CATCH UP – Former councilor Andy Fox speaks with outgoing councilor Claudia Bill-de la Peña at the City Council’s restructuring meeting on December 13. Bill-de la Peña led a fundraiser to help RV park residents with rent increases. RICHARD GILLARD/Acorn Newspapers
In one of her last acts as a Thousand Oaks council member, Claudia Bill-de la Peña is helping a group of about 100 seniors who are facing rent increases at five of the city’s RV parks.
Since September, residents at the mobile home parks Ventu Villa, Ventu Estates, Thunderbird and Ranch have sought council assistance over an 8.5% rent increase that went into effect in November.
The increase is based on the consumer price index under conditions agreed in 2017 between the RV park owners and the residents. Under this agreement, owners are entitled to increase rents by 100% of the CPI, which is at a 30-year high.
With the existing agreement, the council could only direct city officials to ask park owners to consider capping the rent increase. The owners refused.
Out of frustration, Bill-de la Peña partnered with the Thousand Oaks nonprofit Harbor House to start a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to offset the hikes for the neediest RV park residents.
“These seniors came before the council with really sad stories. From the city’s perspective, we had exhausted all options,” she said. “The only way to do that was with a GoFundMe.”
Bill-de la Peña was involved in a campaign for the borough chairperson at the time, and enlisted fellow councilors Bob Engler and Al Adam to help find donors.
Within days, the site raised nearly $15,000, including $5,000 in donations from John Tesoriero of IMT Residential (the developer of the Kmart website) and Thousand Oaks Toyota, and $2,500 from Mark Maron of The Latigo Group and Gary Collette of California Commercial Investment Group and Rick Principe of Westcord Commercial Real Estate.
Adam, Engler and Thousand Oaks City Manager Drew Powers also made individual donations.
As of this week, the fund has reached nearly $26,000.
“The average senior or couple needs about $50 a month” to offset the rent increase, Bill-de la Peña said.
Harbor House, which focuses on helping people without homes and those at risk of homelessness, has visited RV parks with caseworkers to explain what they can do and screen residents for eligibility. They have also been able to help residents with other needs so they can stay in their homes.
“These are our elders, they lived dignified, important lives, raised families and went to work every day and paid their taxes,” said Denise Cortes of Harbor House. “They have helped Thousand Oaks become what it is and we owe them a debt of gratitude and some financial peace at the end of their days.”
George Rosenthal is a resident of Ventu Estates and one of the de facto spokespersons for mobile home residents.
He has spoken at every council meeting since October to ask the city to negotiate a cap on rent increases. Rosenthal is working with City Council, staff and Harbor House to ensure its neighbors can stay in their homes.
Likewise, others have stepped forward to help tenants at Thunderbird and Ranch.
Rosenthal said he’s waiting for a more permanent solution, but appreciates the generosity of those who have donated through GoFundMe.
“What this is doing is helping the 15 to 20 percent who (most) need help,” he said.
Because the $26,000 can only help a limited number, Harbor House is seeking a Community Development Block Grant, money from the US Department of Housing and Human Services intended to meet the housing needs of low-income people in at-risk communities cover up.
Rosenthal said Thousand Oaks’ mobile home parks qualify.
“We’re working with the Thousand Oaks Council on Aging to get resources and start discussing the benefits they have to offer,” he said.
“We are very grateful to Claudia Bill-de-la Peña and Al Adam and Mayor Engler for creating Go-FundMe,” he said, “and for including Harbor House. We get help for the 15%, but we have to stand up for everyone else.”
Those wishing to donate can still go to gofundme.com and search for “Help Vulnerable Seniors in Thousand Oaks.”
