Floating home marinas: rent caps: County of Marin.

Assembly Member Connolly advances a Marin County–focused measure that shifts the floating-home marina regime by establishing a Marin-specific rent cap, redefining how initial rents after transfers are set, and tightening fee disclosures and restrictions on charges. The core change centers on extending and recalibrating the rent-increase framework for Marin, setting a maximum annual increase tied to the cost of living with a floor and a ceiling, and retaining a sunset date that ends January 1, 2038. The bill applies to rent increases that occur after July 1, 2025 and introduces parallel rules for in-place transfers, including a new process for determining the initial rental rate after such transfers and a requirement that the final sale price be certified in writing under penalty of perjury.

Key mechanisms include a cap structure that ties increases over a 12-month period to changes in the cost of living, with a minimum 3 percent and a maximum 7.5 percent, and a rule that, when the annual cost-of-living change exceeds 5 percent, only half of the excess over 5 percent may be used to compute the increase, up to the 7.5 percent ceiling. If increases exceed what is permissible between July 1, 2025, and January 1, 2026, the rent on January 1, 2026 is reset to the July 1, 2025 level plus the maximum permissible increase, and management is not liable for any corresponding overpayment. For in-place transfers where the sale falls under long-term lease terms, the bill permits a new initial rental rate to be established under specified formulas, including a 25-percent over prior rent or a sale-price-based amount, with a floor of 3 percent and a potential adjustment to reflect the most recent cost-of-living change. Lease terms offered after an in-place transfer must be at least 10 years, and the buyer’s declared sale price must be certified in writing under penalty of perjury. The measure also creates a transitional, time-bound application for transfers occurring within a defined window in 2025–2026.

In addition to rent rules, the legislation tightens fee governance for Marin marinas by requiring that utilities and incidental charges reflect actual costs and that marina owners demonstrate, on request, that charged services were rendered; it prohibits charges for enforcement of marina rules. The bill also clarifies that waivers of the new rights are void and preserves local-government authority to set or enforce different rent standards, including affordable-housing limitations. A sunset provision and a related finding emphasize that Marin’s unique 10-year or longer lease structure supports capital improvements, while recognizing the potential need for ongoing policy review. The measure specifies that, for local agencies, reimbursement is not required for mandate costs, consistent with the act’s limited scope and temporary nature.