Are you ready for inspection?

Have you seen a Notice of Planned Inspection flyer posted in your park office? If so, then the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) will be conducting an inspection at your mobile home park! Here is some quick information regarding what you can expect from the inspection, and what you can do to prepare:

Keep an eye out for the HCD inspector – The inspector will be wearing an HCD vest and identification badge. They will examine the common areas of the park, but will also inspect your individual lot. They may enter your lot, but they will not enter your home without your permission, and will only request permission if the outside of your home suggests potential safety hazards within.

Remove any obstacles for the inspection – The inspector will need easy access to examine the landing, stairs, and deck to your mobile home. If you have a shed, remove any large obstacles that may restrict access so the inspector can see that it is structurally sound. Keep all animals indoors for both their and the inspector’s safety.

Keep your lot clean – Remove any garbage or combustible debris from your lot (paper, boxes, scrap wood, etc.). This is a fire and safety hazard and can result in a violation that could otherwise be avoided.

 Make sure all doorways are accessible – No doors leading to the exterior of your mobile home should be padlocked or blocked by furniture, and all stairs and landings should be free of damage. Obstructing an entry/exit on the exterior of your mobile home is a safety hazard.

Perform a preliminary inspection of your own home – All awnings, carports, decks and porches should be adequately supported. Any damage to structural support needs to be addressed. The skirting of your unit must be without decay or deterioration.

Address any electrical hazards – Cables and conductors for electrical wiring outside of the unit must be weather proof. Power cords must not be damaged, and the unit must not have more than one power supply cord. Electrical appliances cannot be installed outside of the unit unless inside a weather proof structure with adequate wiring.

The inspection is done to ensure that both the park owner and the mobile home park residents are maintaining their properties at the minimum safety requirements of the state. For more detailed information regarding what you can expect from the inspection, visit www.hcd.ca.gov/mpm-booklets and download the Resident Information Booklet. A copy of the booklet will also be mailed to you by the HCD inspector 30 days prior to the inspection.

Mobilehome vs. Manufactured Home

Are you aware of the difference between a mobile home and a manufactured home? They sound interchangeable but they actually have two different definitions, according to the California Health and Safety Code. Read the two definitions below and see if you had the correct knowledge of the two:

HSC 18007: “Manufactured Home”

Means a structure, that was constructed on or after June 15, 1976, is transportable in one or more sections, is eight body feet or more in width, or 40 body feet or more in length in the traveling mode, or when erected on site, is 320 or more square feet, is built on a permanent chassis and designed to be used as a single-family dwelling with or without a foundation when connected to the required utilities, and includes the plumbing, heating, air conditioning , and electrical systems contained therein. Manufactured home includes any structure that meets all the requirements of this paragraph and with the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974.

HSC 18008: “Mobilehome”

Means a structure, that was constructed prior to June 15, 1976, is transportable in one or more sections, is eight body feet or more in width, or 40 body feet or more in length in the traveling mode, or when erected on site, is 320 or more square feet, is built on a permanent chassis and designed to be used as a single-family dwelling with or without a foundation system when connected to the required utilities, and includes the plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and electrical systems contained therein. Mobilehome includes any structure that meets all the requirements of this paragraph and complies with the state standard s for mobilehomes in effect at the time of construction.

Now that you are aware of the difference between the two terms, will you be able to identify the home you or your neighbors live in?

Resource: California Department of Housing and Community Development, and California Legislative Information

http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=HSC&division=13.&title=&part=2.&chapter=1.&article=

Fee and Tax Waiver Program

Do you own your mobile home? Can you provide an official Certificate of Title from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD)? If you have purchased your mobile home but you do not have the proper papers for ownership, you may not legally own your home.

The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) has started a program, effective since January 1, 2017, for a fee and tax waiver for eligible manufactured home and mobile home owners, so that they can become the registered owner. You are eligible for this program if ALL of the following apply to you:

  1. Your home was registered in California in the past
  2. You have not registered your home with the California Department of Housing and Community Development
  3. You are not participating in HCD’s Fee and Tax Waiver Program

If you have questions about the program, call (800) 952-8356, or email 587questions@hcd.ca.gov.

More information on this program can be found at the following link:

Resource: http://www.hcd.ca.gov/manufactured-mobile-home/registration-titling/587.shtml

Have Questions but Don’t Know Where to Turn?

If you have questions or concerns about your mobile home, from rules to maintenance and warranty information, HCD can help.

Their website features answers to questions regarding Purchasing & Relocation, Installation & Setup, and Warranty Information as well as tips on how to care for your mobile home. This is your home, your lifestyle choice, be informed.

Visit HUD’s Website for more information.

http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/housing/rmra/mhs/mhcqa