The Goleta City Council took action on Tuesday to safeguard senior housing by approving a permanent, citywide senior mobile home park overlay district. In a 4-0-1 vote, the council passed an ordinance to amend city law, solidifying regulations for these communities. The decision replaces a temporary urgency ordinance that was set to expire in February after being initially approved in February and extended in March.
This permanent ordinance is designed to maintain housing options for seniors. Councilman James Kyriaco emphasized the importance of these residences, stating, "This is really the only naturally occurring senior affordable housing that we have in this community."
The urgency ordinance was first enacted to prevent the University Mobile Home Park in Old Town Goleta, located at 520 Pine Ave., from converting into an all-ages park. This action followed a change in management at the park. University Mobile Home Park is one of five such communities within Goleta.
Residents of University Mobile Home Park spoke during public comment, advocating for the permanent ordinance. Dorie Rodriguez, a resident and the University Mobile Home Park representative president, told the council about their experiences, saying the new owners "are horrific, and we are trying to stand together as a group in the park to get through this." Yolanza Marquez, another park resident, highlighted the financial vulnerability of many tenants: "A lot of the people here are on a fixed income and can’t afford to go anywhere else." She also claimed that the new owners had evicted all tenants who were renting.
The new permanent regulations uphold the provisions of the previous temporary ordinance. These include an annual age-verification process and a requirement for senior mobile home parks to clearly identify their seniors-only status through signage, documentation, and real estate listings, as explained by housing manager Lucy Graham. The ordinance defines a senior mobile home park as having 80% occupancy with tenants aged 55 or older, according to a city staff report. Peter Imhof, planning and environmental review director, stated that city staff are confident the drafted ordinance will protect senior housing in the city, particularly at University Mobile Home Park.
Councilman Stuart Kasdin abstained from Tuesday's vote, having previously voted against the urgency ordinance and its extension. Kasdin expressed his perspective that "the need is universal for this type of housing," questioning the scope of future eligible tenants. Councilwoman Jennifer Smith acknowledged the difficulties unlawful actions by property owners can create, particularly for individuals with chronic health conditions or disabilities. She advised, "It’s important for individuals to be aware that they may have rights. Separate from what happens here, it’s just a scary thing when a notice lands on your door."
Since March, the city has been involved in a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court by University Park Manufactured Housing Community LLC. The lawsuit alleged that the urgency ordinance violated the Fair Housing Act. Both parties submitted a request to dismiss the lawsuit in September, and U.S. District Court Judge Joel Richlin is expected to deliver a decision on the motion by the end of the month.
