Sen. John Cherry (D-Flint) has been working on statutory changes for several years to address home ownership, health and safety concerns for residents of unlicensed mobile home parks. The most recent legislation—including Senate Bills 934, 935, 936, 937, 938 and 939 brought forward by a bipartisan group of sponsors—represents a compromise between the mobile home industry and community advocates. The package includes several reforms for an industry whose regulations have not received a significant update in nearly 40 years. The bills would create a statewide database of mobile home parks and their owners, establish additional requirements for mobile home park licensure, increase licensing fees, protect residents from deceptive utility and rent billing practices, require notification of ownership changes or proposed land use changes for the locations of parks and provide incentives for owners who choose to sell a park to the residents. The Senate approved all six bills by a nearly unanimous vote this week. The legislation will now move to the House for further consideration.
Michigan Townships Association
