Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type: REGULAR AGENDA (ACTION)
To: City Council
Subject: Letter of Support for SB 490 (Proposed Amendment to Mobile home Residency Law)
Date: June 28, 2022
Written by: Damien O'Bid, City Manager
Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council adopt a motion authorizing the Mayor to send a letter of support for SB 490.
Background
The City of Cotati has a mobile home rent control ordinance (Chapter 19.14). Rent “stabilization” was initially established in Cotati by voter initiative in 1979. Due to a court settlement agreement, rent stabilization was placed on the ballot in 1998 and was ultimately repealed by voters. Following the repeal, the City Council adopted a new rent stabilization ordinance that was narrowly tailored to mobile home parks only, which is codified in Chapter
19.14 of the City municipal code.
Existing law exempts new construction, defined as spaces initially held out for rent after January 1, 1990, from any ordinance, rule, regulation, or initiative measure adopted by a city or county, which establishes a maximum amount that a landlord may charge a tenant for rent.
Analysis/Discussion
SB 490 would revise the definition of “new construction” to include only spaces initially held out for rent after January 1, 1990, and before January 1, 2023, and would end the above- described exemption for new construction upon the first date following January 1, 2023, that the rental agreement for that space is renewed, extended, or terminated.
The bill would create a new exemption for new mobilehome park construction, as defined, for a limited period of 10 years from the last date upon which date when at least one space in that park’s original construction was initially held out for rent.
If the motion is adopted by the City Council, the Mayor would be authorized to send a letter on behalf of the City similar in content to the citizen letter attached to this staff report.
Financial Considerations
Not applicable.
Environmental Issues
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it is not a project which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, pursuant to CEQA Guideline section 15378.
Attachments:
Senate Bill 940 Text (PDF)
Cal Cities SB 940 Summary (PDF) Resident
Letter to Buffy Wicks (PDF)