TO:Andrew P. Powers, City Manager
FROM:Tracy M. Noonan, City Attorney
DATE:May 20, 2025
SUBJECT: Legal Services For Mobile Home Park Issues
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Authorize City Attorney to enter into a legal services agreement for services relating to Mobile Home Park issues, in an amount not-to-exceed $200,000.
2. Approve budget appropriation and authorize expenditure in FY 2024-25 up to $200,000 from A/C #001-0000-311-1000 (General Fund, Fund Balance) to A/C #001-1610-611-5199 (General Fund – Legal/Other)
3. Find that this action is not a project as defined under the California Environmental Quality Act.
LEVINE ACT ITEM: No
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
$200,000 Increase to Adopted FY 2024-25 General Fund Budget. $200,000 increase to the Adopted FY 2024-25 General Fund Budget is requested to pay for anticipated additional legal costs involving mobile home parks.
BACKGROUND:
There are eight mobile home parks within the City’s jurisdiction, all of which are subject to the City’s Mobile Home Rent Stabilization ordinance, as outlined in the Thousand Oaks Municipal Code (TOMC) Title 5, Chapter 25. The management of the parks and the application of the rent stabilization ordinance to the parks can require extensive legal analysis on a myriad of issues. These analyses involve specialized legal knowledge that is outside the expertise of the City Attorney’s Office.
Legal Services for Mobile Home Park Issues
May 20, 2025
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9 DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS:
The City Attorney’s Office needs to retain a law firm with specialized knowledge in this field, that provides legal services for public entities, in anticipation of additional legal work involving mobile home parks.
TOMC Section 3-10.107 exempts attorney services from the Request For Proposal process, which allows the City to choose the law firm that is best suited to handle a specific issue. Therefore, staff is recommending City Council authorize the City Attorney to retain outside legal services to work with the City Attorney’s Office on mobile home park matters.
COUNCIL GOAL COMPLIANCE:
Meets the following City Council goal:
C. Operate City government in a fiscally and managerially responsible and prudent manner to ensure that the City of Thousand Oaks remains one of California's most desirable places to live, work, visit, recreate, and raise a family.
PREPARED BY: Patrick J. Hehir, Chief Assistant City Attorney CAO:650-90\pjh\Legal Files\Mobile Home Park issues\Staff Report