| Source |
Residents of the Willow Mobile Home Community at 2885 Willow Road in San Pablo packed City Hall on Monday, Nov. 17, calling on the City Council to immediately freeze steep rent increases they say will take effect Jan. 1, 2026.
Members of the newly formed San Pablo Mobile Home People’s Alliance say property owner Harmony Mobile Home Park Corporation is imposing rent hikes of 25-35 percent, and possibly more, on seniors, low-income families and residents on fixed incomes.
Attorney James Anthony, a former Oakland city attorney representing the Alliance, urged the city to adopt an urgency moratorium at its Dec. 1 meeting while drafting a permanent rent stabilization ordinance. “Mobile home residents have zero protection under state law,” Anthony wrote. “Your job is to fix that; our job is to help you.”
Under California law (the Mobilehome Residency Law), a mobile-home park owner must provide at least 90 days’ written notice of any space rent increase, according to the Mobile Home Park Owners Allegience. State law, however, does not impose a cap on the amount of the increase, although a local rent-control ordinance could establish one. A number of Bay Area cities including Novato and San Jose have such ordinances. Anthony states that over 105 local governments have imposed rent control on mobile homes.
During open forum Monday, residents described mounting fear, financial distress, and notices demanding they vacate homes when they cannot afford to relocate. One resident said rents were already raised once this year.
As their demands were made during open forum, the City Council did not discuss the matter in detail Monday. Residents plan to return to the Council Dec. 1 seeking formal action.
According to the city’s website, San Pablo is home to seven mobile home parks, totaling over 450 spaces.
