When La Habra city council members voted to spike rents at their publicly owned mobile home parks this summer, they announced the rollout of a financial assistance program that would address the needs of low-income residents.
Yet with a Jan. 1 deadline looming for the first installment of an eventual 25% rent hike over the next five years, officials say only 33 people have applied for the program.
So far, city officials have approved relief for only nine individuals out of a community of about 240 working-class families.
Editors’ Note: This dispatch is part of the Voice of OC Collegiate News Service, working with student journalists to cover public policy issues across Orange County. If you would like to submit your own student media project related to Orange County civics or if you have any response to this work, contact admin@voiceofoc.org.
As many as 72 families living at the park should be able to qualify for the financial assistance program, according to a July city staff report when the council approved this decision 4-0.
City officials through email correspondence with reporters stated that the city sent applications to residents in September, along with their monthly rent statements, setting a Nov. 2 deadline to apply for assistance.
Officials stated they later extended the deadline to Nov. 8 because they received multiple incomplete applications, according to an email from La Habra Management Analyst Breanna Hurt.
Hurt confirmed that the nine applications have been approved as of Nov. 15, with staff set to finish reviewing applications by Dec. 11.
How did City Officials Respond?
Most council members have not responded to repeated requests for interviews.
Only Councilmember Daren Nigsarian responded to interview emails, directing reporters to speak to the city manager.
Each council member received at least ten emails over a two-week period from Chapman University journalism students working with Voice of OC requesting information about approved applications.
During the July 17 public housing authority meeting about the rent spike, council members spoke publicly on the issue. Councilmember Steve Simonian was not in attendance.
Mayor James Gomez expressed his concern about raising rents but supports the city’s decision.
“I, for one, do not like the idea of an increase, but we have to find the funds to pay the debt down and maintain them [the mobile home parks] to a quality level so we won’t become, so to speak, like ‘slumlords’ in that area,” Gomez said.
According to city budget documents, the city has a debt service of $726,069 connected to the parks.
“I feel for the residents, but I have to support this,” Gomez said. “It’s not like we’re making money. It’s not like we’re getting deep pockets in this. That’s not the case.”
Nigsarian confirmed with La Habra’s Housing and Economic Development Manager, Miranda Cole-Corona, that the city is running at a “structural deficit right now” with “more money going out towards the maintenance and operation of these parks than is coming in” during the meeting.
Rent Increases in Neighboring Parks
Privately owned mobile home parks in Orange County have recently experienced substantial rent increases over the past few years.
In 2019, Rancho La Paz in Anaheim and Fullerton saw up to a $200 monthly rent hike, leading to a petition and a state law protecting residents in 2021. Huntington Beach faced similar challenges in 2021, with a $750 rent increase for new residents.
[Read: Huntington Beach Seniors Hit Roadblocks in Fight For Rent Relief]
La Habra is one of only two cities in Orange County that publicly owns their mobile home parks, operating two separate park communities. Huntington Beach also owns one of their parks near Ellis Avenue.
Park La Habra and View Park mobile homes’ current rent of $850 per month is reportedly 14% lower than neighboring areas, according to a city staff report. The city’s decision to increase rent was made in response to a request from La Habra’s Housing Authority. Officials said they need the increase to cover operating costs and maintain the parks.
This will be the first rent increase in the area since 2013.
To qualify for financial help from this program, residents must verify income by providing bank statements, paystubs or income tax returns. Families might receive up to a 75% reduction in the rent increase, depending on their income and application approval, Hurt said in an email.
The city has no specific budget for the program, Hurt said. Instead, officials plan to collect less rent money based on the number of approved applications.
What do Residents Think?
Some residents expressed concerns about their eligibility for the assistance program during two community meetings held in May, citing issues with maintenance, such as missing skirting and the need for exterior paint.
One resident spoke during the July meeting on behalf of both mobile home communities, urging the council for a more modest rent increase and highlighting the financial strain faced by working families trying to make ends meet.
“You state that the low-income families can apply for reductions, but not all families are in that category yet. And we still have families to support and bills to pay,” the resident said.
“It seems to me that a 2% annual increase over a period of five years is much more reasonable,” she continued. “We are hardworking families who contribute to this community, and now we look to your help to help us live without fear of huge rent increases.”
The Future of La Habra Mobile Home Parks
Councilmember Jose Medrano discussed the potential possibility of having to sell the mobile homes to a private company if no rent increase is enacted during the July meeting. He also has not yet responded to any emails sent by Chapman students.
“I can tell you that the city cannot continue to subsidize the parks as they have been for well over 10 years,” Medrano said during the meeting. “I don’t want to be there seven or eight years down the line with no rent increase and the city absolutely cannot afford it… and then we have people being displaced. I’m not saying that’s what’s going to happen, but it’s a possibility.”
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