Santa Barbara Supervisors Grant Senior Mobile Home Housing 10-Month Reprieve
Supervisors Extend Temporary Conversion Ban to Protect Affordable Senior Housing at Mobile Home Parks
In a vote striking for its unanimity and speed, the Santa Barbara County supervisors voted to extend temporary emergency ban on conversions of seniors-only mobile home parks to mobile home parks open to residents of all ages by another 10 months and 15 days.
Led by North County Supervisor Bob Nelson, the supervisors agreed that the proposed conversion of the seniors-only Del Cielo mobile home estate posed an immediate threat to the county’s limited supply of affordable senior housing. Based on that finding, the supervisors agreed that the temporary conversion ban enacted in November should be extended so that permanent zoning changes could be enacted to preserve such housing.
Del Cielo’s new owners have threatened to sue the county for adopting discriminatory housing restrictions. Supervisor Nelson pointedly noted that the new owners were well aware of the seniors-only restriction of the mobile home park when they bought it and are now attempting to claim they did not to bolster their case. He stated he had a written copy of this admission, which, he added, contradicted the owners’ efforts at historical “revisionism.”
Of the 21 mobile home parks in county jurisdiction,11 have seniors-only admission policies. The waiting list for senior citizens seeking affordable housing is exceptionally long as it is. There are nearly 6,000 senior residents on housing authority waiting lists. The 11 seniors-only mobile home parks provide 1,862 unsubsidized — and relatively affordable —spaces for senior residents.
Five seniors-only mobile home park residents showed up to thank the supervisors for caring and acting so swiftly. If the county cannot adopt new protective ordinances within the next 10 months, the supervisors have the legal latitude to extend the emergency ban on park conversions for an additional 12months.
