(a) There is presently, within the city of Woodland and surrounding communities, a shortage of rental spaces for the location of manufactured homes commensurate with the demand therefore. This inequitable market situation has resulted in low vacancy rates and contributed or threatens to contribute to rapidly escalating rents. This situation has resulted or threatens to result in serious concern, anguish and stress among a significant portion of Woodland residents living in manufactured home parks.
(b) Alternative sites for the relocation of manufactured homes are difficult to find due to the shortage of vacant space, the restrictions on the age, size or style of manufactured homes permitted in many parks, and requirements related to the installation of manufactured homes, including permits, landscaping and site preparation. Additionally, the cost for moving a manufactured home is substantial, and the risk of damage in moving is significant. The results of these conditions are the creation of a captive market of manufactured home owners. This immobility, in turn, contributes to the creation of a great imbalance in the bargaining position of the park owners and manufactured home owners in favor of the park owners.
(c) Manufactured home owners are property owners with sizable investments in their manufactured homes and appurtenances. Collectively, the manufactured home owners have a greater investment than does the manufactured home park owner. The residents of manufactured home parks consider their relationship with the park owners as a joint housing venture. The continuing possibility of unreasonable space rental increases in manufactured home parks threatens to diminish the value of the investment of the manufactured home owners. Further, existing state law permits manufactured home park owners to require manufactured home owners to make modifications to their homes for reasons of aesthetics or conformity to park standards that amount to capital improvements which would accrue to the benefit of the park owner by potentially increasing the market value of the park itself.
(d) It is necessary to facilitate and encourage fair bargaining between manufactured home owners and park owners in order to achieve mutually satisfactory agreements with regard to space rental rates in manufactured home parks. Absent such agreements this council further finds and declares it necessary to protect the owners and residents of manufactured homes from unreasonable space rental increases while simultaneously recognizing and providing for the need of park owners to receive a just and reasonable return on their property. (Ord. No. 1362, § 1 (part).)