CoMo-CAL — Advocates For You

Park owners and their representatives are working hard to lessen the grip of rent control or eliminate it completely.  You may say: “We have rent control here, so I don’t have to worry.”  Our answer:  Rent control is not GUARANTEED.  Just today there are several threats to rent control:  the new Proposition 90 will prohibit rent control—here today, gone tomorrow.  AB1309 deals with decontrol of rents upon sale—we’re written of its devastating effects.  If it passes (it is now a two year bill, so it will not become law this year), those under rent control could lose tens of thousands of dollars in equity.  In fact, “condo conversions” below are more about RENT CONTROL than offering residents a piece of the rock.

Park initiated “condo conversions.” 

Please read this if you read nothing else in this issue of THE VOICE.  A “condo conversion” has NOTHING TO DO WITH TAKING YOUR MOBILEHOME OFF YOUR SPACE AND BUILDING CONDOMINIUMS.   It is a way to “divide up the park” into separate spaces.  Nothing is changed in the park, only the ownership of some spaces.  Others who do not participate continue to rent.

This issue is complex.  The bottom line is that it is a “sham.”  It breaks rent control and that’s a big reason why park owners are initiating condo conversions.  Also lots are offered at whatever price the park owner wants to charge.  Please read the article on Page 4&5  by Jan Beautz, Santa Cruz County Supervisor.  It explains condo conversions.  CoMO-CAL promotes park ownership by residents, but ownership through a condo conversion is not the way to own a “piece of the rock.” 

You may say: “Condo Conversions won’t affect me.”  Our answer:  “It may not affect you today, or tomorrow, or the next day.  But your park owner COULD decide over night to do a condo conversion in your park—yes OVER NIGHT!   And it is happening more and more, across the state.  It is even happening in non-rent control areas (Mountain Springs in Banning for example).  Why?  Because the park owners make lots of money with a condo conversion. To date we estimate more than 40 parks are being converted.  We feel more and more park owners are going to catch the conversion fever.

Please read the article on the next page by Jan Beautz,  a supervisor in Santa Cruz.  She writes about the sham conversion—she is talking about “condo conversions.”  This is a serious threat to our way of life.  Please be aware.

Lancaster—tony walker

Richards plan—santa Barbara