It seems appropriate to respond to Nelson Strasser’s letter to the editor in the Lake County News last Thursday (“Strasser: Mobile home park owners lose their way,” May 1, http://bit.ly/1o57ijF ) as he failed to include valuable information regarding the efforts of the owners of Fairgrounds Village to offer affordable housing to our residents.

Nelson has been a one man tour de force the past few years in Lakeport trying to pass a mobile home rent control ordinance, meeting with city officials, qualifying an initiative and even defending it himself, unsuccessfully, before a judge.

By the number of supporters that show up at Lakeport City Council meetings to support the rent control effort, no one seems to be upset except Nelson. It seems more like a personal quest than a broad-based community effort.

Is there a need for rent control in Lakeport? This is one of the most affordable communities in the state. Property owners within Lakeport have been modest with rent increases.  

Nelson lives at Fairgrounds Village Mobile Home Park. Most residents pay $312 per month for space rent, the lowest rent for a senior mobile home park in town. Rents for other mobile home parks in Lakeport range from $382 to $743.

Rent control ordinances tend to be costly to administer as they often result in expensive legal battles paid by taxpayers and they create acrimonious relationships between property owners and tenants.

Recognizing the need to provide affordable housing and peace of mind for our residents we are offering a long-term lease effectively locking existing residents in at below market rents as long as they live at Fairgrounds Village.

Annual increases are tied to CPI with a minimum increase of 3 percent (10-year average is 2.5 percent) and in no event to exceed 8 percent protecting residents from runaway inflation.

The business terms of the lease are substantially similar to a lease negotiated and approved several years ago by Lake County mobile home residents, park owners and elected officials.

The lease terms proposed were warmly received in a preliminary meeting with a group of Fairgrounds Village residents, Nelson excepted.

Nelson failed to mention that the property owners have invested $75,000 since purchasing the property including a new park and remodeled clubhouse and have yet to take any profits.

Nelson also failed to mention that we offer an affordable housing rent credit to widows who struggle financially so they can remain in their home? Are these lies by omission?

We are hopeful that our residents will accept the lease offered and everyone can go back to doing what they came to Lakeport for in the first place … to enjoy this wonderful community.

McKay Florence is owner of Fairgrounds Village Mobile Home Park in Lakeport, Calif.