AB 1061 by Assemblymember Alex Lee (D-San Jose) was signed by the Governor and will go into effect January 1, 2022. AB 1061 protects mobile home residents (many who are low income or on fixed incomes) from unfair water service charges.
AB 1061 protects mobile home residents from arbitrary and unfair water “service” charges and fees, which are currently being billed to some park residents above the actual amount of water that they consume. In just the City of San Jose, roughly 35,000 residents live in 11,000 mobile homes.
“The bill makes it so that mobile home parks don't profit off of providing clean water to their residents, which is a basic right,” said Assemblymember Lee.
The bill establishes protections for mobile home park residents by prohibiting park management from charging residents for more than their actual share of water service charges paid by the park to the water utility.
“Mobile homes provide affordable homes to some of our most vulnerable residents such as seniors on fixed incomes, low-income families, immigrants, people with disabilities, veterans, and others in need of low-cost housing,” said Lee. “It's crucial to protect affordable housing and our residents in the Bay Area, where the cost of living is among the most expensive in the world.”
“Mobile home park residents are deeply grateful to Assemblymember Alex Lee for helping keep mobile homes as one of the last bastions of affordable housing,” said Martha O’Connell, Regional Manager of Golden State Manufactured Homeowners League (GSMOL). “Years ago, water used to be included in the lot rent, but now most parks are billing for water separately and many are adding on duplicative charges -- This bill will prevent this and GSMOL was proud to support AB 1061.”
“Thank you to Assemblymember Alex Lee and co-author Assemblymember Voepel for recognizing that affordable housing must be secure housing,” said Jim Canova, Santa Clara Unified School Board member. “AB 1061 provides important protections to our manufactured homeowners across California -- These Californians are homeowners and manufactured housing is a vital component of affordable housing that must be preserved and protected throughout California.”