AB 1542 - Please Contact These Senators Today!

Readers of this blog can help stop the loss of a hundred thousand (or two) units of affordable housing in CA. Mobilehome park owners have figured out a loophole in the law that lets them convert the parks to condominiums... charge $100,000 to $200,000 or more for the air that surrounds each mobilehome in the park. Under current law (Gov Code 66427.5), it's easier to convert a mobilehome park to condos than to convert an apartment house to condo's and local rent control restrictions disappear as soon as the first air box is sold in a park. AB 1542 (Evans) will change that. It extends rent control protections for low and moderate inc residents; it allows local gov'ts to set conditions on conversions. It gives residents greater say in whether conversions will occur.

It passed the assembly with narry a vote to spare and is on the floor of the senate. We're a couple votes short (at last count) of the 21 needed for passage. Please, if you live in the district (or know someone who does) of any of the following Senators, CALL or SEND A FAX to him ASAP and urge him to vote in favor of AB 1542.

Sen. Jeff Denham (Republican, Modesto, Salinas) Click here

Sen. Tom Harman (Republican, Orange County) Click here

Sen. Abel Maldonado (Santa Cruz, San Jose, Monterrey, S. L. Obisbo) Click here

Sen. Dave Cogdill (Republican Fresno area) Click here

Sen. Michael Machado (Vacaville, Stockton, Davis, West Sacramento) Click here

Sen. Ron Calderon ( Democrat Southeast Los Angeles) Click here

Sen. Lou Correa (Democrat Anaheim, Santa Ana, Westminster) Click here

Sen. Leland Y. Yee - (Democrat San Francisco and San Mateo) Click here

Now that the budget's been passed, AB 1542 could come up for a vote any time in the two weeks. More information on the bill (with a fact sheet, sample letters, and other useful stuff) can be found by clicking the links to the right.

PLEASE pass this information on to friends/relatives who may be interested. If anyone has any questions, or gets any news about how any of these senators plan to vote on the bill, send us an e-mail to sonocondo@gmail.com.

AB 1542 is supported by the Golden State Manufactured-Home Owners League (GSMOL), CMRAA. the California AARP, the League of California Cities, the Bay Area Housing Advocacy Group (BHAG), the CRLA Foundation, and the Building and Construction Trades Council of California.