Remote Surveillance Trailer in Petaluma, CA

The Brief

The owner of 's low-income Little Woods Villa mobile home park is seeking to close the facility, arguing that has made the business financially unviable.

Longtime residents have expressed fear of displacement and have protested proposed rent increases alongside restricted parking access on the property.

Petaluma city officials state that a mandatory relocation impact report will ensure residents are adequately compensated if the park shuts down.

Mobile home park closures across California are reaching a critical inflection point as local governments try to shield homeowners from steep lot rent increases while park owners argue that decades-old rent caps are threatening their businesses.

In Petaluma, the owner of Little Woods Villa, a low-income mobile home park, wants to close the facility entirely. Park owners contend that rent control regulations have suppressed rates for decades, turning the properties into financial losses and leaving little incentive to fill seven vacant lots.

"Park owners have asked for one simple thing: 'Vacancy decontrol,'" owner Nick Ubaldi said. "Allow rents to reset to market rates when a home sells. This gives park owners a one-time catch-up after decades of suppression. That is all that's needed to keep these businesses open and viable.'"

Ubaldi added that current restrictions have devalued the properties so severely that the vacant land is now worth far more than operating the park as an active community.

Under regulatory rules, however, owners cannot shut down a park without paying a relocation tab reaching into the millions of dollars to compensate affected residents.

"They made a substantial investment in the mobile home parks and to live there, and the relocation impact report will make sure that they are adequately compensated," Petaluma Assistant City Attorney Dylan Brady said.

For current residents, both the proposed park closure and the proposed steep rent increases present severe challenges.

"I don't know how they're going to get us out of here because there's nowhere else to move," said 73-year-old resident John Telesmanic, who has lived at the park for 41 years and has leukemia. "I'm not moving."

Telesmanic said he is facing a $1,500 increase in rent and is pushing back, calling it unreasonable given that owners have already received annual 6% rent increases.

A notice of rent increase provided to KTVU by Little Woods Mobile Villa shows Telesmanic’s monthly rent is increasing by a total of $189.76, rather than $1,500, as he claimed.

The increase stems from a CPI adjustment of $5.13 and a fair-return adjustment of $184.63, Little Woods Mobile Villa said.

The property owner also disputes Telesmanic’s claim that the $1,500 increase follows annual 6% increases, explaining that Petaluma’s municipal code limits annual rent increases to no more than 70% of the consumer price index, and may never exceed 4%.

Christopher Brown, a resident for 33 years, said the proposed increase would exceed his entire income.

Residents also allege that management has used inconvenience tactics to pressure tenants, including fencing off a parking area with space for roughly 80 cars.

"They've closed off the parking down at the end ... and done nothing with it. So, it's one of the intimidation and inconvenience tactics they've done to try and force our hands," resident Jay Stewart said.

Brown noted that the parking restrictions have forced him to park his vehicle at a Park 'n' Ride between a quarter-mile and a half-mile down the road.

The dispute at Little Woods Villa underscores a broader tension across California, where state mandates require cities and counties to dramatically increase housing stock even as existing low-income options face the threat of elimination.

150 community members and supporters gathered at Flying Cloud Ranch in Petaluma, California, to celebrate a decade of Chabad in Petaluma and look ahead to the next chapter.

One hundred and fifty community members and supporters gathered on Sunday, August 23, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Chabad Jewish Center of Petaluma.

Rabbi Dovid and Devorah Bush arrived in Petaluma in the fall of 2015 with a vision of building vibrant Jewish life in California’s North Bay. Beginning with programs in private homes, community spaces, and coffee shops, the community steadily grew, eventually moving into its current space in downtown Petaluma.

Today, Chabad of Petaluma has become a hub of Jewish life, with Shabbos and holiday celebrations, Torah classes, Camp Aleph, youth and family programs, and programming for teens and seniors. Its annual public Chanukah celebration has grown into one of the area’s most visible Jewish events, with thousands of chocolate gelt coins dropped this past year from a hot-air balloon.

The outdoor gala featured an elegant dinner, live Klezmer music, and a gratitude and awards ceremony honoring community members who have played an important role in Chabad’s growth. Rabbi Yosef Langer, the Bay Area’s “Rally Rabbi,” sounded the shofar, while Jewish pop artist Yitzchok Moully joined the celebration and led guests in creating “Overflowing Blessings,” a collaborative art piece depicting a cup overflowing with vibrant color.

The City of Petaluma formally proclaimed August 23 “Chabad of Petaluma Day,” with additional proclamations and resolutions from Governor Gavin Newsom and other state and federal officials recognizing the anniversary.

The Bushes also expressed their gratitude to Rabbi Mendel and Altie Wolvovsky, Shluchim to Sonoma County, who warmly welcomed them to Sonoma County and have been a source of friendship, guidance, and support throughout the past decade.

“It meant so much to see so many people come together to celebrate this milestone and the wonderful community we’ve built together,” Rabbi Bush said. “We’re truly grateful to everyone who has been part of this journey.”

The anniversary was not only an opportunity to look back, but to look ahead—to the continued growth of Jewish life in Petaluma and the next chapter of the shlichus.

“Ten years ago, this was all a dream,” Rabbi Bush said. “Now it’s time to dream again.”

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Community Corner

Once Upon a Slush built seven years of first jobs, birthdays, engagements, and community memories before closing its downtown Petaluma doors for the last time Aug. 30.

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Owners Dave and Juliet Pokorny announced the permanent closure of the fairy tale-themed dessert shop at 122B American Alley in an emotional Facebook message.

"After seven wonderful years, we've made the bittersweet decision to close Once Upon a Slush," the couple wrote in July.

On Friday, the Pokornys invited customers to visit before the final day while the whole family was in town.

