BILL REQ. #:  S-2072.1 

READ FIRST TIME 03/03/03.   

     AN ACT Relating to the mobile home landlord-tenant act; and amending RCW 59.20.030, 59.20.070, 59.20.073, and 59.20.080.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1   RCW 59.20.030 and 1999 c 359 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     For purposes of this chapter:
     (1) "Abandoned" as it relates to a mobile home, manufactured home, or park model owned by a tenant in a mobile home park, mobile home park cooperative, or mobile home park subdivision or tenancy in a mobile home lot means the tenant has defaulted in rent and by absence and by words or actions reasonably indicates the intention not to continue tenancy;
     (2) "Landlord" means the owner of a mobile home park and includes the agents of a landlord;
     (3) "Manufactured home" means a single-family dwelling built according to the United States department of housing and urban development manufactured home construction and safety standards act, which is a national preemptive building code. A manufactured home also: (a) Includes plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and electrical systems; (b) is built on a permanent chassis; and (c) can be transported in one or more sections with each section at least eight feet wide and forty feet long when transported, or when installed on the site is three hundred twenty square feet or greater;
     (4) "Mobile home" means a factory-built dwelling built prior to June 15, 1976, to standards other than the United States department of housing and urban development code, and acceptable under applicable state codes in effect at the time of construction or introduction of the home into the state. Mobile homes have not been built since the introduction of the United States department of housing and urban development manufactured home construction and safety act;
     (5) "Mobile home lot" means a portion of a mobile home park or manufactured housing community designated as the location of one mobile home, manufactured home, or park model and its accessory buildings, and intended for the exclusive use as a primary residence by the occupants of that mobile home, manufactured home, or park model;
     (6) "Mobile home park" or "manufactured housing community" means any real property which is rented or held out for rent to others for the placement of two or more mobile homes(([,])), manufactured homes, or park models for the primary purpose of production of income, except where such real property is rented or held out for rent for seasonal recreational purpose only and is not intended for year-round occupancy;
     (7) "Mobile home park cooperative" or "manufactured housing cooperative" means real property consisting of common areas and two or more lots held out for placement of mobile homes, manufactured homes, or park models in which both the individual lots and the common areas are owned by an association of shareholders which leases or otherwise extends the right to occupy individual lots to its own members;
     (8) "Mobile home park subdivision" or "manufactured housing subdivision" means real property, whether it is called a subdivision, condominium, or planned unit development, consisting of common areas and two or more lots held for placement of mobile homes, manufactured homes, or park models in which there is private ownership of the individual lots and common, undivided ownership of the common areas by owners of the individual lots;
     (9) "Park model" means a recreational vehicle intended for permanent or semi-permanent installation ((and habitation)) and is used as a primary residence;
     (10) "Recreational vehicle" means a travel trailer, motor home, truck camper, or camping trailer that is primarily designed and used as temporary living quarters, is either self-propelled or mounted on or drawn by another vehicle, is transient, is not occupied as a primary residence, and is not immobilized or permanently affixed to a mobile home lot;
     (11) "Tenant" means any person, except a transient, who rents a mobile home lot;
     (12) "Transient" means a person who rents a mobile home lot for a period of less than one month for purposes other than as a primary residence;
     (13) "Occupant" means any person, including a live-in care provider, other than a tenant, who occupies a mobile home, manufactured home, or park model and mobile home lot.

