CITY OF POMONA
COUNCIL REPORT
May 18, 2026
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Anita D. Scott, City Manager
Submitted By: Beverly Johnson, Neighborhood Services Director SUBJECT: SECOND READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 4368 OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF POMONA, CALIFORNIA AMENDING SECTIONS 30-551 AND 30-563 OF THE POMONA MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO FEES ASSOCIATED WITH MOBILE HOME RENT ADJUSTMENT PETITIONS RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council adopt the following ordinance:
ORDINANCE NO. 4368 – AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF POMONA, AMENDING SECTIONS 30-551 AND 30-563 OF THE POMONA MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO FEES ASSOCIATED WITH MOBILE HOME RENT ADJUSTMENT PETITIONS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The proposed Ordinance No. 4368 (Attachment No. 1) amends Sections 30-551 and 30-563 of the Pomona City Code. It requires fees for reviewing and processing mobile home rent adjustment petitions and related costs. These actions are in accordance with State law and, upon taking effect, will amend Sections 30-551 and 30-563 of the Mobile Home Rent Stabilization Ordinance.
SB1439/GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLICABILITY:
☐ When this box is checked, it indicates the agenda item is subject to the Levine Act SB1439 requirements. Councilmembers are reminded to check their campaign contributions and determine whether they have received a campaign contribution of $500 or more that would require disclosure and/or recusal from discussing or acting on this agenda item. Campaign contributions of $500 or more made: 1) by any person or entity who is identified in the agenda report as the applicant or proposer; or 2) on behalf of the applicant or participant, including a parent, subsidiary or otherwise related business entity; or 3) by any person who has a financial interest in the agenda item requires a councilmember to comply with SB1439.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The City does not currently charge fees for mobile home rent adjustment petitions. Adopting the Ordinance will allow the City to recover the costs of processing these petitions, including consultant costs for expert review and analysis and related costs.
PREVIOUS RELATED ACTION:
On April 20, 2026, the Council approved the first reading of the amendments to the Mobile Home Rent Stabilization Ordinance without any revisions.
DISCUSSION:
The City of Pomona City Council established the Mobile Home Rent Stabilization Ordinance (“RSO”), originally adopted by Ordinance No. 3652 on April 28, 1992, and subsequently amended by Ordinance No. 3702 on August 2, 1993, and Ordinance No. 4069 on September 18, 2006. The RSO limits annual rent increases for mobile home park spaces to the lesser of five percent (5%) or the January Consumer Price Index (CPI) increase. This cap applies solely to space rent and does not extend to dwelling unit rent.
The RSO permits both landlords and tenants to petition for rent adjustments above or below the allowable rent cap. Landlords may file a fair return petition if they contend that the base year net operating income did not yield a fair return; in such cases, the base year net operating income may be adjusted upon the required findings. Additionally, landlords may submit rent adjustment petitions based on capital improvements that exceed ordinary repair, replacement, and maintenance.
In evaluating petitions, consideration is given to factors including, but not limited to, increases or decreases in property taxes; changes in living space, furniture, furnishings, or equipment; and substantial deterioration of units beyond normal wear and tear. All rent adjustment petitions are subject to a public hearing and are reviewed and decided by the Mobile Home Rent Adjustment Board.
Comparative Analysis and Fee Proposal
The RSO currently does not impose a fee for filing a rent adjustment petition. Costs associated with expert review and administrative support (e.g., office supplies, translation services) are funded through alternative revenue sources, such as administrative fees derived from grants and loan programs. However, these funding sources are limited and not sustainable over the long term.
Accordingly, staff conducted a review of fee structures in comparable jurisdictions with mobile home rent stabilization ordinances, as well as the City’s own Rent Stabilization and Eviction Control Ordinance. The analysis of four comparable cities indicates that most jurisdictions assess either a fixed base fee plus additional charges based on petition type or require a deposit to process petitions. Except for homeowner petitions related to non-compliance, petition costs are typically borne by park owners. A summary of this comparison is provided in Table 1.
Table 1: Comparative Analysis
City
Petition Fee Amount
No. of Parks
City of Corona
Capital Improvement Petition
$10,500 per petition
Fair Return Petition
$25,000 per petition
Homeowner Petition for Non-Compliance
$100 per petition
14 City of Carson
Capital Improvement Petition
$13,000 plus $15 per space
Fair Return Petition
Parks w/ 150 spaces or less: $22,500 plus $15 per space Parks w over 150 spaces: $30,000 plus $15 per space
25 City of El Monte
Fair Return Petition
Consultant cost to process petition
Requires a $23,500 deposit to start processing the petition 41 City of Escondido
Fair Return Petition
$7,800 to City, plus consultant cost to process the petition 37 City of Pomona Mobile Home RSO
None
20 On the other hand, the City of Pomona’s Rent Stabilization and Eviction Control Ordinance requires a landlord seeking a rent adjustment to pay for all costs associated with the City’s review, based on actual cost.
Staff recommended amending the RSO to allow for cost recovery through a fixed rate fee structure paid in advance, similar to the City of Corona. Park owners will be charged a fee of $25,000 for a fair return petition and $10,500 for a capital improvement petition. In addition, mobile homeowners, or tenants under the RSO, will be charged $100 for petitions for non-compliance. The fee(s) must be submitted to the City in advance, together with the rent adjustment petitions.
The amendments to Sections 30-551 and 30-563 would establish authority for the Council to adopt a fee schedule and would require an applicant to pay a petition fee at the time the petition is submitted. Upon approval, staff will issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a subject matter expert who will review the petitions. The final cost to process the petitions will be included in a Master Fee Schedule Update to be presented to City Council through a Resolution.
Prepared by:
Maria A. Siacunco
Housing Services Manager
Attachment No. 1 – Ordinance No. 4368
Amending the Mobile Home Rent Stabilization Ordinance