Council Opposes Mobile Home Bill

City Council moved to oppose a state Assembly Bill that would significantly alter rent control in mobile home parks at Monday’s City Council meeting.

Mayor Laura Rosenthal, along with members of City Council, each addressed the issue and expressed their disapproval of the bill at Monday’s meeting.

“This is a really important issue for not only us in Malibu, but in the state of California,” said councilmember John Sibert.

Malibu is home to Paradise Cove Mobile Home Park and the Point Dume Mobile Home Park, and if passed, the bill would end rent control for homeowners in a mobile home park that also own any property aside from their mobile home.

“This does absolutely nothing for the city of Malibu,” said councilmember Lou La Monte. “This does nothing but hurt our residents.”

Mayor Rosenthal has been one of the staunchest opponents of AB 317, and she recently visited Sacramento to speak with the office of Charles Calderon, the assemblymember who originally proposed the bill.

Rosenthal has also contacted several California cities that will be negatively affected if the bill passes.

“The city has always supported rent control in our mobile home parks and we need to continue to do that,” La Monte said.

Mikke Pierson, a mobile home owner in Paradise Cove, commented that the bill would benefit a little over 1,000 mobile homeowners, but would negatively affect over one million mobile homeowners across California.

“This bill will only benefit a few park owners,” Pierson said. “It does nothing but severely damage a majority of mobile home owners. It’s a very significant issue.”

The bill is currently in the Senate after being passed by the California Assembly.

“This bill would affect up to 12 percent of the city of Malibu, which is why we need your involvement,” Aaron Guttman, president of the Point Dume Club, said to City Council.

“We just beg that you help us and support in this," Guttman added.