FORTUNA — The Fortuna City Council on April 6 adopted an urgency ordinance creating rent stabilization regulations for mobile home parks, turning a temporary moratorium into a permanent chapter of the municipal code.
The council approved Urgency Ordinance 2026-784 by a 4-1 vote, with Councilmember Stevens dissenting, according to the meeting summary and related ordinance materials. The ordinance creates Chapter 11.02 in the Fortuna Municipal Code and takes effect immediately.
According to the meeting record, the new rules cap CPI-based rent increases at 5%, prohibit rent increases when a mobile home is sold in place, and send disputes over fair return and capital improvement pass-throughs to a hearing officer. The council also adopted Resolution 2026-10, which sets fees for the new program.
Public comment on the ordinance was lengthy and largely in favor of stronger tenant protections, while park owners argued the city should pursue a memorandum of understanding instead. The summary says several speakers asked the council to extend the temporary moratorium on rent increases beyond April 30 and tighten pass-through language.
The staff presentation and public comment centered in part on Royal Crest Mobile Home Park, where residents described sewer-related charges and urged stronger protections. The meeting record also notes that staff and the city attorney described the ordinance as based on language used by Carson, California.
The council’s action follows months of public comment and now gives the city a formal rent-stabilization framework for mobile home park tenants and operators.
