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EDITORIALS
<br />'llie ongoing melodrama of Colton and the
<br />Rancho Mediterran�a Mobile Home Park illustrates
<br />why, in. the long run, it Would probably be best to
<br />let the. free-market, system guide the ruture of nio.,
<br />bile home parks.
<br />Many communities went throilgh file el -a of
<br />mobile home rent control usually with unsatis-
<br />fiactory results, because, even with the assistance of
<br />municipal refereies, landlords and,tenatit'
<br />,not mutually agree on what constituted. a fair retuh,
<br />on investment
<br />So, along canie the next phase:. -Cities would
<br />buy mobile home parks, then seU th I eni lot, by. lot to
<br />cornmon
<br />typ,,,,,Y, co-oW,nership. That is an. alppro&4 that
<br />Rancho Mediteitania abundantly illuWates.
<br />control.. hasn't "had'. much. success thus . fu. and
<br />So, the City Council's "plan to continue in that
<br />vein, inste.;ad',of attempting to sellthe park outright
<br />The* 6ityerribarkned on the goal, of trying to sell
<br />the park to residents after its owners threatened t 6
<br />raise rents. But guaranteeing rent, control to resi-
<br />dents i is, a, losing propositi . on' that puts . all: of the'.ri�k
<br />on the city's shoulders.
<br />bought'their lots, and inuch,"of thevxe
<br />sp
<br />remains empty or. unkempt., A. recent maiket: s�
<br />dy
<br />.-hornes were overpriced by $30,00O..tc
<br />and.residents have been unable , to gei
<br />�R �*00 refurbished coaches.
<br />Part of the latest plan approved by the City
<br />Council involves taking $7. million ftom. citywide
<br />development funds'tq'pay -bff debt from Rancho
<br />Mediterrania, as well as debt from, another city
<br />rt�oney loser —.Colton Nhuls, the city's senior
<br />housing. complex, who I se siibsidi2ed rents have been
<br />insufficient to cover repairs:and loan costs.
<br />'But it's -mohdy the city..hasn't earned -yet. For
<br />instance,. it would corne'.ft o*m:such' sources as on
<br />hAven't been gold, yetz for other redevelopment
<br />ten, 'As redevelopment �agdhcy or Robb Steel
<br />Plus, the �c arnull I
<br />1 .000 to
<br />..sessment that. has added about �,J, 000 to. the al-
<br />ready overpriced lots. Thatasses�sn . ient was to help
<br />pay for park maintenance and infrastructure such as
<br />roads. �;i:4 curbs, which the,.cit�-. will n'o7w cov . er
<br />If it �o :ds like a giant game of'robbing Peter.
<br />to pay PaulJt is..
<br />�30."C'fhis proposal work. even in theory,
<br />:,th ity nee" s,to apply for nearly $3 million in
<br />fore those. can be siphoned off to. pay debts.
<br />oin
<br />the 1 city hasn't received yet. '11c
<br />Colton loaned the San Beniar-
<br />lid, development money will come
<br />4001 0,0'1from the in!t e: city hasn't recei�edyet. The
<br />The-r6stbf the development money will come
<br />froth orojedv.plaDned in Cooley Ranch and along
<br />the Santa Ana River.
<br />It's mpney that would have been used to repair
<br />streets, update parks and 'for city redevelopment
<br />over the ' next two years all worthy qkp6nses, 'in
<br />their own right.
<br />It would seem only fair for. the general popula-.
<br />tion of the.city to question why, city officia.19 would
<br />insist on continuing to pour money into a project to
<br />fi.61p.one, sector while. di.aining city -resources over
<br />the last- six years withoift achieving desired results.
<br />Especially when it sucks fLihds from, other city de-
<br />velopment projects.
<br />At. some. point, the city needs to Qonpede that
<br />the experiment, though wcll-i�iended, . has. failed.
<br />That juncture has been reached, and the city. should
<br />explore other avenues for dealing with I Rancho.
<br />Mediterrania, such as selling it to private investiors.
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