Cold Winter Weather

Mobile home residents are getting ready for the cold winter weather soon to be hitting Yucaipa. We've already had a taste of chilly temps. Southern California counties are recommending we conserve more water; our drought is not improving. Colder temperatures mean heating cooling costs. Many residents experienced astronomical heating bills last winder.  For mobile home residents on a fixed income, a little help is welcome. HEAP Assistance is available for people having trouble meeting their utility bills. You can apply for Emergency Utility Bill Assistance if you have received a disconnect notice for utility accounts. Non-Emergency Utility Bill Assistance may provide an annual HEAP credit to qualifying clients.  For information or to apply for assistance, visit the website at www.capsbc.org and link to Utility Assistance. You can also call (909) 723-1500 or an appointment Monday-Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:45 p.m.

(In the past CAPSBC.org was able to provide a one time grant for financial assistance with utility bills.  (This program is currently closed due to limited funds.  YMRA will notify our members if this program becomes available again in the future)

Free energy improvements offered by Quality Conservation to eligible homeowners and renters* in single family, multi-unit, or mobile homes who are residential customers of SoCalGas may include:

• Smart Wi-Fi connected Nest™ Thermostats
• Attic insulation
• Door and window weather-stripping
• Caulking and sealing of air leakage points
• Minor energy saving repairs to doors, windows, walls, etc.
• Water-saving aerators and massage showerheads

qcsca.com/free-programs/socalgas/ 

On January 1, 2022, a new law went into effect in California. It protects mobilehome residents (many of whom are low income or on fixed incomes) from unfair water service charges. It protects mobilehome residents from arbitrary and unfair "service" charges and fees which are currently being billed to some Park residents above the actual amount of water they consume. The bill establishes protections for mobilehome 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. If you feel you are being over-charged, you can file a complaint with the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) at www.hcd.ca.gov or by calling (951) 782-4431.

 Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks has announced Assembly Bill 2011 which is intended to provide a long-term solution to the housing shortage in the State of California by encouraging construction of more affordable housing. While this bill will not directly affect mobilehome residents, it does remind us that mobilehome parks provide a much needed source of housing, especially for seniors and individuals on limited incomes. Mobilehome parks have become more attractive to investors in recent years for a variety of reasons. The cost of buying an existing park is quite a bit less than buying a traditional multi-family housing community with a similar number of units. The cost of moving mobile homes from one park to another (if it is even possible) means residents are more likely to remain in place, even with rent increases or changes in park rules. This can lead to increased rents, unfair treatment of residents and questionable eviction practices in order to maximize the profits of owners. We need to be vigilant to protect our parks, our rights as tenants and the Yucaipa Rent Stabilization Program that keeps our monthly rents from following the horrendous increases in rent for more traditional housing.