OCEANSIDE -- The owners of Cavalier Mobile Estates, a large mobile-home park near the coast, intend to subdivide the property and offer the lots for sale, a move that could wipe away Oceanside's rent-control protections there.

Residents recently received a letter about the proposed conversion to a "resident-owned" community. "No one will be forced to purchase," the letter said, while adding that "home ownership is the 'American dream' for a reason."

Most mobile home residents rent the land on which their units sit. By subdividing a park in what's known as a condo conversion, park owners can sell the individual spots.

Some communities embrace, even initiate, such conversions because residents are eager to own their own property, said Tim Sheahan of San Marcos, president of the Golden State Manufactured-Home Owners League. But "the trend in recent years has been to do it against the will of the residents, especially in rent-controlled areas, as a means to evade local rent-control ordinances."

"Once they subdivide and convert only one home site as a 'condo,' then everyone loses their local rent-control protections," Sheahan said.

Low-income residents would still have state rent-control protection.

Cavalier is made up of 346 mobile homes near the Interstate 5 interchange at Oceanside Boulevard. Earlier this year, the owners sough a substantial rent increase. But a city panel rejected their request, and a retired judge affirmed that decision on appeal.

Under Oceanside's rent control law, parks can raise rents each year by 75 percent of the Consumer Price Index. Cavalier's owners argued that didn't provide a fair return. They wanted to increase the average monthly rent to $600 from $348.

Mark Alpert, the owners' attorney, did not return a call last week.

To subdivide the park, the owners will have to file an application with the city, said Margery Pierce, Oceanside's director of housing and neighborhood services. With nothing filed yet, "we don't have anything to react to," she said.

State law requires a resident survey before a conversion. One has been distributed at Cavalier, but the owners have said it may carry little weight.

"It is our view, confirmed recently by several courts, that the public agencies can only require that a survey be conducted, that the public agency, in this case the city of Oceanside, may not consider the result of the vote in considering the park owner's application to subdivide the park," Alpert said in a letter to the homeowners association president.

Joe Dawson, a 32-year-old resident, said he was interested in the conversion but needed more detail. "I just like the idea of owning my own lot," he said.

Neighbor David Tarnowski was skeptical. "Ultimately, I think this will wind up in court," he said.

Call staff writer Craig TenBroeck at 760-901-4062.