TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A new bill filed in Florida this week aims to lay out a litany of rules for mobile home parks in the state.
The bill (SB 1550) was filed on Friday by state Sen. LaVon Bracy Davis (D-Ocoee), and it amends a Florida statute, which governs what factors courts may use to determine whether rent increases are “unreasonable.”
Under current law, courts may take factors like prior disclosures, inflation changes, operating costs and taxes into account.
However, Davis’ bill would expand the law to also let courts consider the following factors:
- The number of active sales within a mobile home park at the time the notice of rent increase is issued
- Incentives and other discounts being offered to new purchasers by the mobile home park owner or the mobile home owner
- The number of mobile homes abandoned to the park owner in the previous 12 months for the purpose of avoiding eviction
But that’s not all. The bill also introduces some key rules for mobile home park owners to keep in mind.
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For example, if a mobile home owner is unable to pay his/her rent, he/she would have a 10-day window after receiving notice to pay up. That timeframe is twice what the current law allows.
Other new rules introduced by the legislation are as follows:
- Payment Methods: Park owners may not require mobile home owners to use an electronic payment system as the only method to pay rent or user fees.
- Checks must be accepted by park owners, and rent is considered paid upon delivery of the check.
- Rent Increases: If there is a proposed increase in lot rent, all relevant invoices, evidence or proof that shows the expenses or material factors behind the increase must be included in such notice.
- Rent Reductions: If an amenity, service or utility is no longer available to mobile home owners, the park owner must reduce their rent.
- Land-Use Payouts: If a mobile home owner is required to move due to a change in the land-use for the park, the owner is entitled to compensation for moving expenses and $6,500 from the state (or $11,500 for a multi-section mobile home).
- This is up from the current state law, which puts that figure at $3,000 (or $6,000 for a multi-section mobile home).
- Abandonment Payouts: In lieu of accepting payment after a land-use change, a mobile home owner may instead abandon the home and collect $5,000 from the state (or $7,000 for a multi-section mobile home).
- This is up from the current state law, which puts that figure at $1,375 (or $2,750 for a multi-section mobile home).
- If this option is selected, the park owner must pay the state $1,375 for a single-section mobile home, and $2,750 for a multi-section mobile home.
If approved, the bill is set to take effect on July 1.
Meanwhile, another bill filed back in November also seeks to bring more changes to mobile home parks. You can find out more about that legislation here.