HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SHB 2655

                       As Passed House

                      February 9, 1994

 

Title:  An act relating to ownership of manufactured homes.

 

Brief Description:  Revising provisions relating to ownership of manufactured homes.

 

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Trade, Economic Development & Housing (originally sponsored by Representatives Shin, H. Myers and Forner; by request of Department of Community Development).

 

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Trade, Economic Development & Housing, February 3, 1994, DPS;

Passed House, February 9, 1994, 96-0.

 

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRADE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & HOUSING

 

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 12 members:  Representatives Wineberry, Chair; Shin, Vice Chair; Schoesler, Ranking Minority Member; Chandler, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Backlund; Campbell; Conway; Morris; Quall; Sheldon; Springer and Valle.

 

Staff:  Bill Lynch (786-7092).

 

Background:  During the 1990 legislative session, the Legislature transferred the responsibility of administering the titling of manufactured homes from the Department of Licensing to the Department of Community Development.  The Department of Licensing continues to administer the titles to manufactured homes through an interagency agreement between the two agencies.  Ownership of a manufactured home is still largely treated like the ownership of a vehicle rather than ownership of a home.

 

A task force has been working on developing a new system of obtaining and transferring ownership of manufactured homes.

 

Summary of Bill:  The Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development is required to work with the Department of Revenue and the Department of Licensing to develop proposed legislation that treats the ownership of manufactured homes more like housing rather than vehicles.

 

The proposed legislation must treat manufactured housing as real property to the greatest extent possible, with the program being administered at the local level. The agencies must consult with affected interest groups, including local government officials and the Affordable Housing Advisory Board when developing the proposed legislation. The agencies must report their findings and submit the proposed legislation to the House Trade, Economic Development and Housing Committee and the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee by December 1, 1994.

 

Fiscal Note:  Requested January 19, 1994.

 

Effective Date:  The bill takes effect July 1, 1995.

 

Testimony For:  Many people have worked hard on this proposal and progress is continuing to be made.  County officials are very supportive of these efforts because the current laws are very confusing to administer.

 

Testimony Against:  None.

 

Witnesses:  Representative Paull Shin, prime sponsor (pro); Nancy Hanna and Corine Foster, Department of Community Development (pro); Bob Terwilliger, Snohomish County Auditor (pro); Ron Clarke, Washington Manufactured Housing Association (neutral); Nikki Baker, Mobile Home Owners (pro); and Jim Thomas, Department of Revenue (neutral).