NATIONAL CITY, Calif. — A community forum in National City brought mobile home park tenants together as an important ordinance is set to expire towards the end of the year.
Maria Sanchez is one of the residents who showed up to the community forum. Sanchez has been living at Keystone Trailer Park for more than 30 years. She told CBS 8 in Spanish that two years ago, her landlord wanted to raise her rent by about 20 percent.
Maria took her concerns to the city, which led to National City leaders to pass an ordinance that put a cap on rent increases.
“They asked for us to take action, which is then when we passed an emergency ordinance that would be applicable for two years that would limit rent increase five percent year to year,” National City Councilmember Jose Rodriguez said.
The statewide rent control ordinance that limits rent increases from ten percent year to year does not protect mobile homes. That's why this ordinance meant so much for people living in these mobile homes.
Mobile Park Resident Tony Sanchez told CBS 8 in Spanish, “Well, it gave us a very good relief because you see that we are already retired,” Sanchez said.
Now that the ordinance is set to expire soon, tenants are worried about what might happen if they don't have protection. Sanchez told CBS 8 in Spanish that if rent increases she wouldn't be able to afford rent.
“We become homeless, our pension is simply not enough,” Sanchez said
Jose Rodriguez tells CBS 8 that he hopes something is done sooner rather than later before the ordinance expires.
“Hopefully we’re able to take it on the council and my colleagues agree that we preserve naturally affordable housing and we keep it at five percent not just on a two year basis but hopefully on a permanent basis,” Rodriguez said.
In order for a permanent ordinance to pass, it must have the support of three city officials and for them to move it forward.
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