Jackson- Jackson City Council conducted a second reading and adopted an ordinance Monday to extend the sunset date of the City’s mobile home park rent control ordinance for ten years, as well as other provisions that ensured consistency with state law. Residents of the Rollingwood estates mobile home park turned out in force to view the proceedings. The council first considered the extension after public comments from rent control advocates Shirley M. Dajnowski and Dennis Hern requesting the council extend Ordinance Number 662 an additional ten years beyond the pre-determined sunset date of July 12, 2010. The council previously adopted a rent control ordinance in 1995 set to expire July 12,200. In 1997, the sunset date was extended until July 12, 2010. In a letter to the council, Dajnowski and Hern said “homeowners in Rollingwood were being subjected to exorbitant rent increases and realized if this continued without some form of rent control we would lose our homes.” The letter included a petition signed by 145 Rollingwood residents. The advocates went on to write: “we are aware of the financial difficulties the city is facing, but extending the rent ordinance will not add any financial burden.” City Manager Mike Daly said that “After viewing the request for extension at the July 27 City council meeting, the council directed staff to prepare an amendment to the ordinance enacting the rent protection provisions in the Jackson Municipal Code.” Subsequently, the City also received petitions signed by residents of the Highlands Mobile Home Park requesting the same action. Also in question was the applicability of the City’s code to the newer section of the Rollingwood park, where 60 units have been added in the past seven years. California Civil Code exempts rent control from being applied to new construction after January 1, 1990. While reviewing the ordinance, City Attorney Andy Morris discovered several sections that were inconsistent with current State laws. Those updates were also included in the ordinance considered Monday evening. The council approved 5-0 to extend the rent control sunset date an additional decade beyond 2010. There were no objections from the public in attendance. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.