HOUSE BILL REPORT

SHB 2861

As Amended by the Senate

BYHouse Committee on Housing (originally sponsored by Representatives Leonard, Winsley, Ferguson, Padden, Nutley, Cooper, Rector, Horn, Anderson, R. Meyers, Inslee, Ballard and Todd)

Transferring the responsibilities for the regulation of manufactured housing.

House Committe on Housing

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (9)

      Signed by Representatives Nutley, Chair; Leonard, Vice Chair; Winsley, Ranking Republican Member; Anderson, Ballard, Inslee, Padden, Rector and Todd.

House Staff:Bill Lynch (786-7092)

AS PASSED HOUSE FEBRUARY 9, 1990

BACKGROUND:

The Legislature created the Office of Mobile Home Affairs in the Department of Community Development in 1988.  The office is intended to serve as the coordinating office in state government for matters relating to mobile homes and manufactured housing.

Regulation of mobile homes or manufactured housing is divided among different state agencies, including the Department of Labor and Industries and the Department of Licensing.  It is suggested that consolidating some of these functions within the Office of Mobile Home Affairs would simplify government services for clients.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Community Development (department) is responsible for performing all consumer complaint and related functions of the state administrative agency, including the preparation of the state administrative plan, that are required by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development for manufactured housing.  The department is responsible for these functions beginning on July 1, 1991.

The Department of Community Development may enter into state or local interagency agreements to coordinate site inspection activities with record monitoring and complaint handling.  The interagency agreement may provide for the sharing of administrative revenues based upon each party's responsibilities.

The Department of Licensing must transfer all mobile home titling functions to the Department of Community Development by July 1, 1991.

The Department of Licensing, the Department of Labor and Industries, and the Department of Community Development must report to the Housing Committee of the House of Representatives and the Economic Development and Labor Committee of the Senate by July 1, 1991, regarding the progress being made to transfer functions to the Department of Community Development.  The report must also include their recommendations for transferring other mobile home related functions to the Department of Community Development.  The report must include recommendations on the transfer of inspection functions performed by the Department of Labor and Industries and the training of local inspectors to perform these inspections.

EFFECT OF SENATE AMENDMENTS:  The progress report to the Legislature on the transfer of mobile home functions is modified.  The progress report must include a review of the advantages and disadvantages of transferring other mobile home related functions to the Department of Community Development.  The progress report must be prepared in consultation with local governments.

Fiscal Note:      Requested February 2, 1990.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Ron Clarke, Washington Manufactured Housing Association.

House Committee - Testified Against:      No one.

House Committee - Testimony For:    It is very confusing to the public to call different agencies for answers regarding mobile homes.  Mobile homes do not fit in well with the programs of other agencies.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None.

VOTE ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      Yeas 95; Excused 3

Excused:    Representatives Basich, Chandler, Sommers D