Led by Lieber, mobile home owners gear up for fight Led by Lieber, mobile home owners gear up for fight (December 19, 2003)

Legal fund created, rent control initiative to come

By Grace Rauh

With an unlit bingo board behind her, state Assembly member Sally Lieber pumped up the 25 or so residents gathered at the Sahara Mobile Village clubhouse Tuesday night.

"People in mobile home parks are part of the community," Lieber said to the predominately senior crowd.

It was the first official meeting of the permanent Sahara Village resident committee and Lieber was the motivational speaker.

Under her guidance and encouragement, several residents have come together to take action on the various abuses -- both financial and emotional -- they say they have endured from park owner John Vidovich, who was not present at the meeting.

Residents have created a $1,100 legal fund and committee members say they have already contacted a lawyer. Many residents live on fixed incomes, and committee members say the fund represents "a lot" of money to Sahara homeowners.

Plans are also underway to put a rent control initiative on the November 2004 ballot. The effort would require 5,300 signatures and the measure would protect mobile home owners in Mountain View from skyrocketing rent increases when they try to sell their home. Residents have long complained about the challenge of selling their homes because prospective buyers would be forced to pay a significantly higher space rent than the current owners.

For years, residents at Sahara Village have tried to voice their grievances against the park management before the city council, but many feel their concerns simply fell on deaf ears -- with Lieber's being the exception.

Now the Assembly member and former Mountain View mayor has gained celebrity status in the Sahara community for taking up their cause. She is greeted with vigorous applause, and residents say she has inspired them.

"Sally keeps us hoping. She keeps us energized," said Sandy Sandlin, chair of the resident committee.

Lieber encouraged residents to write her personal letters detailing their struggles so she could use them on their behalf in Sacramento. She also wants residents to come to the capitol themselves and fight.

"We'll get some vans coming or some buses," Lieber said, "because we have to combat the lobbyists."

Lieber told residents that they should not be afraid to make their ballot initiative a political issue in the Nov. 2004 city council race. "If people don't support the homeowners, then the homeowners should not support them," she said.

But despite the pep talk and enthusiastic response from several residents, not all seemed ready for battle. At 8:10 p.m., just over an hour after the meeting began, a wave of residents left the clubhouse while a committee member was still speaking into the microphone. And given that Sahara Village has 206 mobile homes, the overwhelming majority of residents skipped the meeting altogether.

For some, however, the battle is just beginning.

"We should write Sacramento once a month," Sandlin said to the crowd. "And maybe they'll get so tired of hearing from us that they'll capitulate."

E-mail Grace Rauh at grauh@mv-voice.com

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