photo credit: City of Cotati
Satellite image with the units of Countryside
Mobile Home Park highlighted in blue.

When Cotati’s mayor Susan Harvey called the vote on the city’s new mobile home park rules, the response wasn’t one you normally expect to greet a new set of local regulations: applause.

"Any no's, any abstentions? Harvey asked. "Not seeing any, then that passes unanimously at its first reading," Harvey said to applause from the gallery in council chambers.

That round of applause is all thanks to some of the newest rules in the Cotati city code.

The 35-unit Countryside Mobile Home Park, on West Sierra Avenue, has long been designated seniors only by park rules, which require all residents be 55 and up.

Now, that senior-only status is guaranteed by a special “overlay district” in Cotati’s zoning code.

But why?

"In August of this year, the property owner held what's known as a meeting and consultation," Cotati planner Autumn Buss told the council. "This meeting was held to notify the residents of the owner's intent to change the park from a senior only park to an all ages park."

The attempt to change Countryside to an all-ages park closely mirrors similar efforts by park owners in Petaluma and Santa Rosa; the tactic is seen as a way to push through rent increases.

Concerned that an all-ages conversion could drive up rents if dual-income families were to move into the retirement-aged community, Countryside residents called on the city council to act before a state mandated six month grace period on the all-ages conversion expired in February, 2024.

Cotati first adopted a moratorium to protect the park residents, and now has made the protections permanent.

That's a move Mayor Susan Harvey said is important.

"We struggle with affordable housing," Harvey said. "I fully understand when people say, you know, you get to a certain age and you would like to stay in your home. You don't want to get to this age and have someone you know have the possibility of ripping that out from under you to make more money."