WMA LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE ADOPTS FORMAL BILL POSITIONS ON NOTABLE LEGISLATION

The WMA Legislative Committee reviewed all notable legislation that directly affects the industry and recommended adopting formal positions on those key bills that have been introduced for 2022. The corresponding legislative bill chart shows the formal positions that WMA has taken on those critical measures. Beginning in April, this chart will be featured monthly in the WMA Reporter. 

BILLS TARGETING INDUSTRY SCHEDULED FOR UPCOMING POLICY HEARINGS

WMA formally opposes both SB 869 (Leyva), the state-mandated manager training bill, and SB 940 (Laird), which eliminates the rent control exemption for “new construction” of mobilehome spaces from local rent control ordinances.  Both bills have been scheduled for policy committee hearings.

SB 869 (Leyva) will be heard in the Senate Housing Committee on March 24 and SB 940 (Laird) will be heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 29. WMA will be reaching out to members and asking them to help us in our efforts via the VoterVoice online tool.  

To view the full text of SB 869, please click here: 

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB869

To view the full text of SB 940, please click here:

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB940

ASSEMBLY BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEE HOLDS INFORMATIONAL HEARING REGARDING PROPOSED HOUSING, MPROP STATE BUDGET ITEMS

The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on State Administration held an informational hearing last Tuesday regarding various housing-related items that are part of the Governor’s housing proposals in the state budget. WMA is paying particular attention to a proposal that, according to HCD, would expand its efforts surrounding mobile and manufactured homes. In his testimony before the committee, HCD Chief Deputy Director Zack Olmstead noted that manufactured homes play an important role in critical housing and often naturally occurring affordable housing, and $100 million is being proposed or earmarked to expand HCD’s “work in making sure that those properties are retained for those uses and to make physical health and safety improvements as necessary to help them remain and that’s the proposal around the $100 million to expand the MPROP Program.”

Chief Deputy Director Olmstead also requested approval to hire three additional HCD inspectors to allow the department to inspect more mobilehome parks.

MOBILEHOME PARK MAINTENANCE TASK FORCE MEETING UPDATE

Last Friday, WMA staff participated in a standing Mobilehome Park Maintenance Task Force meeting. Friday’s meeting was led by HCD staff who provided an overview of the department’s latest activities regarding mobilehome park inspections. According to HCD, MPM violations are separated into two categories: park violations and resident violations. They noted the following:

The most common park violations between January 2021 and December 2021 include:

• Gas meters not supported.

• Live exposed electrical parts.

• Utilities subject to vehicle damage.

The most common resident violations between January 2021 and December 2021 include:

• Accumulation of garbage, rubbish, or other combustible material.

• Storage cabinets constructed less than 3 feet from the lot line.

• Equipment receptacles not approved for wet locations.       

FILING FOR LEGISLATIVE OFFICES CLOSED FOR MOST RACES

Last Friday was the close of the filing period for candidates seeking election to legislative and constitutional offices.  For districts where an incumbent did not file for re-election, the deadline is extended to March 16^th.  There were at least 24 Assemblymembers and 10 Senators who did not file for re-election, and a final list of candidates will soon be available and viewable at the Secretary of State’s website – www.sos.ca.gov. 

Chris Wysocki is WMA’s State Legislative Advocate. He can be reached at chris@wma.org.