S-3720.1 _______________________________________________
SENATE BILL 6444
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State of Washington 54th Legislature 1996 Regular Session
By Senators Fraser, Prentice, Schow, Goings, Franklin and McAuliffe
Read first time 01/15/96. Referred to Committee on Financial Institutions & Housing.
AN ACT Relating to mobile home parks; adding a new section to chapter 59.21 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 59.22 RCW; creating a new section; and making appropriations.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that many residents of mobile home parks exist on fixed incomes and it is difficult for these residents to afford increases in rent and charges. The legislature recognizes that when a mobile home park is closed, there are very few parks into which displaced park residents may move their homes. The legislature also finds that since park owner contributions to mobile home relocation assistance were declared unconstitutional, there is no reliable funding being placed into this account.
It is therefore the intent of the legislature to capitalize the mobile home park relocation fund and the mobile home park purchase account to assist park residents to purchase their own parks so that they are less vulnerable to changes in land use, and to ensure that adequate resources will be available to park residents in the event that a park does close.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 59.21 RCW to read as follows:
The department of community, trade, and economic development shall provide a report on the annual expenditures from the mobile home park relocation fund to the senate ways and means committee and the appropriations committee of the house of representatives by January 1st of each year.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The sum of five million dollars is appropriated from the general fund to the mobile home park relocation fund created under RCW 59.21.050. All expenditures from the fund must be made in accordance with chapter 59.21 RCW.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The sum of twenty million dollars is appropriated from the general fund to the mobile home park purchase account, created under RCW 59.22.030, to provide loans and technical assistance to resident organizations and low-income residents for the purpose of financing mobile home park purchases pursuant to chapter 59.22 RCW.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. A new section is added to chapter 59.22 RCW to read as follows:
The department of community, trade, and economic development shall provide a report on the annual expenditures from the mobile home park purchase account to the senate ways and means committee and the appropriations committee of the house of representatives by January 1st of each year.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. The sum of forty thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1997, from the general fund to the office of the attorney general for the purpose of developing and distributing a pamphlet that provides general information on tenant and park owners' rights, responsibilities, and remedies under the mobile home landlord-tenant act, chapter 59.20 RCW.
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