La Verne : Mobile Home Rents Capped

The City Council has voted unanimously to impose an ordinance prohibiting mobile home park owners from increasing rents by more than $35 a month or 7% when a mobile home is sold.

However, at the request of park owners, the council set a base rent rate of $250, which means rents may be raised to that level when a mobile home is sold, even if the increase would be greater than $35 or 7%.

The ordinance, adopted Monday, takes effect immediately. The council also required that rent increases since Feb. 15, 1990, that exceed these limits be rolled back so they are in compliance with the measure, though such rollbacks would not have to exceed $50 per month.

The council declined to limit rent increases to once every five years, as had been proposed. Mayor Jon Blickenstaff said the city “is not eager to plow new (legal) ground.”