Brief Description: Regulating movement of older mobile homes.

Sponsors: By House Committee on Housing (originally sponsored by Representatives Buri, Grant, Cox, B. Sullivan, Condotta, Dunshee and Chase).

House Committee on Housing
House Committee on Appropriations
Senate Committee on Financial Institutions, Housing & Consumer Protection

Background:

Before moving any mobile home on a public highway, a person is required to obtain a special permit from the Department of Transportation and local authorities. No permit or certification is required from the Department of Labor and Industries (Department) in connection with the movement of a mobile home.

The Department has adopted safety rules for mobile homes. Compliance with Department safety rules is deemed compliance with county or city ordinances. The Department is also responsible for establishing uniform installation standards for mobile homes. An installation inspection, by its nature, occurs after the mobile home has been moved to a new location and has been installed.

If, during an installation inspection, a mobile home does not meet the Department rules and standards, the local jurisdiction will not permit occupancy. Mobile homes which do not meet the safety rules are sometimes abandoned by their owners at the new location, leaving landowners and local jurisdictions to arrange for disposal.

Low-income owners of mobile homes that are located in mobile home parks scheduled for closure or conversion to another use are eligible for relocation reimbursement assistance. The assistance is limited to actual costs submitted by the mobile homeowner minus any assistance received from other sources. There is a statutory assistance cap of $3,500 for a single-wide home and $7,000 for a double-wide home.

Summary:

A certificate from the Department that a mobile home constructed before June 15, 1976, meets Department safety rules is required before movement of the mobile home on public highways. An exception to this requirement, in the form of an affidavit signed under penalty of perjury by the owner, is made for mobile homes being transferred for disposal. Homes subject to disposal must be removed from the assessment rolls of the county and outstanding taxes must be removed by the county treasurer. An exception is also made for owners who sign an affidavit at the county treasurer's office at the time of the application for the moving permit stating that they are moving the home for their continued occupation or use. By January 1, 2006, the Department must adopt procedures to notify destination local jurisdictions about the arrival of mobile homes that failed safety inspections.

In the case of homes manufactured prior to June 15, 1976, the registered owner of a home must provide notice to a purchaser that failure of the mobile home to meet U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development or Department standards may result in denial of a local jurisdiction to site the home.

The relocation assistance cap available from the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development to mobile home owners who are forced to move their homes due to park closure or conversion to another use is $12,000 for a double-wide home to $7,500 for a single-wide home.

Votes on Final Passage:

House   96   0
Senate   48   0   (Senate amended)
House   95   0   (House concurred)

Effective: July 24, 2005