Sterling Shores residents urge Lake County to block new pass-through fees and consider rent moratorium

Several residents of Sterling Shores Mobile Home Park pressed the Lake County Board of Supervisors on March 3, saying recent pass-through fees imposed by the park’s owner are forcing low‑income and elderly residents toward instability.

Elizabeth Church, a 93‑year‑old longtime resident, said a recent monthly ‘pass-through’ of about $65 and added mailing and portal charges are squeezing fixed‑income households. “This is a form of elder abuse and it needs to be stopped,” she told the board during public comment.

Other speakers drew a similar picture. Milin said the owner has added charges for a seawall, exterior lighting and online portals and that residents were being billed retroactively in ways they had not agreed to. Tom Flanigan described thousands of dollars of pass-throughs countywide and demanded clarity about whether supervisors will back tenants or park owners.

Speakers asked the board to place a temporary moratorium and a proposed rent‑stabilization ordinance (RSO) on a future agenda. Many said they had already provided the county with examples of disputed charges and asked staff to pursue financial transparency from the park operator, which residents identified in public comment as Keratas.

County officials did not take an immediate vote. The public comment period stretched across multiple speakers and prompted supervisors to note resources and next steps discussed in later agenda items, including staff outreach on housing protections and the county’s broader pro‑housing designation effort.

The supervisors did not adopt an immediate moratorium during the March 3 meeting; residents asked the board to act quickly to avoid further financial harm.

Outcome and next steps: Residents asked the board to add a moratorium/RSO item to a near‑term agenda and to press the park owner for financial disclosure. Board members and staff said they would take the comments under advisement while related housing policy items were discussed later in the meeting.