Can Mobile Homes/Manufactured Homes be Moved?

Trailers, mobile homes and manufactured homes are built in factories and transported over the road on axles and wheels to the site where they will be set up – whether that is in a rental community (mobile home park/manufactured housing community), or on privately owned land.  The manufactured home is set up on pillars, earthquake systems are installed on newer homes, the tires are removed, and siding or skirting is added.  Owners add steps to the front and back doors and, in many parks, carports and patios are installed with covers.  Driveways and landscaping are added and maintained by the mobile home owner renting the site. 

Once a mobile home is set in place, it can be moved the same way it was originally moved to the site.  If the home is multi-section (double or triple wide), the sections are divided and move along the roadway as single sections.  In many mobile home parks built in the 60s and 70s, the original homes are now 50 and 60 years old and are being replaced by newer manufactured housing.  Where do these older homes go?  Some go to Mexico or out of state, others to privately owned land or older mobile home parks in rural areas where they are fixed up and rented or sold.

Affordable Housing vs Low-Income Housing

There is lots of talk these days about the need for more affordable housing in the Southern California region.  It is important to recognize the difference between “low-income” housing and “affordable” housing. 

Low-income housing is subsidized by the government.  There are several projects throughout the region that are monitored by local government housing authorities.  An on-line search or call to the regional housing authorities will provide a list of available low-income housing rental projects.  Some projects are for veterans, seniors and others for all-ages.  There are also low-income for-sale housing projects sponsored by housing authorities and by organizations like Habitat for Humanity.

In these low-income housing developments, renters or home buyers must meet strict income guidelines.  Only low-income can qualify to live in these developments.  The income is determined by the income of the entire family and includes funds in the bank and investments.

Affordable housing, on the other hand, is not limited to low-income renters or purchasers.  There is no limit to the amount of income a person or family has.  It is their choice to live in the available affordable housing.  Apartments, condominiums, and mobile home parks/manufactured housing communities are considered affordable housing stock in the various individual jurisdictions housing elements. 

Mobile home Parks/Manufactured Housing Communities, offer a lifestyle choice that attracts a wide range of renters and buyers.  Mobile Home Park residents are both home owners and renters.  They own the mobile home or manufactured home and rent the site or lot within a Mobile Home Park to locate their home.  The Park is a little city that provides all of the services and facilities.  The owner of the Park is responsible, just like a city, to maintain the streets, utility systems, public areas and facilities. 

Living in Mobile Home Park is a lifestyle choice, not necessarily an income driven decision.  Residents living in Parks may be high income retirees or may have moderate incomes.  Many Mobile Home Parks are senior housing communities and attract seniors who are down-sizing after selling a home. 

Other Parks are attractive to families because, unlike an apartment and many condominiums, most lots/sites rented in a Mobile Home Park have yards, patios, and parking spaces adjacent to the home.  In addition, these communities often offer many amenities such as a clubhouse and pool, which are attractive to both seniors and families.

There is no doubt that the cost of housing in many areas of Southern California is higher than many other regions.  Inland counties such as Riverside and San Bernardino, a region referred to as the Inland Empire, offer considerably more reasonable housing than most areas of coastal Orange County, as an example.  While rents in a typical Orange County Mobile Home Park may be over $1,000 a month, a similar Park in areas of the Inland Empire rents are as low as $400 a month. 

In conclusion, when Cities and other government agencies are talking about the need for more affordable housing, they are NOT referring to building more Mobile Home Parks or Manufactured Housing Communities because on the same amount of land they can build many more units.  They are talking about and planning to build more and more high-rise apartments or condominiums. 

Living in a mobile home park provides a unique lifestyle for all ages and all income groups.

Having Trouble Paying Your Energy Bill?

There are a variety of energy assistance resources available to low-income households. You can get help paying in emergent situations like a 24 hour disconnect notice or more long-term assistance like a monthly discount on your energy bill or cost-saving education.

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP): The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a federally funded program that provides energy assistance for eligible low-income households. There are several portions of the program ranging from one-time financial assistance for an energy bill, to free weatherization upgrades, to budget counseling. In 2020, funding for this program was expanded under the congressional CARES Act, which aims to assist those affected by COVID-19.

California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) Program: Save 20-35% every month on your electric or natural gas bill. If you are already enrolled in other public assistance programs, such as Medicaid, WIC, Food Stamps/SNAP, TANF, or SSI, you likely also qualify for the CARE program. To apply, contact your utility company.

Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) Program: If you are low income, but don’t qualify for CARE and your household has 3 or more people, you may be eligible for FERA. Those who qualify for FERA discounts receive an 18% discount on their electricity bill. This program is available to customers of Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas and Electric Company, and Pacific Gas and Electric Company. Contact your utility company for information.

Energy Savings Assistance (ESA) Program: Those who qualify for CARE also meet the income guidelines for ESA. Qualifying households can receive free weatherization services and amenities such as energy-efficient appliances, low-flow showerheads, insulation, door repairs, and more.

For more information, call 211 or visit the California Department of Community Services & Development website at www.csd.ca.gov/Pages/LIHEAPProgram.aspx.

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.

California Residents Can Get Help to Pay or Reduce Energy Costs

As the weather changes, you probably see your energy bill changing too. If you’re one of many low-income California households struggling to cover energy costs, you may be eligible for assistance.

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is funded by the Federal Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and provides energy assistance to qualified individuals. Eligible low-income persons can receive financial assistance to offset the costs of heating and/or cooling, and/or have their homes weatherized to make them more energy efficient. To qualify for this program, you must be a resident of the state of California, need financial assistance for home energy costs, and have an annual household income (before taxes) that is below 60 percent of the State Median Income.

To apply, call toll free 1-866-675-6623 or find the energy service provider in your community on the California Community Services & Development site – www.csd.ca.gov.

