La Habra council seeks rent control report as mobile home residents organize

La Habra officials have asked city staff to examine mobile home rent control after two resident groups at Friendly Village sought relief from rising lot rents, according to Voice of OC. The council has not adopted an ordinance as part of that action.

Residents say annual lot rent increases of 5% to 6% are straining seniors who rely on Social Security, Voice of OC reported. California’s statewide tenant protection law does not cover mobile home owners who rent their lots, leaving local rent rules central to the residents’ push.

At Councilman Jamez Gomez’s request on Oct. 19, the council directed staff to review residents’ proposals, annual rent increases and protections in other Orange County cities, according to Voice of OC. A date for the report’s return has not been set.

Residents are pursuing protections through two separate groups. They revived Friendly Village’s Golden State Manufactured-Owner’s League chapter in 2024 and formed Seniors Who Need Help. Their efforts have included attending council meetings, submitting materials and collecting signatures.

Voice of OC reported that Seniors Who Need Help collected enough signatures to compel a council discussion or pursue a future ballot measure if an ordinance is not placed on an agenda. Randy McDonald, the group’s founder, told the publication that residents were selling their homes and leaving for less expensive areas in California or other states.

Councilman Dale Lampkin raised questions about a potential conflict of interest because the city manages two mobile home parks, the publication reported. Friendly Village’s manager was unavailable for comment, and owner Sun Communities did not respond to the publication’s request for comment Friday.

Citing the Mobile Home Park Home Owners Allegiance, Voice of OC identified San Juan Capistrano and Santa Ana as Orange County’s only cities with mobile home rent ordinances. San Juan Capistrano’s ordinance dates to 1980, and its permitted increase is 3.2% for April 1, 2026, through March 31, 2027. Santa Ana’s maximum allowable increase is 2.87% for Sept. 1, 2026, through Aug. 31, 2027.

For now, the council’s action calls for a staff review, not a rent cap. Residents’ proposals remain under examination, with no known date for the report to come back.