ByRepresentatives Gregerson, Peterson, Wylie, Bateman, Tharinger, Ramel, Ortiz-Self, Valdez, Kloba, Morgan, Chopp, Ormsby, Santos, Macri, Orwall, Bergquist, Pollet, and Harris-Talley

AN ACT Relating to relocation assistance for tenants of closed or converted manufactured/mobile home parks; and amending RCW 59.21.005 and 59.21.021.

The legislature recognizes that it is quite costly for tenants who own homes in manufactured/mobile home parks to relocate when the park in which they reside is closed or converted to another use. Many such tenants need financial assistance in order to relocate from a manufactured/mobile home park. The purpose of this chapter is to provide a mechanism for assisting manufactured/mobile home tenants to relocate their manufactured/mobile homes to suitable alternative sites or ((demolish and dispose of their homes and))to secure alternative housing of their choice.

(1) If a manufactured/mobile home park is closed or converted to another use, eligible tenants shall be entitled to relocation assistance on a first-come, first-serve basis. The department shall give priority for distribution of relocation assistance to eligible tenants residing in parks that are closed as a result of park-owner fraud or as a result of health and safety concerns as determined by the local board of health. Payments shall be made upon the department's verification of eligibility, subject to the availability of remaining funds.

(3)(((a))) Eligible tenants who relocate are entitled to financial assistance from the fund, up to a maximum of twelve thousand dollars for a multisection home and up to a maximum of seven thousand five hundred dollars for a single-section home. The department shall distribute relocation assistance for each eligible tenant ((as follows:

(i) Up to forty percent of the total assistance may be disbursed)) in the form of cash assistance to help the tenant secure ((new))alternative housing((; and

(ii) The remainder of the total assistance shall be disbursed as reimbursement for costs associated with relocation.

(b) To receive financial assistance as provided in (a)(i) of this subsection, documentation must be provided to the department that demonstrates the tenant:

(ii) Has established a process to secure the relocation of the home by having assigned the right to reimbursement of the relocation costs and liability for such removal or demolition and disposal to another entity; or

(c) If the tenant is requesting financial assistance under (b)(ii) or (iii) of this subsection, the tenant, or the assignee on the tenant's behalf, must submit as part of the application described in RCW 59.21.050(2):

(ii) Evidence that the assignee is capable of fulfilling the obligation itself or a contract or invoice for relocation of the home executed with a vendor by the tenant or the assignee)).

(4) Any individual or organization may apply to receive ((funds))relocation assistance from the fund, for use in combination with funds from public or private sources, toward relocation of tenants eligible under this section, with agreement from the tenant.

(5) The legislature intends the cash assistance provided under subsection (3)(((a)(i))) of this section to be considered a one-time direct grant payment that shall be excluded from household income calculations for purposes of determining the eligibility of the recipient for benefits or assistance under any state program financed in whole or in part with state funds.