SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 6618

BYSenators Lee and Smith

Creating an office of mobile home affairs.

Senate Committee on Economic Development & Labor

Senate Hearing Date(s):January 27, 1988; January 29, 1988

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6618 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

      Signed by Senators Lee, Chairman; Conner, Deccio, McMullen, Saling, Smitherman, Warnke.

Senate Staff:Dave Cheal (786-7576)

                  February 1, 1988

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

Senate Hearing Date(s):February 5, 1988

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6618 as recommended by Committee on Economic Development & Labor be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators McDonald, Chairman; Bauer, Cantu, Deccio, Gaspard, Hayner, Johnson, Lee, Moore, Newhouse, Saling, Talmadge, Vognild, Warnke, Williams, Wojahn, Zimmerman.

Senate Staff:Kevin Johnson (786-7715)

                  February 9, 1988

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS, FEBRUARY 5, 1988

BACKGROUND:

Landlord tenant disputes in mobile home parks often have very serious impacts on both landlords and tenants.  This is, in part, because of the difficulty and expense connected with moving to a different mobile home park.  Disputes often result from a misunderstanding or lack of knowledge of the provisions of the Mobile Home Landlord Tenant Act and often can be resolved by an outside party.  At one time the Attorney General's Office performed this mediation function as part of its authority to bring lawsuits under the Consumer Protection Act.  In 1985 the State Supreme Court ruled that the Consumer Protection Act had no application to landlord tenant relations, and since that time the Attorney General has taken the position that he has no jurisdiction to help resolve landlord tenant disputes.

Several agencies of state and local government have activities which impact mobile home manufacturers, tenants, and park owners.  These include the Department of Licensing, the Department of Labor and Industries, the Attorney General's Office, the Department of Community Development, and the Department of Transportation.  There is an organized communication committee at the staff level involving these agencies, but no one has specific responsibility for coordinating all state government activities which affect manufactured housing. 

State and local government policy makers need accurate, timely and comprehensive data on manufactured housing utilization and trends.  Also needed are policies and strategies so that optimum use can be made of this growing source of affordable housing.

SUMMARY:

The Office of Mobile Home Affairs is established within the Department of Community Development.  It is given the responsibility for coordinating state government activities relating to mobile homes or manufactured housing.  The office would provide ombudsman's service to mobile home park owners and tenants with respect to disputes between them and in assisting both groups in their dealings with government agencies.  The office is given responsibility for the development of strategies and policies that will promote the development and utilization of mobile homes or manufactured housing.

An advisory committee is established consisting of five members, one tenant's representative, one park owner representative, one manufacturer's representative, one representative of local government, and one unaffiliated member.  The members are appointed by the Director of the Department of Community Development who appoints the chairperson.  Committee members do not receive travel reimbursement.

The office is funded by a fee of $2 per rentable space per year to be paid by every owner of a mobile home park. Park owners are allowed to collect half of this fee from tenants.  The fee is to be paid to the county assessor along with property tax payment and then forwarded to the Treasurer's Office for placement in a special account.  Disbursement from the account to the department is by appropriation.

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE:

The Office of Mobile Home Affairs is precluded from developing rent control programs or policies.  The fee which would support the office is collected from both the landlord and the tenant equally, rather than from the landlord, who would have authority to collect one-half from tenants.

Appropriation:    $100,000 from the mobile home affairs account created by the act.

Revenue:    yes

Fiscal Note:      requested January 26, 1988

Senate Committee - Testified: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & LABOR: Ben Bonkonski, DCD; John Woodring, attorney

Senate Committee - Testified: WAYS & MEANS:  No one