San Marcos, CA Rental Property Rules: Rent Increase Notice (2026)

16 of the Municipal Code creates the Mobilehome Rent Review Commission and applies to mobilehome parks with ten or more spaces, excluding spaces under qualifying rental agreements longer than 12 months (Secs. 040). Sec. 055 requires a park owner to give written notice to the City of a proposed space rent increase at the same time notice goes to tenants; the notice must be filed with the City Clerk and state the current space rent and separately billed fees, the amount of the proposed increase, which spaces and tenants it applies to, and the date of the last rent increase.

A rent-increase hearing cannot be scheduled until the City Clerk receives this written notice and verification. Once notice issues, tenants representing more than 50 percent of the affected spaces may file a written petition with the City Clerk within 30 days of receiving the increase notice to trigger Commission review (Sec. 060(a)). Filing a valid petition automatically stays the increase until the Clerk rejects it or the Commission issues a final decision (Sec. 060(d)). At a hearing held 40 to 60 days after the Commission receives the petition, the park owner bears the burden of proving the increase is reasonable and necessary for a just and reasonable return, weighed against factors including changes in gross income, operating expenses, the Consumer Price Index, and services or amenities provided (Sec.

070). Owners may not raise space rent more than once in any 12-month period except for utility cost pass-throughs or new government assessments under Sec. 090.