Park Maintenance Inspection Program

The Legislature included a park maintenance inspection program in the Mobilehome Parks Act. The Act includes the goal of inspecting at least five percent of parks each year. HCD or local enforcement agencies conduct the inspections. Park operators pay an annual four dollar fee per space to HCD or enforcement agencies to pay for the program. Managers may bill half the fee to residents on their next monthly bill. The program continues in effect until January 1, 2019.

California Senate and Assembly committees held hearings on the program in 2006. Roughly ninety counties and cities contracted with HCD and handled inspections within their communities. From 1991 to 1999, HCD and local government contractors conducted one full inspection of every manufactured home park in California. Inspectors checked park facilities and the exteriors of manufactured homes. Since that period, HCD and local agencies reported that the four dollar fee did not provide enough funding for inspections of all parks. Inspectors focused on parks with major health and safety problems.

Inspectors logged both park and manufactured home code violations. They issued tens of thousands of citations. The types of violations in parks and homes varied considerably (see Figure 1 and Figure 2).

Figure 1, Most Common Park Violations as a Percent of 39,000 Total Park Owner Violations, 2006

Figure 2, Most Common Manufactured Home Violations as a Percent of 45,000 Total Resident Violations, 2006.

At least thirty days prior to inspection visits, inspectors notify residents and the park operators. HCD or local agencies may hold public education meetings. Inspectors may allow representatives of residents and park operators to escort them on their park tours.

HCD convenes an inspection program task force every six months. The task force includes representatives of manufactured home owners, park operators, government inspectors, and legislative representatives. Members of the task force make recommendations regarding program fees, the number of inspections, the numbers and types of violations, the law, and administrative changes.

"Mobilehome Parks Act." Section 18400.1, 18400.3 and 18502
 Dunn, Joseph L. Senator, Assembly Member Gene Mullin, and Assemblywoman Sally J. Lieber. January 25, 2006. “Mobilehome Park Maintenance Inspection Program – Extend or Die."
Copyright - Carl Eric Leivo Ph.D.
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