Monthly Archives: August 2009

Water Alert! Please Conserve NOW! Less Water and Higher Costs Predicted

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The Governor has declared a statewide water emergency and many cities are adopting voluntary and/or mandatory water conservation ordinances that limit water usage. The owners of mobile home parks and the residents living in the parks are already experiencing higher water rates and penalties for excessive use.  Many water agencies have adopted a tiered rate structure that charges a lower rate for average use and higher rates for excessive usage of water.  The goal is to encourage consumers to conserve.  In communities such as mobile home parks, it is everyone’s responsibility to be mindful of how water is used.  Following are some important water saving tips.

• Turn off the water when you brush your teeth = 3 gallons saved per day per person!
• Shorten your showers by one or two minutes = 5 gallons per day per person!
• Fix leaky faucets = 20 gallons per day
• Wash only full loads of laundry =15 to 50 gallons per load
• Water your yard only before 8 a.m. to reduce evaporation = 25 gallons per day
• Use a broom instead of a hose to clean driveways = 150 gallons each time

Park Rules Protect Residents

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Every mobile home park has “rules and regulations/guidelines” ( like CCR’s)  that all residents agree to follow when they move into the park – the same as other developments like condominiums and apartments.   Rules vary from park to park, but all communities must follow the laws established in the State of California Civil Code, commonly referred to as the Mobilehome Residency Law (“MRL”).  The California Mobilehome Residency Law  generally changes every year and the management of every mobile home park is required to distribute copies of the new laws annually (by February first).  The park rules are designed for the benefit of the majority of the residents, and to preserve the quality of life for everyone living in the community.  As an example, requiring the home and lot  to be kept uncluttered and well maintained adds to the overall appearance and desirability of a community and to the resale value of the homes in the park.  It is the responsibility of the park management to enforce the rules.  Residents who are not in compliance with the rules may be evicted. Click Here for a complete copy of the Mobilehome Residency Law.

Economy Hits Mobile Homes

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The tough economy hits all sectors of the housing market, including mobile homes.  Parks are experiencing more delinquencies in late payment of rent and foreclosed/bank-owed homes.  The resale of bank-owned homes generally results in the new buyer living in the home in the park, however, sometimes the buyer of the reposed homes moves the home out of the park to another park or to private property, resulting in empty spaces.
The good news is that there are available spaces in southern California mobile home parks for buyers of new manufactured homes to move into.  And, just like other housing, now is the time to get a very good buy on a manufactured home!

The tough economy hits all sectors of the housing market, including mobile homes.  Parks are experiencing more delinquencies in late payment of rent and foreclosed/bank-owned homes.  The resale of bank-owned homes generally results in the new buyer living in the home in the park, however, sometimes the buyer of the repossessed home moves the home out of the park to another park or to private property, resulting in empty spaces.

The good news is that there are available spaces in southern California mobile home parks for buyers of new manufactured homes.  And, just like other housing, now is the time to get a very good buy on a manufactured home!

Rents Differ from Park to Park

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No two mobile home parks are the same and it is common for rents to vary widely from park to park – even if they appear to be similar – they are not.  The amount of rent charged depends on numerous factors including the age of the park, maintenance  costs, the tenancy (senior vs. all age), the location, and the term of the ownership (expenses such as property taxes vary depending when the park was purchased or built).  Various other things impact the cost of running a mobile home park – including the cost of insurance.  Parks that have been sued by the tenants of the park are burdened with higher insurance rates, which increase the cost of operating the park.  It’s fairly straightforward – a mobile home park is a business and like other privately owned businesses in America – the goal is to make a profit.  The “product” offered by a mobile home park business owner is the rental of a piece of land and, along with the rental of the land, comes a variety of “services” that are part of the cost of renting the land.  The services provided in the rent charged in mobile home parks include the maintenance of the infrastructure (such as streets, utilities systems, buildings, common area landscaping, etc.). Property management’s duties  include enforcement of the community rules and regulations and maintaining amenities such as clubhouses and swimming pools.

Introduction

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The Mobile Home and Manufactured Housing Industry Update provides a forum for sharing information of interest to people who live and work in mobile home park communities in California and anyone else who is interested in knowing more about mobile home living.  The Report is sponsored by the Manufactured Housing Educational Trust, a non-profit association that has worked to promote and preserve the mobile home park lifestyle since its incorporation in 1982.  Welcome to participate in the exchange of information on mobile home parks!