Outgoing mayor honored; public safety advocate Chris Frost receives rare city tribute as residents urge caution on rent stabilization updates
The Malibu City Council opened its Feb. 9 meeting with heartfelt tributes, ceremonial transitions, and the formal installation of new leadership, marking the city’s annual mayoral rotation and reorganization.
The evening blended recognition of longtime public servants with contentious public testimony on proposed updates to Malibu’s decades-old Mobile Home Park Rent Stabilization Ordinance. By the end of the night, the council had unanimously installed a new mayor and mayor pro tem — and deferred any decision on rent control amendments after hearing from dozens of residents.
The evening began with an emotional tribute as the council honored longtime public safety advocate Chris Frost with a City of Malibu tile — an award typically presented after seven years of service. Presenter Councilmember Doug Stewart joked that the tile was “well overdue.”
Frost served 22 years on the Public Safety Commission, including roughly a decade as chair.
Stewart described him as a mentor to fellow commissioners and a constant presence during emergencies. In the city’s early years, before the establishment of a formal public safety department, Frost effectively served as a volunteer public safety director.
Representatives from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department emphasized Frost’s hands-on involvement during wildfires and other crises, his encyclopedic knowledge of Malibu’s geography, and his well-known ability to locate every RV parked along Pacific Coast Highway.
The Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station presented Frost with a signed surfboard and a special plaque typically reserved for retiring elected officials.
Frost credited former Mayor Jeff Jennings for encouraging him to enter civic service 25 years ago and thanked Public Safety Director Susan Dueñas, fire liaisons, Volunteers on Patrol, Community Brigade members, and his wife, Terry.
Quoting late Commissioner Andy Cohen, Frost concluded: “I don’t want to talk about public safety. I want to do it.”
Although stepping down from the commission, Frost will remain active in the Community Brigade as a safety officer.
The council also recognized departing commissioner Keegan Gibbs, who received a surfboard and reflected on his experience learning “the pace and guardrails” of local government.
New Leadership
The meeting continued with warm tributes to outgoing Mayor Marianne Riggins, who served as mayor for most of 2025–26 and previously worked for the city for 17 years before joining the council.
Council members praised Riggins’ institutional knowledge and steady leadership during a year marked by wildfire recovery efforts and prolonged closures of Pacific Coast Highway.
Mayor Pro Tem Bruce Silverstine highlighted her role in managing post-emergency recovery, saying she helped “clean up the mess” in the aftermath of the Palisades and Franklin Fires and helped organize the city’s response during a challenging period.
Riggins thanked her family for their patience and support and reflected on her lifelong ties to Malibu. “This is the community where I grew up, where I raised my family, and where my parents lived most of their lives,” she said.
The council presented Riggins with a plaque recognizing her “outstanding service and dedication” as mayor. A representative from Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath’s office offered virtual congratulations and said an official calligraphy certificate would be presented in person at a later date.
Following the tributes, the council unanimously elected Bruce Silverstein as mayor for his second term in the role.
Stewart nominated Silverstein, quoting President Lyndon Johnson with a smile: “When the burdens of the president seem unusually heavy, I always remind myself what could be worse. I could be a mayor.”
Steve Uhring was elected mayor pro tem by acclamation after being nominated by Silverstein, who praised Uhring’s professionalism and composure during a previously contentious period on the council.
Both officials took their oaths of office, swearing to uphold the U.S. and California constitutions and faithfully discharge their duties.
Rent Stabilization Debate Draws Packed Room
The tone shifted as the council took up proposed amendments to Malibu’s Mobile Home Park Rent Stabilization Ordinance, prompting impassioned testimony from more than 30 speakers — most of whom urged the city to leave the current rules unchanged.
Residents from Malibu’s two mobile home parks, Point Dume Club and Paradise Cove, filled the chamber, alongside park management representatives and community advocates.
The ordinance, originally adopted in 1991 following Malibu’s incorporation, was shaped in part by the 1994 federal court case Adamson Companies v. City of Malibu. That decision struck down certain provisions — including an eight-year rent rollback and specific rent freezes — while upholding annual Consumer Price Index-based caps, vacancy controls, and the absence of a facial taking.
From 2008 to 2025, the Rent Stabilization Commission was largely inactive due to lack of quorum, with most allowable rent increases handled administratively by city staff. The commission was reactivated and convened an ad hoc committee to review and propose updates.
City staff recommended retaining the existing CPI cap of 2% to 5% annually, a 15% vacancy increase upon sale or transfer, and a 15% sublease surcharge, while clarifying administrative roles and limiting retroactive refunds to three years.
The commission’s recommendations went further in some areas, including proposed sublease rent caps and expanded commission authority — proposals that drew sharp criticism from residents.
During public comment, speaker after speaker emphasized that the current ordinance has provided stability for more than three decades.
Residents cited cooperative relationships with park owners, a lack of documented excessive rent increases, and the importance of predictability for seniors and fixed-income homeowners.
Several criticized the process, saying they received short notice and had limited opportunity to participate before the item appeared on the council agenda.
Others warned of unintended consequences, including depressed home values, mass sales, reduced rental availability, and potential impacts on school enrollment. One speaker noted that approximately 25% of Malibu Elementary School studentslive in Point Dume Club.
Representatives from both parks also urged caution.
Ken Cravener, chief operating officer of Hometown America, which purchased Point Dume Club in late 2024, said the company supports preserving what he described as a balanced framework.
Steve Stein of Greenberg Glusker, legal counsel representing the longtime family owners of Paradise Cove, called the proposed amendments unnecessary and unfair, arguing that the existing rules have maintained stability while allowing homes to command high sale prices.
Only a small number of speakers supported moving forward with the commission’s recommendations or called for stronger enforcement measures.
Discussion also focused on two pending state bills.
AB 768, which has passed the Assembly and is now in the Senate Rules Committee, would amend the Mobilehome Residency Law. The most recent version would maintain rent stabilization protections for units used as permanent housing by homeowners or approved tenants, but remove protections for seasonal or short-term rentals.
Multiple council members and staff clarified that full-time primary residents would not lose protections under current law or the likely final version of AB 768.
AB 1543 would impose statewide CPI-based rent caps on mobile home parks, potentially overriding local ordinances.
Many residents urged the city to formally oppose AB 768, arguing it could erode local control.
After nearly two hours of testimony, council members expressed appreciation for the turnout and acknowledged widespread calls for additional transparency and engagement.
Stewart proposed deferring action to allow further review, possibly through the council’s existing ad hoc committee on mobile home issues, and suggested directing staff to devote resources toward opposing AB 768.
The entire council collectively echoed the call for caution, saying no action should be taken without broader understanding and input.
The council reached a consensus to postpone any decision on local ordinance amendments. No formal vote was taken.
The item is expected to return at a future meeting after additional review and outreach.
The meeting adjourned with agreement on at least one point: Malibu’s mobile home rent stabilization framework has shaped the city’s coastal communities for more than 30 years — and any changes will require careful consideration and broad consensus.