SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5694

As Passed Senate, February 8, 2002

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

Brief Description:  Establishing a certification program for mobile home park managers.

Sponsors:  Senators Winsley, Prentice, Kastama and McAuliffe.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Labor, Commerce & Financial Institutions:  2/12/01, 2/20/01 [DP]; 1/21/02, 1/29/02 [DP, DNP].

Passed Senate:  2/8/02, 32-16.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LABOR, COMMERCE & FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass.

Signed by Senators Prentice, Chair; Keiser, Vice Chair; Fairley, Franklin, Gardner, Rasmussen, Regala and Winsley.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.

Signed by Senators Benton, Hochstatter and Honeyford.

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 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.

Appropriation:  $35,000.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  Many mobile home park managers have no training to equip them for the demanding nature of their job.  This lack of training often results in needless conflict and can seriously degrade the quality of life in a park.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO:  Nick Federici, WA Low‑Income Housing Congress; Ray Munson, MHOA.