park Owners, landlords, property managers or tenants in multifamily housing. There are now eight (8) Alternate Members: two (2) Alternate Resident Homeowners, two (2) Alternate Park Owners, and four (4) Alternate At-Large Members.

 

The following is a list of some other significant amendments to the Rent Review Ordinance over the past 25+ years:

• Policy guidelines for the approval of Capital Improvement rent increases were first addressed through Ordinance No. 86-144 and adopted by the Board on December 15, 1986. These were later replaced through Ordinance No. 98-010 which was adopted on February 17, 1998.
• The By-Laws of the MRRB were first adopted on October 27, 1982 and were later revised and adopted by the Board January 25, 1989, and with an additional minor change adopted on July 26, 1989. Most recent the By-Laws were amended and adopted on August 14, 1996.
• The issue of registration and posting of utility fees (sub-metering) in mobilehome parks was addressed through Ordinance No. 93-1000 and was adopted on March 16, 1993.
• The inclusion of a 90-day restriction to challenging any decision of the Board as per the Code of Civil Procedures Section 1094.6 was addressed through Ordinance No. 94-1031 and was adopted on March 15, 1994.
• Guidelines for the Implementation of the Ordinance were assembled by staff, the city attorney's office and through relevant case law shortly after the adoption of the Ordinance. These original Guidelines were later revised through Ordinance No. 94-058 on June 14, 1994. These were most recently replaced through Ordinance No. 98-010 which was adopted on February 17, 1998.