A. The City Council finds that there is presently, within the City of Chula Vista, a shortage of rental spaces for the location of mobilehomes, and an inadequate number of mobilehome rental spaces to meet the total demand in this City for those spaces. The City Council finds that this limited supply of mobilehome spaces in this City has resulted in low vacancy rates and contributes to escalating space rents in a manner that would, in the absence of regulation, allow for unconscionable increases of rents to mobilehome park residents.

B. The City Council further finds that the unique nature of the ownership of a mobilehome within a mobilehome park makes mobilehome owners particularly vulnerable to the threat of loss of their investment in their mobilehome. Due to the high cost of moving mobilehomes; the potential for damage resulting from moving mobilehomes; the requirements for installing a mobilehome, including permits, landscaping and site preparation; the lack of alternative homesites for mobilehome owners; and the substantial investment mobilehome owners make in their coaches, mobilehome owners lack the ability to move their mobilehomes without a substantial loss in their investment. This lack of mobility, coupled with a shortage of rental spaces, provides park owners with the ability to establish excessive and unconscionable rents which, if unregulated, would result in the impairment of a mobilehome owner’s investment in their home.

C. The City Council further finds that the limited supply of mobilehome rental spaces available in this City would, in the absence of space rent regulation, allow for an unconscionable loss of the resale value of mobilehomes by existing mobilehome park residents.

D. The City Council further finds that mobilehomes comprise a significant form of housing available within the City of Chula Vista and can be a more affordable housing choice than single-family homes. The City Council finds that the supply of both mobilehome spaces and mobilehomes available for rent is not adequate to meet the demand, and that as a result, the limited supply of such spaces and mobilehomes contributes to escalating rents in a manner that would, in the absence of regulation, result in the elimination of mobilehomes as a more affordable housing choice.

E. The City Council further finds that there exist serious health and safety issues in some mobilehome parks within this City that constitute violations of the City’s Municipal Code and/or state law. The City Council finds that increases in rents in excess of the annual permissive rent increase for parks where there exist such serious violations would, in the absence of regulation, allow for an unconscionable benefit to the park owner to the detriment of the health, safety, and welfare of mobilehome residents. As more fully set forth in CVMC 9.50.079, the City Council finds that the provisions of this chapter will promote and require a minimal level of health and safety conditions in those mobilehome parks seeking rent increases in excess of the annual permissive rent increase while also allowing park owners sufficient time and revenue to meet these minimal requirements.

F. The City Council further finds that, because mobilehome parks generally have costs of operation which are considerably less than total gross income, it is not necessary to allow an automatic 100 percent Consumer Price Index (CPI) annual rent increase in order for mobilehome park owners to be able to maintain a fair, just, and reasonable rent. A number of cities in California do, in fact, limit annual rent increases without a review or hearing by the City, to 0.75 times the CPI and/or provide a maximum allowable rent increase. Therefore, it is appropriate to require justification for any rent increase in excess of the annual permissive rent increase as set forth in this chapter. (Ord. 3255 § 1, 2013; Ord. 3195 § 1, 2011; Ord. 2862 § 1, 2002).