"After years of scoops and stories, we're closing our doors on Sunday," the owners wrote. "The whole Pokorny family is in town this week — come say hi before we go."

The shop served colorful Italian-style slushes, Straus Family Creamery soft-serve ice cream, espresso drinks, hot dogs, grilled cheese sandwiches, soups, and popcorn. It also offered catering, hosted community fundraisers, and organized downtown treasure hunts.

The Pokornys opened the business in 2019 as a Wicked Slush franchise after pursuing a decades-long goal of operating their own storefront.

Three years later, they left the franchise and renamed the business Once Upon a Slush to reflect their storytelling background and creative vision.

The couple also owns West Side Stories Petaluma, a production company that presents literary and storytelling events in the city.

In their farewell message, the owners focused on the people who entered the shop and made it part of their lives.

They recalled hiring local teenagers for their first jobs and watching them earn driver's licenses, attend prom, graduate, leave for college, and return during summer breaks.

The couple also remembered customers who celebrated birthdays, victories, engagements, and other milestones at the shop. One wedding party arrived in formal attire shortly after saying, "I do."

The Pokornys credited their daughters, Alexis and Miranda Pokorny, with helping build the business. Alexis worked for years as general manager. Miranda later assumed the role and created the company's website, gift cards, promotional materials, and artwork.

The shop faced major challenges only months after opening when the COVID-19 pandemic forced widespread business shutdowns. The Pokornys continued adapting as operating expenses increased.

They said hourly wages had risen by more than 40 percent since the business opened, while rent had increased by more than 200 percent.

"We won't pretend the last several years have been easy," the couple wrote. "Like every small business still standing downtown, we've weathered a lot of pivots."

The Pokornys compared the experience with another project they launched years earlier, the Wine Country Spoken Word Festival, which two major wildfires disrupted.

The family plans to remain active in Petaluma through West Side Stories Petaluma. The production company holds events on the second Wednesday of each month at the Polly Klaas Community Theater.

As of Tuesday, no new tenant had been publicly identified for the American Alley storefront.

Customers filled social media with messages thanking the family for creating a welcoming downtown gathering place.

"I'm loving reading all the messages of love and gratitude here," one supporter wrote. "The Slush will be missed, but not you, the Pokornys. One of Petaluma's treasures."

Another customer thanked the owners "for all the happiness, deliciousness, and possible brain freezes you brought to Petaluma."

Before closing, the Pokornys invited customers to visit "until we run out of slush and soft serve, whichever comes first."

More: Farewell To Petaluma Sweet Shop Know For Whimsical Brainfreezers

More from Petaluma

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Sonoma County extended candidate nominations through Wednesday after eligible incumbents declined to seek reelection for offices.

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — The candidate filing deadline for dozens of local elected offices has been extended after eligible incumbents declined to seek reelection.

Candidates now have until close of business Wednesday, Aug. 12, to file nomination papers for affected races on the Nov. 3 General Election ballot, Sonoma County Registrar of Voters Evelyn Mendez announced today. The original nomination deadline was Aug. 7.

California election rules allow the filing period to be extended when an incumbent who is eligible to seek reelection does not file by the regular deadline.

The extension applies to numerous school boards, city and town councils, and special district boards across Sonoma County.

School offices with extended nomination periods include:

Find out what's happening in Petalumafor free with the latest updates from Patch.

County Board of Education• Sonoma County Board of Education, Trustee Area 2 (Southwest County)

Unified school district governing boards• Calistoga Joint Unified School District• Cloverdale Unified School District• Windsor Unified School District

High school district governing boards• Petaluma City (Elementary) and Petaluma Joint Union High School Districts, Trustee Areas 2, 3, and 5• Point Arena Joint Union High/Arena Union School Districts• West Sonoma County Union High School District, Trustee Areas 1 and 3

Elementary school district governing boards• Bennett Valley Union School District• Cinnabar School District• Forestville Union School District• Fort Ross School District• Guerneville School District• Harmony Union School District• Horicon School District• Laguna Joint School District• Mark West Union School District• Monte Rio Union School District• Old Adobe Union School District• Piner-Olivet Union School District• Roseland School District• Waugh School District• West Side Union School District• Wilmar Union School District• Wright School District

The extension also applies to five municipal races:

• Cloverdale City Council• Cotati City Council• Santa Rosa City Council, District 4• Sebastopol City Council• Windsor Town Council, District 1

Several special district races also remain open for candidates.

Community services districts• Graton Community Services District

Fire protection districts• North Sonoma Coast Fire Protection District• Schell-Vista Fire Protection District

Health care districts• North Sonoma County Healthcare District• Sonoma Valley Health Care District

Life support districts• Coast Life Support District

Water districts• Rains Creek/Hiatt Road County Water District

Several affected jurisdictions cross county lines, including the Calistoga Joint Unified, Laguna Joint, Point Arena Joint Union High/Arena Union, Petaluma school, and Coast Life Support districts.

Candidates registered to vote in Sonoma County who seek office in one of those jurisdictions and want to file an optional Statement of Qualifications for another county's Voter Information Guide should contact that county's elections office.

Marin County Elections Department can be reached at 415-473-6437 or elections@marincounty.gov.

Mendocino County Elections Division can be reached at 707-234-6819 or mcvotes@mendocinocounty.gov.

Napa County Elections Department can be reached at 707-253-4321 or elections@countyofnapa.org.

Eligible candidates seeking a school or special district office during the extension must obtain and file nomination papers in person at the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters Office before close of business Wednesday.

The elections office recently moved and is now at 3880 Brickway Blvd. in Santa Rosa.

Prospective candidates can find additional information at SoCoVotes.com by selecting the Local Candidate Guide/Calendar of Events under the Nov. 3, 2026, General Election section.