Sec. 2   RCW 59.20.070 and 1999 c 359 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:
     A landlord shall not:
     (1) Deny any tenant the right to sell such tenant's mobile home, manufactured home, or park model within a park or require the removal of the mobile home, manufactured home, or park model from the park because of the sale thereof. Requirements for the transfer of the rental agreement are in RCW 59.20.073;
     (2) Restrict the tenant's freedom of choice in purchasing goods or services but may reserve the right to approve or disapprove any exterior structural improvements on a mobile home space: PROVIDED, That door-to-door solicitation in the mobile home park may be restricted in the rental agreement. Door-to-door solicitation does not include public officials or candidates for public office meeting or distributing information to tenants in accordance with subsection (4) of this section;
     (3) Prohibit meetings by tenants of the mobile home park to discuss mobile home living and affairs, including political caucuses or forums for or speeches of public officials or candidates for public office, or meetings of organizations that represent the interest of tenants in the park, held in any of the park community or recreation halls if these halls are open for the use of the tenants, conducted at reasonable times and in an orderly manner on the premises, nor penalize any tenant for participation in such activities;
     (4) Prohibit a public official or candidate for public office from meeting with or distributing information to tenants in their individual mobile homes, manufactured homes, or park models, nor penalize any tenant for participating in these meetings or receiving this information;
     (5) Evict a tenant, terminate a rental agreement, decline to renew a rental agreement, increase rental or other tenant obligations, decrease services, or modify park rules in retaliation for any of the following actions on the part of a tenant taken in good faith:
     (a) Filing a complaint with any state, county, or municipal governmental authority relating to any alleged violation by the landlord of an applicable statute, regulation, or ordinance;
     (b) Requesting the landlord to comply with the provision of this chapter or other applicable statute, regulation, or ordinance of the state, county, or municipality;
     (c) Filing suit against the landlord for any reason;
     (d) Participation or membership in any homeowners association or group;
     (6) Charge to any tenant a utility fee in excess of actual utility costs or intentionally cause termination or interruption of any tenant's utility services, including water, heat, electricity, or gas, except when an interruption of a reasonable duration is required to make necessary repairs;
     (7) Remove or exclude a tenant from the premises unless this chapter is complied with or the exclusion or removal is under an appropriate court order; or
     (8) Prevent the entry or require the removal of a mobile home, manufactured home, or park model for the sole reason that the mobile home has reached a certain age. Nothing in this subsection shall limit a landlords' right to exclude or expel a mobile home, manufactured home, or park model for any other reason, including but not limited to, ((fire and safety concerns provided such)) failure to comply with fire, safety, and other provisions of local ordinances and state laws relating to mobile homes, manufactured homes, and park models, as long as the action conforms to this chapter ((59.20 RCW)) or any other relevant statutory provision.

Sec. 3   RCW 59.20.073 and 1999 c 359 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Any rental agreement shall be assignable by the tenant to any person to whom he or she sells or transfers title to the mobile home, manufactured home, or park model.
     (2) A tenant who sells a mobile home, manufactured home, or park model within a park shall notify the landlord in writing of the date of the intended sale and transfer of the rental agreement at least fifteen days in advance of such intended transfer and shall notify the buyer in writing of the provisions of this section. The tenant shall verify in writing to the landlord payment of all taxes, rent, and reasonable expenses due on the mobile home, manufactured home, or park model and mobile home lot.
     (3) The landlord shall notify the selling tenant, in writing, of a refusal to permit transfer of the rental agreement at least seven days in advance of such intended transfer.
     (4) The landlord may require the mobile home, manufactured home, or park model to meet applicable fire and safety standards if a state or local agency responsible for the enforcement of fire and safety standards has issued a notice of violation of those standards to the tenant and those violations remain uncorrected. Upon correction of the violation to the satisfaction of the state or local agency responsible for the enforcement of that notice of violation, the landlord's refusal to permit the transfer is deemed withdrawn.
     (5) The landlord shall approve or disapprove of the assignment of a rental agreement on the same basis that the landlord approves or disapproves of any new tenant, and any disapproval shall be in writing. Consent to an assignment shall not be unreasonably withheld.
     (6) Failure to notify the landlord in writing, as required under subsection (2) of this section; or failure of the new tenant to make a good faith attempt to arrange an interview with the landlord to discuss assignment of the rental agreement; or failure of the current or new tenant to obtain written approval of the landlord for assignment of the rental agreement, shall be grounds for disapproval of such transfer.

