Western Manufactured Housing Communities Association (WMA) is a
nonprofit organization created in 1945 for the exclusive purpose
of promoting and protecting the interests of owners, operators
and developers of manufactured home communities in California.
WMA assists its members in the operations of successful
manufactured home communities in today’s complex business and
regulatory environment.
Who are WMA’s members?
WMA is a statewide trade association whose members are largely
mobilehome park owners who, collectively own, operate and control
over 194,000 mobilehome spaces in California. WMA has over 1600
member parks located in all 58 counties of California. Community
owners, operators, and developers of manufactured home
communities in California, as well as suppliers of industry goods
and services maintain membership in WMA. Our members are
committed to the success of the manufactured housing industry.
What does WMA do?
WMA is a full-service organization, offering its members
prize-winning trade publications, industry referrals (legal,
management, utility, etc.), low-cost landlord-tenant forms,
educational opportunities, and valuable group discounts on
insurance. WMA’s activities include representation before the
California State Legislature, regulatory agencies and local
elected officials. Through the Committee to Save Property
Rights, WMA represents the industry in the courts. WMA has an
award winning manager accreditation program, offering numerous
continuing education opportunities. The vast majority of WMA’s
member communities are family owned and operated businesses
dedicated to providing quality housing to Californians.
What is the WMA Foundation?
The WMA Foundation a 501c3 charitable organization was founded in
2001 to enrich the quality of life for all persons living in
manufactured home communities in California who are disadvantaged
due to income or circumstance. In the context of these general
purposes, the WMA Foundation’s mission is to provide financial
assistance to residents touched by disaster or for the
improvement, restoration or replacement of existing manufactured
homes. In 2005 the WMA Foundation established a relief fund to
help communities and their residents who are in need due to fire,
earthquake, food or other disasters.
As a community owner and/or operator, we welcome your support and
participation in our efforts to improve the business climate for
the manufactured housing community industry. Please take a look
at how we help you protect and grow your business.
Each year, WMA’s lobbyists monitor and influence hundreds of
legislative bills that affect the manufactured housing industry.
WMA’s legislative committee, composed of association members
throughout the state, reviews these bills and help draft WMA’s
official positions on these measures. WMA’s lobbyists also work
with the legislative committee to develop association-sponsored
measures that promote the industry’s interests. WMA’s
lobbyists actively work to pass or defeat these measures.
California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)
WMA’s commitment to utility issues is without parallel. WMA is
the only industry organization that retains utility experts to
represent community owners’ interests before the CPUC. WMA
has staunchly defended submeter discounts in the face of strong
opposition from utility companies and sponsored legislation that
may enable community owners to transfer their master
meter/submeter utility systems to utility companies. WMA
participates in numerous proceedings before the CPUC on behalf of
the industry on issues ranging from electric, gas, and water.
State Department of Housing & Community Development (HCD)
WMA maintains a positive relationship with HCD, the state agency
responsible for enforcing codes and regulations that impact the
manufactured home community industry. WMA represents owner
interest during the drafting and enforcement of regulations.
Washington, D.C.
WMA’s legislative efforts in Washington, D.C. – through
membership in our national organization, the Manufactured Housing
Institute (MHI) – provide member representation before Congress
and federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development (HUD). WMA’s affiliation with MHI gives
continued presence in Washington, D.C.
Local Assistance
With the ever-present need for assistance at the local level, WMA
also has regional offices to better serve its membership. Three
offices, serving Southern California, Central California, and
Northern California assist community owners on local government
issues, especially in the areas of rent control, community
relations, and grassroots political action.
WMA regional representatives build community coalitions that
offer alternatives to rent control. They also organize local
grassroots political action. In addition, WMA regional
representatives play an active role in membership recruitment,
industry trade referrals, WMA chapter activities, local owner
associations, and community organizations.
WMA regional representatives provide a wealth of political
experience and local government involvement. They can take the
lead in helping owners develop a coordinated strategy and plan
community liaison efforts. At governmental agency hearings and
meetings, they provide a professional presence for our industry.
Manager Accreditation/Educational Seminars (MCM)
Our Manufactured Home Community Manager (MCM) program is a
manager accreditation program, which is designed to train today’s
professional community managers. WMA offers educational seminars
covering key topics in conjunction with the Manufactured Home
Community Manager (MCM) Program. These seminars give
owners, park managers and staff concentrated knowledge
needed to effectively manage community operations and limit
liability. WMA’s industry experts give managers intensive
training on subject matters affecting the industry, maintenance
standards, HCD inspections, discrimination, mediation, disaster
planning, and a full range of other subjects.
Annual Convention & Expo
This conference features 2-3 days of intensive education seminars
balanced with fun social programs. Seminars at the convention
cover important industry topics. Social programs give members the
opportunity to network with other owners in a relaxed and
friendly setting. WMA’s convention also features a large industry
trade show, with dozens of vendors providing the latest in
products and services.
Publications
The WMA Reporter, the association’s award-winning monthly
magazine, is second to none in delivering the facts and analysis
you need to survive and prosper in this business. The Reporter
features articles by industry experts, providing valuable
management tips, information on property rights, legislation,
utility systems, legal issues, and a host of other issues.
