Capitol Update – April 27, 2023
By Chris Wysocki
Assembly Bill 1035 – Statewide Rent Control Dead for Year
Assembly Bill 1035 (Muratsuchi, D – Torrance) that would have set up statewide rent control for manufactured housing communities is now officially dead for the year. Thank you to our members, industry partners, and our legal team who helped defeat this legislation for the year.
Senate Bill 567 Amended. Referred to Appropriations Committee
Senate Bill 567 (Durazo, D – Los Angeles) underwent a lengthy hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee this week. This legislation would undermine protections afforded to rental housing under Assembly Bill 1482 enacted in 2019, which did NOT include manufactured housing communities. Last-minute amendments before the hearing included mobilehome park-owned rentals into the legislation which is why WMA weighed into this effort.
This legislation would cap annual rent increases for rental housing at five percent, but the verbal commitment was that the annual increase would be raised to ten percent in accordance with AB 1482. The legislation is heading to the Senate Appropriations Committee, but the author indicated she would bring it back to the Judiciary Committee after the amendments are drafted.
For now, it appears park-owned rentals would be subject to a ten percent cap on the homes, but WMA is working with the sponsors of the legislation to ensure that park spaces are kept out of the language.
To view the language of Senate Bill 567, please click on the following link:
leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB567
Assembly Bill 604 Heads to Senate
Assembly Bill 604 (Lee, D – San Jose), as currently drafted, would extend provisions of Assembly Bill 1061 enacted in 2021 that limited the fees mobilehome parkowners can charge to residents for water submetering for billing purposes to $4.75 per space to the entire state. Assembly Bill 1061 did not include jurisdictions under the authority of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), but AB 604 would bring the entire state under the same regulatory regime.
WMA has argued that manufactured housing communities should be able to turn over water systems to CPUC-regulated water agencies to simplify billing and avoid being responsible for maintaining water delivery infrastructure. Discussions are underway with the author of Assembly Bill 604 to address our industry concerns. The bill passed the Assembly with 49 votes, which was far short of the number the author believed he had to pass the bill. This is why the author is willing to work with WMA on securing amendments to the bill as it heads to the Senate.
To view the language of Assembly Bill 604, please click on the following link:
leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB604
WMA Legislative Tracking
These Capitol Updates provide information on the most pressing bills currently under consideration by the Legislature, but WMA is tracking dozens of other legislative measures. To keep apprised of the status of bills WMA is monitoring, please click on the following link:
WMA hosts a Zoom chat on the first Thursday of each month. These informal discussions will focus on trending, pertinent topics. This free event does not require registration. During our video chats, special guests will share information and answer questions.
The next Coffee Talk will be held on Thursday, May 4, 2023, 10:00 am – 11:00 am. Our guest speaker will be Brad Harward with MH Park Consulting.
With over twenty years of experience with the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), Brad offers consulting services on a broad range of mobilehome park issues.
The Zoom link will be posted a few days prior to the event, but please click on the following link to get up to date information:
HCD Comment Period is Open on Inspection Program Proposed Regulations
The Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) announced it would adopt regulations governing the Mobilehome Parks and Special Occupancy Parks which the Mobilehome Parks Act and Special Occupancy Parks Act established. As the notice indicates:
“The purpose of the proposed regulations is to establish consistent fees for services provided under existing law, and to realign fees based on actual duties and activities relating to health and safety inspections, complaint investigations, state mandates, administration, and supervision of the home offices located to statewide, and to facilitate efficiency of state operations.”
There are three separate links outlining the scope of the proposed rulemaking notice provided by HCD, and they can be found below:
Fee Realignment: Notice of Proposed Action (ca.gov)
Fee-Realignment-Express-Terms.docx (live.com)
Fee Realignment: Initial Statement of Reasons (ca.gov)
WMA will be filing comments on this proposed action, and please email me at chris@wma.org with any questions.
It is an honor to serve WMA, and please feel free to call me on my direct line at 916.288.4026 with any questions.
