Question: What
good is the MRL if there is no enforcement and residents have to go to court to
protect themselves?
Background:
This issue, more
than any other, caused residents to hang up the phone mad at me. Telling residents that they had to take their
dispute to the courts was no help at all, making callers furious and extremely
frustrated. It made no sense to residents
that they should call the state capitol simply to get turned away. I had to explain that my role was limited to
staffing legislation and advising senators and staff on the MRL. Unfortunately this caused more anger and the
predictable rebuke, “Then what DO you do if you can’t help me?” I was never offended by their frustration
because I understood. It only made clear
the need for a program that would close the gap between the law and access to
justice.
As a result of residents’ requests for legal assistance, I added the
Community Resources section to the annual MRL Handbook, which lists county court
services. This listing was still not
sufficient – and I knew it. Residents
needed an advocate who would accept their case and guide them through the legal
process, just like a social services agency would guide an individual through
the complex process of applying for and receiving health care, food or housing.
Answer: The
MRL – the landlord-tenant law for mobilehome parks -- is part of the Civil
Code. The enforcement mechanism is through the civil courts, not law
enforcement or another government agency.
The courts are a branch of government responsible for, among other
aspects, resolving or ruling on civil disputes. The
good news is: with the enactment of AB
3066 (2018), GSMOL and HCD will join as partners in developing a referral
program that will bring residents complaining of MRL violations together with local non-profit legal
advocates. This is known as the
Mobilehome Residency Law Protection Program.
Homeowners will be able to begin filing complaints in July, 2020. GSMOL and GSMOEF (Education Fund) will be
communicating with homeowners with more information.
--Stephanie Reid, formerly on
staff with the Senate Select Committee on Manufactured Homes and Communities,
updated by Anne Anderson, website editor and GSMOEF Board Member
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