Funds would help mobile home residents fight increases

WATSONVILLE — The Watsonville City Council Tuesday night unanimously approved putting on the November ballot a fee for mobile home residents that will help them recover legal costs when they fight rent increases.

The amendment to the Watsonville Mobile Home Rent Stabilization Ordinance will go to voters in the fall. It would increase the monthly fee from $1.10 to $5, paid by mobile home residents.

The fee goes into a pot that reimburses residents if they prevail in court after fighting rent increases. It was established to give individual residents who feel they have been overcharged the financial ability to challenge their landlords in court.

“We want this fee,” resident Marged McNealy said during the public comment period. “(Usually), I don’t like taxes. I don’t like fees. This is not a tax for the whole city. This isn’t going to be slapped on the whole city, and that needs to be made clear when it goes on the ballot."

For the complete article see the 07-12-2012 issue.

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