Santa Maria Considering Ordinance to Protect Senior-Only Mobile Home Parks

SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) - Santa Maria is considering adopting a new ordinance that would provide protections for mobile home parks that are designed as age-restricted communities.

On Wednesday, the Santa Maria Planning Commission will discuss the creation of a Senior Mobile Home Park Overlay District (SMHP).

"What that will do is create really a separate zone for senior mobile home parks," said Chenin Dow, Santa Maria Community Development Director. "It will mean that if an owner wants to convert in the future to an all-ages park, they will need to go through a public hearing process where the public will have the opportunity to weigh in, as well as the Planning Commission on that rezone."

According to Dow, there are currently 15 total mobile home parks located in Santa Maria, with five of those designed as seniors-only parks for residents age 55-years-old and older.

Within those five seniors-only parks, there are 1,137 total units, meaning there are likely thousands of seniors currently living in those locations.

"The goal there is to ensure that we continue to have affordable housing for our seniors," said Dow. "Santa Maria does have a substantial senior population, and of that population, roughly 60% are considered lower income, meaning they make 80% or less of the regional AMI (Area Median Income). Our median incomes are very high here in Santa Barbara County, but that can mean that many of them are housing burdened and our City Council really wants to make sure that our seniors are taken care of in our community."

According to the Santa Maria Planning Staff Report, key components of the proposed ordinance include:

• Preservation of Senior Communities: Formally designates senior mobile home parks to maintain long-term availability as affordable housing for older adults.
• Occupancy Standards: Requires that at least 80 percent of occupied mobile home units be occupied by at least one person 55 years of age or older, consistent with HOPA requirements.
• Biennial Certification: Requires biennial age verification and compliance certification by park owners or operators to confirm continued compliance with federal and state senior housing requirements.
• Disclosure Requirements: Mandates that park rules, leases, advertising, and signage clearly identify the property as a Senior Mobile Home Park.
• Conversion Protection: Prohibits conversion to all-age status without a City initiated or owner requested rezoning process, which includes mandatory public hearings before the Planning Commission and City Council.
• The definition of Mobile Home Park is proposed to be amended to add definitions for “Mobile Home Park, Senior” and “Mobile Home Park, All-ages”.
• The zoning map for the city is proposed to be amended to add the SMHP overlay district.

If the SMHP is approved on Wednesday by the Planning Commission, it will then proceed to the City Council and will be considered for approval at their first meeting in August.

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