SENATE BILL REPORT

                  ESB 6004

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

Commerce, Trade, Housing & Financial Institution, February 3, 2000

Title:  An act relating to certification of resident managers of mobile home parks.

Brief Description:  Certifying resident managers of mobile home parks.

Sponsors:  Senators Winsley, Prentice, Hale, Shin, Goings and Rasmussen.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Commerce, Trade, Housing & Financial Institutions:  3/2/99, 3/2/99 [DPS, DNPS]; 2/3/00 [DP2S]

Passed Senate, 3/12/99, 30-18.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, TRADE, HOUSING & FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

Majority Report:  That Second Substitute Senate Bill No. 6004 be substituted therefor, and the second substitute bill do pass.

  Signed by Senators Prentice, Chair; Shin, Vice Chair; Benton, Deccio, Hale, Rasmussen and Winsley.

Staff:   Dave Cheal (786-7576)

Background:  Mobile home parks are sometimes managed by employees of the owner that have little training or experience in residential property management.  Misunderstandings and hostility between owners and tenants are often the result.  The role of a manager is crucial to the smooth operation of a mobile home park.

Currently, there is no legal standard for training of mobile home park managers.

Summary of Second Substitute Bill:  All mobile home park managers in parks of 25 or more spaces are required to obtain a certificate of registration, which can only be obtained after training.  The Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development (CTED) is responsible for developing the training curriculum, approval and certification.  Training is conducted by the park owners association.  An examination must be passed following the training period.  Registrations must be renewed biennially.  Renewal applications must include evidence of continuing education as required by the department.  An advisory council on mobile home park manager training and certification is created.  Two members are residents of mobile home parks, two are owners or operators of mobile home parks and one member is the director of CTED or designee.  CTED, in consultation with the advisory council, administers and enforces the training and certification program.

There is a $35,000 appropriation to CTED.

Violation of the act is a class 1 civil infraction with a maximum penalty of a $250 fine.

Second Substitute Bill Compared to Substitute Bill:  The second substitute is applicable to parks containing 25 or more spaces instead of 15.  Certificates are renewable every two years instead of annually.  Park managers working in that capacity on the effective date of the act have 90 days to obtain the training and certification.  The advisory group is expanded from four to five.

A $35,000 appropriation to the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development to carry out the duties assigned by the act is added.

Appropriation:  $35,000.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Mobile home park managers are often untrained and not equipped to deal with the problems that arise in mobile home parks.  Training programs exist and could be provided by the private sector according to standards set by the Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development.

Testimony Against:  Park owners have a training program in place, but it should remain voluntary.  This bill sets up a needless bureaucracy and oppressive enforcement methods.

Testified:  Doris McAtee, MHEA, District 4, Pierce County (pro); Ray Munson, MHOA (pro); Majken Ryherd Keira, Washington Low Income Housing Congress (pro); Ken Spencor, MHCW (con); Elmer Arendt, MHOA; John Woodring, MULW.