Mobilehome Residency Law

Learn what the Mobilehome Residency Law (MRL) contains. Become a MRL Master. Manufactured home owners who live in leased-space parks take on a dual role as home owner and park tenant. In addition, private individuals or corporations own most parks, not the residents. The United State Court of Appeals for the 9^th Circuit stated: “Because the owner of the mobile home cannot readily move it to get a lower rent, the owner of the land has the owner of the mobile home over a barrel.” (Guggenheim v. Goleta, Dec. 2010)

This complex housing situation has few if any other parallels. Manufacturers and dealerships, park owners and managers abused household that purchase manufactured homes. As a result of abuses, the Golden State Manufactured-home Owners League (GSMOL) championed laws and California legislators adopted laws to partially protect the rights of home owners. These laws became consolidated in the MRL, generally California Civil Code Sections 798 and 799.

Park residents must enforce the MRL by standing up for their rights. They may ultimately need to go through the civil coursts. To succeed, they must know the contents of the MRL.

Copyright – Carl Eric Leivo, PH.D.
Image courtesy of stockimages at freedigitalphotos.net

Mobilehome Parks Act and Title 25

Learn what the Mobilehome Parks Act and Title 25 contain. Become a Title 25 Master.

Manufactured home owners who live in leased-space parks take on a dual role as home owner and park tenant. They rely upon private individuals or corporations that own most parks to build and maintain park facilities. Park owners deliver services in parks essential to a living environment including utility services, street maintenance, and general park upkeep.

The Mobilehome Parks Act, first adopted in 1967, mandates that park owners provide healthy and safe living environments. The Act addresses the design, construction, occupation, use, and maintenance of manufactured home parks. It sets physical standards for parks and manufactured home spaces.

The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) enforces the provisions of the Mobilehome Parks Act. HCD adopted regulations to implement the Act. These regulations are recorded as Title 25 of the California Code of Regulations.

Starting in 1976, the U.S. Government adopted manufactured housing construction standards. The standards serve a building codes for manufactured homes. The Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) approves state administrative agencies (SAA) that implement federal law. HCD is the SAA for California.

Copyright – Carl Eric Leivo, PH.D.

First image courtesy of stockimages at freedigitalphotos.net.

Space Rent Stabilization

The evolution of mobilehome living from the post-World War II days of “trailers" to current day manufactured housing has seen many changes.  With manufactured housing and mobilehomes now being "immobile", prefabricated homes, and mobilehome park ownership now a lucrative business; homeowners have encountered an increasing need for some kind of local government protection to safeguard their interests. Of all issues faced by mobilehome owners, none is more important than the question of how much space rent a homeowner will be required to pay.



Source: The GSMOL Mobilehome Rent Stabilization Ordinance Handbook, Second Edition: Guidelines for Drafting and Enacting a Mobilehome Rent Stabilization Ordinance.

Prepared by: Bruce Stanton, Esq. Corporate Counsel

Image courtesy of stockimages at freedigitalphotos.net