Rancho La Paz update

By Brooklynn Wong

In what has become a regular occurrence at Anaheim City Council Meetings, a Rancho La Paz mobile home park resident spoke to provide an update on their fight to keep rent down, and to remind the city that they’d like their help.

When a new owner took over the mobile home park that straddles Anaheim and Fullerton in the last year, the rent was raised significantly.

It has sparked an ongoing conversation about rent control amongst the community of mostly retirees living on a fixed income.

The Anaheim City Council did take some immediate action initially, but the residents say they need more help. Through their lobbying, they have negotiated a gradual rent increase over the next five years, and owner John Saunders has agreed to fund a rent subsidy program.

The City of Fullerton has likewise offered a subsidy.

Rancho La Paz resident Cheryl Moi spoke at last Tuesday’s Anaheim City Council Meeting.

She spoke about Assembly Bill 1482, which had passed the state Senate earlier that day. The bill would limit rent increases in some California apartment complexes and rental houses.  Moi said she was glad things are looking promising for the bill, although it would not affect Rancho La Paz. She expressed frustration because she felt that what they had been told by the city was to “let the state take care of it.”

But she said the residents there are not giving up hope, and said this situation has “woken up a fight we didn’t know we still had,” and even mentioned aspirations to recall the Mayor.