This year the State Senate signed into law SB 510, which allows (it does not require), a survey of the park residents to be taken into consideration when approving or disapproving the conversion of a park to fee ownership through a subdivision. This means that the government is allowed but not required to take into consideration, the majority feeling amongst the residents in the park, regarding the conversion to fee ownership.
The idea of a mobile home park subdivision is confusing and scary to many residents. Without an “owner”, who will operate the park? Will I be forced to buy the land under my home? Will I be evicted if I cannot or am unwilling to buy my land? All of these questions are valid and reasonable. They are also fairly easy to answer when one looks at past park conversions/subdivisions in the state.
Before a subdivision happens most parks create a co-op, or home owners association that will have the responsibility of running the community. The association is made up of homeowners living in the park. Residents who purchase their lot become members of the new HOA (Homeowners Association) and those who do not purchase their lots continue to rent their lots from the HOA.
Homeowners pay an association fee to help manage and maintain the community. It is generally considerably lower than the monthly rent. Homeowners Associations and the dues they require are present in many stick built housing communities. Most park residents like this idea because the people managing their rents are their neighbors and fellow community members. Change is not easy but it is also not always bad.
The bottom line is that it when a mobile home park subdivides it provides the residents with the opportunity to control their own destiny by owning the land they are living on instead of renting the land. It is a win-win for everyone.