Sec. 4   RCW 59.20.080 and 1999 c 359 s 10 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) A landlord shall not terminate or fail to renew a tenancy of a tenant or the occupancy of an occupant, of whatever duration except for one or more of the following reasons:
     (a) Substantial violation, or repeated or periodic violations of the rules of the mobile home park as established by the landlord at the inception of the tenancy or as assumed subsequently with the consent of the tenant or for violation of the tenant's duties as provided in RCW 59.20.140. The tenant shall be given written notice to cease the rule violation immediately. The notice shall state that failure to cease the violation of the rule or any subsequent violation of that or any other rule shall result in termination of the tenancy, and that the tenant shall vacate the premises within fifteen days: PROVIDED, That for a periodic violation the notice shall also specify that repetition of the same violation shall result in termination: PROVIDED FURTHER, That in the case of a violation of a "material change" in park rules with respect to pets, tenants with minor children living with them, or recreational facilities, the tenant shall be given written notice under this chapter of a six month period in which to comply or vacate;
     (b) Nonpayment of rent or other charges specified in the rental agreement, upon five days written notice to pay rent and/or other charges or to vacate;
     (c) Conviction of the tenant of a crime, commission of which threatens the health, safety, or welfare of the other mobile home park tenants. The tenant shall be given written notice of a fifteen day period in which to vacate;
     (d) Failure of the tenant to comply with local ordinances and state laws and regulations relating to mobile homes, manufactured homes, or park models or mobile home, manufactured homes, or park model living within a reasonable time after the tenant's receipt of notice of such noncompliance from the appropriate governmental agency;
     (e) Change of land use of the mobile home park including, but not limited to, conversion to a use other than for mobile homes, manufactured homes, or park models or conversion of the mobile home park to a mobile home park cooperative or mobile home park subdivision: PROVIDED, That the landlord shall give the tenants twelve months' notice in advance of the effective date of such change, except that for the period of six months following April 28, 1989, the landlord shall give the tenants eighteen months' notice in advance of the proposed effective date of such change;
     (f) Engaging in "criminal activity." "Criminal activity" means a criminal act defined by statute or ordinance that threatens the health, safety, or welfare of the tenants. A park owner seeking to evict a tenant or occupant under this subsection need not produce evidence of a criminal conviction, even if the alleged misconduct constitutes a criminal offense. Notice from a law enforcement agency of criminal activity constitutes sufficient grounds, but not the only grounds, for an eviction under this subsection. Notification of the seizure of illegal drugs under RCW 59.20.155 is evidence of criminal activity and is grounds for an eviction under this subsection. The requirement that any tenant or occupant register as a sex offender under RCW 9A.44.130 is grounds for eviction under this subsection. If criminal activity is alleged to be a basis of termination, the park owner may proceed directly to an unlawful detainer action;
     (g) The tenant's application for tenancy contained a material misstatement that induced the park owner to approve the tenant as a resident of the park, and the park owner discovers and acts upon the misstatement within one year of the time the resident began paying rent;
     (h) If the landlord serves a tenant three fifteen-day notices within a twelve-month period to comply or vacate for failure to comply with the material terms of the rental agreement or park rules. The applicable twelve-month period shall commence on the date of the first violation;
     (i) Failure of the tenant to comply with obligations imposed upon tenants by applicable provisions of municipal, county, and state codes, statutes, ordinances, and regulations, including this chapter ((59.20 RCW)). The landlord shall give the tenant written notice to comply immediately. The notice must state that failure to comply will result in termination of the tenancy and that the tenant shall vacate the premises within fifteen days;
     (j) The tenant engages in disorderly or substantially annoying conduct upon the park premises that results in the destruction of the rights of others to the peaceful enjoyment and use of the premises. The landlord shall give the tenant written notice to comply immediately. The notice must state that failure to comply will result in termination of the tenancy and that the tenant shall vacate the premises within fifteen days;
     (k) The tenant creates a nuisance that materially affects the health, safety, and welfare of other park residents. The landlord shall give the tenant written notice to cease the conduct that constitutes a nuisance immediately. The notice must state that failure to cease the conduct will result in termination of the tenancy and that the tenant shall vacate the premises in five days;
     (l) Any other substantial just cause that materially affects the health, safety, and welfare of other park residents. The landlord shall give the tenant written notice to comply immediately. The notice must state that failure to comply will result in termination of the tenancy and that the tenant shall vacate the premises within fifteen days; or
     (m) Failure to pay rent by the due date provided for in the rental agreement three or more times in a twelve-month period, commencing with the date of the first violation, after service of a five-day notice to comply or vacate.
     (2) Within five days of a notice of eviction as required by subsection (1)(a) of this section, the landlord and tenant shall submit any dispute to mediation. The parties may agree in writing to mediation by an independent third party or through industry mediation procedures. If the parties cannot agree, then mediation shall be through industry mediation procedures. A duty is imposed upon both parties to participate in the mediation process in good faith for a period of ten days for an eviction under subsection (1)(a) of this section. It is a defense to an eviction under subsection (1)(a) of this section that a landlord did not participate in the mediation process in good faith.
     (3) Chapters 59.12 and 59.18 RCW govern the eviction of recreational vehicles, as defined in RCW 59.20.030, from mobile home parks. This chapter governs the eviction of mobile homes, manufactured homes, park models, and recreational vehicles used as a primary residence from a mobile home park.