For more information about this program, visit www.csd.ca.gov/Pages/Assistance-PayingMyEnergyBills.aspx.

This article was previously published in our monthly newsletter, California Mobile Home News. If you would like access to more helpful information like this on a monthly basis, as well as additional resources for mobile home owners, contact us about becoming a MHET member!

Save Money by Shopping for the Best Medicare Coverage

Your current Medicare plan may not be the best for your needs. Each year, from January 1 to March 31, Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period allows you to select a different option for your annual coverage. To learn more about the different plan options, visit www.medicare.gov/plan-compare or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY users call 1-877-486-2048.

This tip was previously published in our monthly newsletter, California Mobile Home News. If you would like access to more helpful information like this on a monthly basis, as well as additional resources for mobile home owners, contact us about becoming a MHET member!

You May Be Eligible for Energy Assistance Based on Medical Needs

If you require electricity to power your medical equipment or have a medical condition that requires your home maintain a specific temperature, you may be eligible for assistance with your energy bill under the Medical Baseline program. Eligible medical conditions include a compromised immune system, Multiple Sclerosis, or paraplegia. Eligible medical equipment includes breather machines (IPPB), Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), motorized wheelchairs, and respirators. If you have any of the above conditions, require electronic medical equipment, or think you may have a similar condition or device requirements, check with your utility provider to find out if you qualify for their Medical Baseline program.

SCE customers can find more information at www.sce.com/residential/assistance/medical-baseline or by calling 1-800-655-4555.

For SDGE customers, check www.sdge.com/residential/pay-bill/get-payment-bill-assistance/health-senior-support/qualifiying-based-medical-need or call 1-866-463-0070.

This article was previously published in our monthly newsletter, California Mobile Home News. If you would like access to more helpful information like this on a monthly basis, as well as additional resources for mobile home owners, contact us about becoming a MHET member!

Happy Holidays from Our Family to Yours

During the holidays, love and compassion for others is what is always on our mind. It is a time to cherish family and to enjoy friends. It is when we share time together, whether it is around a family dinner table, over the phone via FaceTime, or on a meeting app to visit family and friends near and far.

As we enjoy another wonderful and loving holiday season, we are also facing spikes in COVID cases here at home and around the world. The frustration continues and there has never been a better time to show compassion by thinking of others as well as ourselves. That is why it is important to continue wearing a mask that covers our mouth and nose when we are around others in a public setting and practice regular sanitation of hands and surfaces.

We wish you a very safe, healthy, and wonderful holiday season! Happy New Year and here’s to a healthy future!

Free Webinar: HUD’s Manufactured Home Dispute Resolution Program

You may have heard about the Manufactured Home Dispute Resolution Program, a resource that manufactured homeowners or prospective homeowner can use to resolve disputes regarding the correction or repair defect in manufactured homes. If you would like to be more knowledgeable about this program, there is a webinar on Tuesday, February 13th from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The webinar will teach you about how the program works, the issues handled by the program, federal disclosure requirements, and additional resources available. Upon registration, you can submit any questions you have about the program or any issues, and they will be answered by the webinar hosts. If you think of more questions after registration, you can submit them to info@huddrp.net by Tuesday, February 6.

You must register to participate in the webinar. Visit the link below to register, and contact Christine Biddlecombe at cbiddlecombe@savangroup.com for any questions about the webinar.

Registration: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/2950621205121298945

Resource: https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/housing/rmra/mhs/mhdrp

Safety Tips for Your Home During Holiday Seasons

We are approaching a very joyous time of the year – whether you celebrate Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, or the New Year, it is a time to celebrate by gathering with family and friends. With many gatherings and parties, there’s usually a grand display of foods that someone has worked very hard to put together.  Whether you are given the opportunity to host a party for the first time, or you have been doing it for many years, it helps to take a minute and review some safety tips.

According to Foremost Insurance and the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), Thanksgiving and Christmas are known for cooking-related home fires. You can imagine millions of people cooking in the kitchen, many of them pressed for time and stressed out from wanting to make everything perfect. It’s more than likely that just a few carelessness or inattention in the kitchen will lead to big disasters. Although the following tips were written to advise people for holiday feasts, you can apply these same tips for whenever you are cooking in the kitchen:

  1. Make sure that no flammable objects, such as kitchen towels, oven mitts, paper towels, hot pads, and food packaging, are away from your stove top. If you are rushing or not fully paying attention, it’s easy to forget about where you put these objects. It helps to clean off your kitchen counter as you cook so that you have space to put your kitchen tools and can keep track of where things are.
  2. Stay in the kitchen at all times if you have something boiling, frying, grilling, or broiling. If you are an experienced cook at home, you probably think that you can leave the kitchen for a short period of time. But why risk having a tragic accident in your kitchen right before an important gathering? Always keep an eye on your stove, or turn it off if you need to leave the kitchen.
  3. Always check on your foods that are simmering, baking, or roasting. Just because your pumpkin cheesecake recipe states to bake for one hour and to not open the oven door while it’s baking, you can still look into the oven every now and then to make sure that everything is going smoothly. If you are a forgetful cook, always use a timer, especially for dishes that calls for long hours of cooking.
  4. Don’t use the stove if you are feeling sleepy or have consumed alcohol. It’s very easy to start cooking and fall asleep while you are waiting. Pass the torch to someone else who is alert and wide awake to do the cooking.

It’s very easy for anyone to be a victim to kitchen disasters, especially when you are busy entertaining guests or if you are preparing everything by yourself. Make sure you stay safe by reading the Foremost Insurance article as well as visiting the National Fire Protection Agency website.

Resources: http://blog.foremost.com/thanksgiving-fires-turkey-fryers-and-safety-choirs.asp

https://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/outreach/cooking.html