MRLPP

These are the comments that OMHA is submitting to MRLPP online on Monday, January 20, on behalf of OMHA. If you would like to add any comments to this list, please send them to me by Sunday, January 19th.

You may want to send your own comments individually and we encourage you to do so.   


Here is the link to the site to add your comments:

https://calhcd.service-now.com/csp?id=csm_sc_cat_item_public&sys_id=8b7e01e8c3ae69509a97251ce00131bc


Here are my comments to HCD on behalf of OMHA:

On behalf of the Oceanside Manufactured Homeowners Alliance, Inc.(OMHA) located in Oceanside, CA, we submit the following comments regarding the MRLPP:

We agree with the proposed changes and wish to add the following suggestions for HCD to consider in restructuring the MRLPP Plan:

Continue to collect the $10 “IF HDC” agrees to utilize the $8.3 million surplus funds by:

1. Hiring a legal team that reports directly to HCD’s legal staff, who are highly experienced and specialize in the Mobilehome Residency Laws, Title 25, Rent Control Ordinances and other manufactured homeowners issues.  We would like to see LSP’s located in locals where there are many mobilehome parks. This would better serve homeowners given short 25-day response times and HCD’s requirement to serve more people in need of legal expertise.

a) The HCD legal team can be the liaisons to the LSP contracts in place.With investment firms buying up MHPs and the need for truly affordable housing to increase for seniors and young families at the lowest income levels, living in California’s manufactured home parks, which is one of the few affordable housing choices available, we see MHP issues increasing.  If the MRLPP is to be effective, we need HCD to be prepared to help this growing segment of the housing picture.

2. Building back trust in the MRLPP program.  In the past, there have been multiple complaints regarding the effectiveness and accountability of this program.  If this is a staffing problem, fix it by hiring and training the right people with the sense of urgency and care many of these issues require. Consider hiring Seniors living in MHPs throughout CA to be your first line of defense.

3. Create regular marketing; highlight success stories. Increase the program's awareness to the Manufactured Homeowners' in CA through regular marketing bulletins.

4. Know your market!  Work on improving your website so it is easier for Seniors and less-technical folks to navigate.  For example:  I went to the HCD website looking for the link to the public comment page for the
MRLPP and if someone had not sent me the link, I doubt I would have found it.  The site should be easy to read for seniors.

5. Create a robust tracking, monitoring and follow up program that everyone can easily follow. Training and the right tools will make this program a success rather than a regret.

If these goals cannot be achieved, then we are in favor of suspending the $10 fee until HCD can get the right people in place to administer the MRLPP in a way that is beneficial to the  Manufactured Homeowners living in California's MHPs.