Assemblymember Offers Financial Assistance to Mobilehome Residents in Need of Repairs
- Ben Cheever
- Communications Director
- ben.cheever@asm.ca.gov
SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Carlos Villapudua (D-Stockton) introduced Assembly Bill 2002 today to expand access to financial assistance for mobilehome owners in need of home repairs.
“Residents of mobilehome parks are responsible for maintaining sufficient upkeep of their properties in order to preserve the health and safety of not just themselves, but also their neighbors within the park,” said Assemblymember Villapudua. “Violations of these responsibilities can result in families needing to pay for costly remediation or else be at risk of eviction. AB 2002 would allow for mobilehome owners in need to access money from a fund they already pay into in order to correct a minor offense.”
Residents of mobilehome parks currently pay into the Mobilehome Repair Grant Program that helps eligible low-income residents pay for needed repairs such as roofing, painting, or handicap modifications. However, current law does not specify that residents can access these funds for violations cited to them by the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) or the responsible Local Enforcement Agency (LEA). These citations focus on violations that may threaten the health and/or safety of park residents such as broken handrails, faulty plumbing, or damaged electrical systems.
Owners of mobilehome parks also find themselves at risk of receiving a suspension on their Permit to Operate (PTO) if their residents fail to remedy violations cited by the HCD or LEA. This leads mobilehome park owners to issue a notice of eviction to these residents in order to avoid a suspended PTO.
“By clarifying that residents of mobilehome parks may access funds from the existing grant program in order to correct their violations, we can avoid unnecessary evictions while improving the health and safety of these parks,” said Assemblymember Villapudua.
According to the HCD, California has 5,246 mobilehome parks and 375,515 residential slots. The 13th Assembly District is home to at least 15 of these parks that house nearly 1,200 people. These provide an affordable option for lower-income families who cannot afford to purchase traditional homes in this increasingly-expensive state.