Santa Rosa Mobilehome Rent Control: November 2025 Official FAQs

Official source: https://www.srcity.org/DocumentCenter/View/46084/Mobilehome-Rent-Control-FAQs-Nov-2025pdf?bidId=
Source retrieved: 2026-09-28
Date window: Official FAQ dated November 2025. The City’s current Mobilehome Parks page continues to link the FAQ; it contains an August 2025 CPI example, not the City’s later 2026 annual CPI figure.
Scope retained: Official City FAQ for the Mobilehome Rent Control Ordinance: CPI/fair-return and petition framework, $4.78-per-space monthly administrative fee, and the January 1, 2025 lease-coverage change. It is not the current 2026 annual adjustment notice, a full code reproduction, or a determination of any particular park, space, lease, or petition.

Limitation: This is a date-bounded official operational guidance snapshot, not the full municipal code. Verify the live official source, property-specific coverage, exemptions, and any later rate, fee, or deadline before relying on it.

Source: https://www.srcity.org/DocumentCenter/View/46084/Mobilehome-Rent-Control-FAQs-Nov-2025pdf?bidId=

MOBILEHOME RENT CONTROL ORDINANCE

SANTA ROSA CITY CODE CHAPTER 6-66 (SRCC 6-66)

Frequently Asked Questions - November 2025

Chapter 6-66 of the Santa Rosa City Code sets guidelines for Mobilehome Rent Control, to protect mobilehome owners from unreasonable site rent adjustments while insuring park owners and/or operators and investors a fair and reasonable return. While Housing and Community Services (HCS) is responsible for administering the Mobilehome Rent Control Ordinance (Ordinance), final enforcement and legal actions, if necessary, are handled by the courts. HCS aims to ensure that residents and park owners understand their responsibilities and comply with the Ordinance. Below are some common questions and answers to clarify how the Ordinance works. If you have additional questions, please contact HousingTrust@srcity.org.

1. What are the permitted rent increases? (SRCC 6-66.040)

Three types of rent increases are allowed under the Ordinance: Consumer Price Index (CPI), fair return, and in-place transfer rent increases. Once within a 12-month period, a park owner may implement a Consumer Price Index (CPI) rent increase, or a fair return rent increase, but not both. An in-place transfer rent increase may be implemented at any time during the year, as applicable (see below).

2. What is the Annual CPI Rent Increase? (SRCC 6-66.040)

Once in a 12-month period the rent charged for mobilehome spaces subject to rent control may increase by 70% of the annual percentage change of the CPI for the previous year ending August 31, provided that 70% of CPI does not exceed 4%. For example, the CPI for the 12-month period ending August 2025 is 2.5%. In accordance with the City of Santa Rosa’s (City) Ordinance, CPI rent increases are limited to 70% of CPI, equating to 1.75%.

3. What about Capital Improvement and Replacement Pass Throughs? (SRCC 6-66.040)

Capital improvement costs may be passed through to residents if a majority of mobilehome owners occupying spaces affected by the pass-through consent to the improvement. A capital improvement pass through may be implemented at any time during the year. Capital improvement costs include but are not limited to costs reasonably and necessarily related to the planning, engineering and construction of capital improvements and shall include debt service costs, if any, incurred as a direct result of the capital improvement. Capital improvement does not include ordinary maintenance or repairs.

Capital replacement costs may be passed through to the residents. If 50% of the spaces subject to rent control in a park, or 50 spaces, whichever is less, sign a petition objecting to the pass through, the City may assign an Arbitrator to hold a hearing to determine if it should be allowed, disallowed, or decreased. A capital replacement pass through may be implemented only on the effective date of the annual CPI rent

HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES 90 Santa Rosa Avenue Santa Rosa, CA 95404 Phone (707) 543-3300 Fax (707) 543-3353 www.srcity.org

increase or fair return rent increase. For example, an asphalt overlay of an existing roadway or parking lot is a capital replacement, a slurry seal of an existing roadway or parking lot is not.

4. What are the Government Mandated Expenses? (SRCC 6-66.040)

A government mandated expense refers to costs a government is legally required to pay, typically due to existing laws or regulations. Government mandated expense, capital expenditures and operating expenses including taxes and assessments, fees and mandated expenses due to code changes, may be passed through to the residents. If 50% of the spaces subject to rent control in a park, or 50 spaces, whichever is less, sign a petition objecting to the pass through, the City may assign an Arbitrator to hold a hearing to determine if it should be allowed, disallowed, or decreased. A government mandated expense pass through may be implemented at any time during the year.

5. What is considered a Utility Pass-through? (SRCC 6-66.040)

A park owner may separately pass through to the residents’ charges for all utilities, including, but not limited to sewer, water, garbage, cable TV, gas and electricity, and any increases in such charges. Water, gas, and electric utilities which are not separately metered cannot be passed through but may be charged as additional rent.

6. What is the Rent Increase for an In-Place Transfer of Ownership of a Mobilehome? (SRCC 6- 66.050)

An in-place transfer allows a park owner to establish a new base rent in two cases: (1) when a tenant's lease is terminated per California’s Mobilehome Residency Law (MRL), or (2) when a tenant voluntarily and permanently removes their mobile home (excluding removals for upgrades or improvements). Additionally, when a mobile home is sold in place, the park owner may increase the rent up to 10% of the current base rent to the new owner.

