After a two-year pause on in-person customer forums because of the pandemic, SoCalGas recently hosted its first of several mobile home park in-person resident forums for its utility conversion program. The forum took place in the city of Santa Ana at Standard Mobile Home Park. In 2020, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) voted to reapprove and extend SoCalGas’ Mobilehome Park Utility Conversion Program, which provides mobilehome residents enhanced safety, reliability, and cost savings by replacing aging, privately owned gas systems with direct utility service.

Construction at Standard Mobile Home Park in Santa Ana is expected to begin in early June. At the Resident Forum, around 50 residents were provided an overview of the program, along with what to expect during construction, information on SoCalGas’ bill assistance programs, and how to sign-up to become a SoCalGas customer. Several SoCalGas team members and construction contractors were available to answer questions. 

“This opportunity to speak to Residents in person is invaluable,” said Karina Aspa, senior account executive for the SoCalGas MHP program. “It’s our chance to have a conversation with them about the conversion project and all the benefits that will be provided after becoming a direct customer”

Since the Mobilehome Park Utility Conversion Program started in 2014, SoCalGas has upgraded infrastructure and enhanced safety at more than 20,014 mobile homes in more than 287 mobile home communities throughout SoCalGas’ territory. Due to the success of the program the CPUC established it as a ten-year, ongoing program, authorizing SoCalGas to upgrade up to half of the approximately 132,000 mobile homes in its service territory to direct utility service through 2030. Among the first going through this new phase of the program is Standard Mobile Home Park in Santa Ana. 

Mobile home park residents with direct natural gas service will have advanced meters, which allow customers to access to their hourly natural gas usage on a next-day basis. Access to this information enables customers to better manage their gas usage and save money. New SoCalGas customers will now also be able to set up their own "My Account" to view and pay their bill online, schedule service and/or sign up for paperless billing. Income-qualified customers can also benefit from energy savings and assistance programs that can help them save money.

More information on the Mobilehome Park Utility Conversion Program can be found at socalgas.com/mobilehome