In the second year of the Mobilehome Park Utility Conversion Program’s new phase, SoCalGas demonstrated its dedication to becoming the most innovative, safest, and cleanest energy company in America by hosting resident forums at 33 mobilehome park communities throughout SoCalGas’ service territory. The Program is designed to increase the safety and reliability of energy delivery systems by modernizing infrastructure. From early May 2022 until December 31, 2022, the Program hosted resident forums across 25 cities and included over 2,400 homes that will now or soon be serviced by the company.
Residents from each mobilehome park were invited to attend these informational sessions where they received comprehensive details on the program, the construction process, customer assistance programs at SoCalGas, and how to sign up as a direct customer. Because safety is a critical aspect of the Mobilehome Park Utility Conversion Program, SoCalGas highlighted important safety information and resources with residents and park operators during each session. These forums also provided an opportunity for park communities to interact with SoCalGas project teams and contractors who offer them support through the conversion process.
Before the Mobilehome Park Utility Conversion Program, most mobile home parks relied on privately-owned natural gas infrastructure that was costly and challenging for park management to maintain safely and efficiently. The program replaces these outdated systems with new, SoCalGas-owned systems, providing residents with safer and more reliable energy while reducing the financial burden and maintenance responsibilities for park owners. Furthermore, park owners will no longer need to read utility meters, bill residents, or handle utility-related queries or concerns.
“Before participating in this program, we had to maintain the gas systems in our communities by ourselves which took a lot of time and resources. This program has saved us time and resources and has provided the added safety due to a new gas system maintained by SoCalGas,” said park manager Mark Wheeler from Arrow Pines in Azusa, California.
“While in the midst of my first encounter with the mobile home utility conversion program, I am impressed with the professionalism of all whom I have encountered. The SoCalGas staff and outside contractors brought in to be involved in the conversion program are knowledgeable and helpful,” said Maria Horton, director of marketing at Newport Pacific property management company. “This is a wonderful opportunity to provide our residents with safety in equipment and maintenance of their utilities. Also, this program upon completion will allow our managers additional time to work on other responsibilities.”
Overall satisfaction with the utility upgrade among mobilehome park owners and operators is 100 percent for the second straight year and third in the last four years of program operations. 100 percent of participating owners and operators surveyed in 2022 also feel their new system is safer than the old one.
“At SoCalGas, we champion safety from pipelines to people,” remarked Michael Henry, Mobilehome Park Utility Conversion Program Project Manager. “This program is another example of our commitment to safety, by upgrading mobilehome park gas systems and ensuring that park residents are familiar with the benefits of their clean, safe and innovative gas service.”
Since the Mobilehome Park Utility Conversion Program started in 2014, SoCalGas has upgraded infrastructure and enhanced safety at more than 22,500 mobile homes in more than 300 mobile home communities throughout SoCalGas’ territory. Due to the program’s success, 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.
More information on the Mobilehome Park Utility Conversion Program can be found at socalgas.com/mobilehome.
