The city of Carson, known for having the most onerous rent control system in California, has amended its MHP rent ordinance.

As a result of the years of litigious pressure brought by community owner James Goldstein, the city finally had enough. Carson, who is admittedly in a financial crisis, is no longer willing to utilize the burdensome system they have fought to protect (at an absurd cost to the city) for more than 30 years.

Under the old system, community owners in Carson were never guaranteed any annual increase as the city’s guidelines allowed the rent board to utilize various formulas and other considerations in approving discretionary and often seemingly arbitrary minimal or zero increases.

The amended ordinance, which will become effective April 5, grants an annual increase of 75 percent of the difference in the CPI from the date of the last rent increase. The ordinance also includes an 8 percent ceiling and no floor.

While this may not be the best rent control provisions, for most Carson community owners (particularly the smaller family-owned parks) this is a far cry better than the prior costly system that had no guarantee of any increase at all.

This action by the city of Carson does show us that if we fight long enough and hard enough, we can make a difference.