7. What is the Rent Freeze and Rent Roll Back? (SRCC 6-66.070)

If a petition has been received from 50% of the spaces subject to rent control, or 50 spaces, whichever is less, the City may assign an Arbitrator to hold a hearing and may prohibit future rent increases for those spaces subject to rent control, upon the Arbitrator’s determination that maintenance of a park has been substantially reduced.

An Arbitrator may prohibit future rent increases, or order a rent roll back, if it is determined a park owner has instituted a rent increase inconsistent with the Ordinance.

8. What is a Fair Return Rent Increase? (SRCC 6-66.060 and 6-66.100)

If a park owner provides evidence which proves they are being denied a fair return on their park due to the application of the Ordinance, an Arbitrator may authorize a rent increase based upon the fair return procedure and method of determination outlined in the Ordinance.

The application or petition shall be filed with the Clerk, the Director of Housing and Community Services, on the form prescribed by the Clerk and must be accompanied by all supporting material necessary to support the request. Applications or petitions which are not properly filed may be declined and returned to the petitioner immediately after the preliminary review with a notice of the defects.

HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES 90 Santa Rosa Avenue Santa Rosa, CA 95404 Phone (707) 543-3300 Fax (707) 543-3353 www.srcity.org

9. What are the Options for Tenancy for Prospective Homeowners? (SRCC 6-66.140)

A park owner is responsible to disclose to each prospective mobilehome owner the current and proposed base rent for the mobilehome space. A park owner is responsible to provide each prospective mobilehome owner with a copy of the City’s Ordinance and disclose to the prospective mobilehome owner under what circumstances that a lease will be exempt from rent control.

An acknowledgement form should be on file at each park and be made available to the City upon reasonable written notice.

10. What is the Administrative Fee for Rent Control? (SRCC 6-66.160)

The cost for the City to administer the Ordinance is $4.78 per space (subject to rent control) per month. Park owners may pass through to the affected mobilehome owner one-half of this fee, which is assessed each year. A portion of the fee, which is retained in separate City fund, will be kept available to pay for Arbitrations, as fund balances allow.

11. Can a Resident Refuse to Pay Illegal Rent? (SRCC 6-66.130)

A resident may refuse to pay rent more than the maximum rent allowed under the Ordinance. Please see resources listed below. Seeking legal counsel prior to refusing to pay rent is recommended.

12. What mobilehome spaces are protected under the City’s Ordinance?

The City’s Rent Control Ordinance currently protects 16 mobilehome parks with over 2,000 spaces subject to rent control. As a result of the enactment of AB-2782, effective January 1, 2025, the City’s regulations protect all mobile home spaces in parks in the City, regardless of the term of the lease.

13. What is the City’s role in arbitrations under the Ordinance? (SRCC 6-66.100)

The City administers arbitrations under the Ordinance. The City’s interest is ensuring that the regulations operate as intended and in accordance with their purposes - preventing unreasonable mobile home space rent increases, assisting in arbitrations between mobile home park owners and residents, and providing park owners adequate annual space rent increases and a reasonable rate of return. City staff are available to answer questions about the Ordinance and can also provide meeting facilities to assist affected parties in becoming informed and in participating in arbitration proceedings.

14. Can Santa Rosa’s mobilehome park owners convert their property to a different use?

Yes. Santa Rosa mobilehome park owners may seek to convert their property to a different use, consistent with the City Code. Applications to convert mobilehome parks to a different use would also be subject to the City’s mobilehome park conversion regulations.

15. What resources are available to assist mobilehome park residents with legal matters?

Fair Housing Advocates of Northern California 415-457-5025 1314 Lincoln Ave. Suite A San Rafael, CA 94901

HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES 90 Santa Rosa Avenue Santa Rosa, CA 95404 Phone (707) 543-3300 Fax (707) 543-3353 www.srcity.org

Online Contact Form

Legal Aid of Sonoma County (707) 542-1290 144 South E. Street, Suite 100 Santa Rosa, CA 95404 info@legalaidsc.com

California Rural Legal Assistance (707) 528-9941 1160 North Dutton Ave. Suite 105, Santa Rosa CA https://crla.org/contact-crla

Golden State Manufactured-Home Owners League Region 2 (Sonoma County) Region Manager – Hilary Mosher: hilmosh@gmail.com (707) 839-5079

HCD Mobilehome Assistance Center P.O. Box 278690 Sacramento, CA 95827-8690 1-800-952-8356 https://cahcd.my.site.com/s/

16. What is the History of the Santa Rosa City Code for Mobilehome Rent Control? (SRCC 6-66)

Mobilehome rent control was established by the City Council on September 17, 1993, by Ordinance No. 3072. Provisions within Chapter 6-66 of the Santa Rosa City Code relating to rent control have been updated periodically, as follows:

Ordinance No. Effective Date
ORD-2023-009 Aug 11, 2023
ORD-2022-107 Jan 6, 2023
3648 Mar 5, 2004
3540 Nov 2, 2001
3491 Aug 29, 2000
3480 Jul 28, 2000
3469 Apr 21, 2000
3376 Aug 29, 1998
3360 Apr 24, 1998
3281 Nov 1, 1996
3255 May 3, 1996
3243 Mar 22, 1996
3219 Nov 3, 1995
3217 Oct 27, 1995
3213 Oct 6, 1995
3072 Sep 17, 1993

For a comprehensive understanding and the complete list of provisions, please refer to the full text of Chapter 6-66.

HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES 90 Santa Rosa Avenue Santa Rosa, CA 95404 Phone (707) 543-3300 Fax (707) 543-3353 www.srcity.org