Schor Bill to Ensure Mobile Home Resident Safety Passes Committee

LANSING – A bill introduced by state Representative Andy Schor (D-Lansing) was voted out of the House Regulatory Reform Committee today and will head to the House floor for voting. House Bill 5513 would ensure that local governments have the information and power to intercede when mobile home park owners do not provide a safe environment for residents. Problems were exposed earlier this year during a situation at the Life O’Riley Mobile Home Park in Lansing, which was condemned for sanitation and public health issues. Many residents at this park lost their homes and were forced to move due to unsafe and unsanitary conditions.

“I am pleased that legislators on both sides of the aisle saw that this bill was needed badly after more than 80 families were forced from their homes earlier this year,” Schor said. “This could have been avoided if the park owner fixed the problems plaguing the mobile home community. Now, we are one step closer to giving these residents the protection they deserve.”

HB 5513 would amend the Mobile Home Commission Act to require mobile home parks to provide a written explanation of the powers and duties of the local government over such parks, require the state to notify the local governments when inspections are done and problems are found, require surety bonds by the park owner in the event that problems are not fixed, allow counties to appoint receivers that fix the problems then assess the park owner for the costs, allow local governments to inspect if the state does not do it, and other things.

“The mobile home park owner of Life O’Reilly failed the residents and put them at risk. Michigan law also failed these residents because the locals did not know about the violations, and were not able to rectify the actions until it was too late and people had to be evicted,” Schor said. “My legislation ensures that inspections are done and that local officials know when there are problems so they can solve them if the mobile home park owner will not. Passage of this bill will save time, money and possibly even lives.”