The Camarillo City Council unanimously adopted its first permanent mobile home rent stabilization ordinance April 22 in an effort to maintain local affordable housing options.
Councilmembers said the regulation will keep land rent prices at the city’s three mobile home parks more in line with prices at other Ventura County cities over time while still allowing park owners to earn a reasonable profit.
The ordinance takes effect May 22 at Camarillo Mobile Home Estates, Lamplighter Mobile Home Park and Casa Del Norte Mobile Home Park.
“I think tonight’s success when the vote occurs will be that nobody is 100% happy, but everyone is a little bit happy,” Mayor David Tennessen said. “And that’s what I’m hoping for.”
After receiving a series of complaints beginning in March 2025 from mobile home residents affected by rent increases, the City Council formed a committee to focus on rent stabilization and gather community input.
Residents told the committee that local rents were higher than in other cities due to the lack of a rent stabilization ordinance. They said they could not afford to pay their rent and were unable to relocate because the increases diminished the resale value of their homes.
Park owners countered that the increases were reasonable and necessary to cope with the rising costs of management.
The council voted 3-2 March 25 to reject a previous version of the ordinance to allow for further revision.
The revised proposal changed the maximum rent increase to 8% upon re-rental of an existing mobile home to a new tenant.
Park owners are also be able to increase rent to market rate if the space is re-rented to a new tenant who brings a new mobile home or to an existing tenant who replaces the existing mobile home within one year. If the new tenant is a family member of the previous tenant, however, no increase would be allowed.
Makena Huey is an investigative and watchdog reporter for the Ventura County Star. Reach her at makena.huey@vcstar.com. This story was made possible by a grant from the Ventura County Community Foundation’s Fund to Support Local Journalism.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Camarillo passes rent control at mobile home parks. Here’s what’s next
Reporting by Makena Huey, Ventura County Star / Ventura County Star
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