Newsline, a monthly newsletter, gives you fast-breaking news of
significant and timely interest.
Forms and Manuals
Our forms purchasing program, which is exclusively for WMA
community members, includes forms for use in the day-to-day
operations of your community. These forms are reviewed and
updated annually to comply with current laws. A comprehensive
guide to WMA’s forms is also available to assist you in
completing the forms properly. It could cost thousands of dollars
to have an attorney design and monitor these forms for you. Why
not let WMA do the work while you enjoy the low prices and peace
of mind of knowing your forms are in compliance with current
laws?
Day-to-Day Management Advice
WMA’s network of staff advise on day-to-day issues of
running a manufactured housing community.
Resident Screening Program
This exclusive, members-only program includes access to all three
major credit bureaus, eviction and criminal record searches, bad
check alerts, credit risk scores, Saturday service, and more.
This is a service every community needs. Why not take advantage
of the savings offered by WMA membership?
Workers’ Compensation Insurance Program
The WMA group Worker’s Compensation program continues to offer
hard-to beat rates through Preferred Employers Insurance Company,
an “A” rated company. If you have received a cancellation notice,
or a large increase in premium from your Workers’ Comp carrier,
check out WMA’s group program as soon as you join.Don’t miss out
on this valuable membership benefit!
Industry Referrals
WMA members in need of a service are able to tap the expertise of
members in their areas through WMA’s telephone referrals, printed
Directory or through our Website. Contractors, developers,
corrosion specialists, attorneys, utility billing services,
management specialists and insurance brokers are among the
association’s industry members, and many offer lower prices to
WMA member communities.
Manager Referral Service
This program, free to WMA members, puts community owners in touch
with qualified managers looking for fresh opportunities. WMA can
help you match geographic preferences and experience to find the
right fit for your community.
Member Affinity Programs
WMA members enjoy discounts through these vendors:
Thank you sooo much for the generous help you sent me – losing my
house and car in the camp fire was a life altering event – one
that is going to take time to get over. The check you gave me
helped to provide me with food and some personal items I needed.
I have been able to settle into another mobile home park to start
my life over again.
God bless your organization and the people that helped me!
The WMA Foundation is a California nonprofit public benefit
corporation established in 2005 to provide financial or other
assistance to residents of manufactured housing communities who
have been touched by disaster and harmed by circumstances beyond
their control. The WMA Foundation provides financial
assistance towards the improvement, restoration, or
replacement of existing manufactured homes.
Members of the Western Manufactured Housing Communities
Association collected and distributed nearly $90,000 to uninsured
residents of three manufactured housing communities in Southern
California displaced by October ‘07 Southern California
Wildfires.
These devastating fires burned approximately 250 mobile homes in
the following communities: Valley Oaks Mobile Ranch (Fallbrook),
Oak Tree Ranch (Ramona), and Barrett Lake Mobile Home Park
(Dulzura).
Kindness is something you can never give away; it always
returns. —Frank Evans
Greg Evans established the Frank J. Evans Charitable Foundation
in 1997 in memory of his father, who believed that education was
vital to success in life and recognized that there was a need to
assist students with limited financial resources to support their
dream of higher education. Many of our members donate to this
worthy program by generously donating cash or by registering for
a Foundation-sponsored event offered during WMA’s annual
Convention.
The Frank J. Evans Charitable Foundation is seeking applications
from college-bound high school graduates for $2,000 scholarships
in the year 2024. Please see the attached application, which must
be completed and postmarked no later than June 30, 2024. The
Foundation is able to offer these scholarships through the
generosity of those who have contributed. If you have not yet
done so, please consider making a contribution of $1.00 per space
to the Frank J. Evans Charitable Foundation.
“The reason I am contacting your organization is because I am
a recipient of the Frank J. Evans scholarship. I was surprised to
have a matched donation from Mike and Gloria Sullivan. I wanted
to formally thank them and all those that are part of the FJE
Scholarship committee. Your organizations philanthropy has
inspired me to also donate my time and my skills to a non-profit
organization to fight COVID-19.
Before his appointment as Executive Director in early 2022, Doug
Johnson was WMA’s Senior Regional Representative for the Northern
California and Bay Area regions. He joined WMA’s Local Government
team in 1994, after serving on the staffs of four federal, state
and county elected representatives. Doug was born and raised in
Los Angeles and is a graduate of the University of Southern
California. He currently resides in the Sacramento area.
Click on the link below to contribute to WMA’s PACs, the WMA
Foundation, or to the Committee to Save Property Rights
(CSPR). If you are not logged in you will see a “Page
Unavailable” error. If you are logged in and this error message
does appear, delete the cookies in your browser, then log
back in and you should be able to go to the Donation payment page
linked below.
The WMA group Worker’s Compensation program continues to offer
hard-to beat rates through Preferred Employers Insurance Company,
an “A” rated company. If you have received a cancellation notice,
or a large increase in premium from your Workers’ Comp carrier,
check out WMA’s group program as soon as you join. Don’t miss out
on this valuable membership benefit!
