More Legislation Being Introduced

The legislative deadline for new bills to be introduced in 2024 is this Friday, February 16th.  Several hundred pieces of legislation have already been introduced, and it is likely there will be more than 1,500 introduced by the time the week is over.

WMA’s legislative team and Legislative Committee are reviewing bills that would or could affect the manufactured housing community industry. A more detailed analysis will begin next week, so please make sure to stay tuned for future updates. 

Three of our primary legislative priorities have been introduced so far this year, and they include:

1. Incorporating the recommendations made by the State Auditor when it reviewed the Mobilehome Residency Law Protection Program (MRLPP).

2. Providing more time to address resident violations cited by the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to residents before a Permit to Operate (PTO) is threatened.

3.Making it simpler and more feasible to build new spaces for mobilehomes in existing parks and exempting these spaces from local fees and taxes.

The key element of the bill affecting the MRLPP includes suspending the fee collected until 2027 in addition to requiring Legal Service Providers (LSPs) to explain to HCD exactly what services were rendered to complainants.  Senate Bill 1052 (Seyarto, R-Murrieta) is the vehicle for this issue. 

To read the current language of this proposal, please click here.

Assemblymember Juan Alanis (R, Modesto) has authored AB 2291 in the Assembly, which will be amended to have the same language as SB 1052 in order to ensure a thorough discussion of the issue in both the Senate and Assembly.

 To read the current language of AB 2291, please click here.

Another WMA-sponsored bill that has been introduced is legislation to provide additional time to parkowners to address citations issued by HCD to residents prior to a threat of a PTO revocation.  This bill was introduced by Senator Rosilicie Ochoa-Bogh (R-Redlands) and the bill number is SB 1108. 

To read the current language of SB 1108, please click here.

Finally, a bill to encourage new space construction in existing mobilehome parks was introduced by Assemblymember Gail Pellerin (D-Santa Cruz).  Assembly Bill 2387 would require approval of up to 10 percent of previously permitted spaces in an existing mobilehome park and exempt these spaces from local fees and taxes.

Similar to legislation held in the Senate Appropriations Committee last year, this bill contains some additional clarifying language as to which specific fees and taxes will be waived by local and state jurisdictions. 

To read the current language of AB 2387, please click here.

WMA’s legislative team is busily working to identify authors for other priorities to make it easier to own, run and successfully operate mobilehome parks.  Please be on the lookout for another update next week, when we will know what proposed legislation has been introduced.

HCD Manager Training Focus Group Scheduled

In 2022, the Legislature passed  — and the Governor signed — Senate Bill 869 (Leyva) into law, which requires HCD to provide training to managers of manufactured housing communities.  While WMA opposed this legislation, significantly due to WMA’s rigorous training program currently in place through the MCM Program (click here). HCD has announced the first meeting to discuss how the new training structure will be developed, implemented, and operated.

Since Senate Bill 869 allows for organizations other than HCD to provide the required training, WMA will be an active participant in discussions that will ultimately result in HCD adopting a curriculum and choosing one or more third parties to provide the required training.  Several WMA members and members of the WMA Board of Directors will participate in this first meeting to be held over Zoom on February 22nd from 9:00 to 11:00 am.

To learn how to either monitor or participate in this Zoom meeting, please visit the HCD website and view the agenda for the upcoming meeting.  This information can be found by clicking here.

Informational Hearing on State of Housing Production Scheduled

While legislation introduced will not be heard by various legislative committees until March and April, many informational hearings are currently planned over the coming weeks.  The first informational hearing of the Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee will focus on the state of housing production and discuss challenges, opportunities, and local innovations. 

This hearing will be webcast live on February 21, 2024, beginning at 9:00 am, but it will also be recorded for later viewing.  If you are interested in viewing this hearing, please click on the following link next week, and the hearing information will be listed along with other informational hearings for other committees.

To view a copy of the agenda for the informational hearing on the state of housing production, please click here.

Park Tours to Begin Again in March During Spring Recess

While legislators are busy introducing bills and getting ready for committee meetings in March and April, lawmakers are already actively planning their schedules for the upcoming Spring recess between March 21st and April 1st. 

Over the coming weeks, WMA will continue working with key legislators and statewide candidates to participate in park tours around the state.  As March 21st draws closer, please keep an eye on your emails from WMA alerting you of a potential mobilehome park tour with a legislator or candidate in your area.

These park tours are an important part of the education process WMA has developed. The process allows for current and future lawmakers to personally visit and hear from parkowners about the challenges of owning and operating a manufactured housing community. 

It is an honor to serve WMA. Please feel to reach me directly at chris@wma.org or on my direct line at the office at 916.288.4026 if I may be of assistance or if you need additional information.