Bill would give Florida mobile home park owners even more power over homeowners

Article Courtesy of  The Bradenton Herald

By Mark Young

Published March 19, 2019

  

A bill floating quietly through the Florida Legislature would give mobile home park owners the authority to enter a homeowner’s property to perform work and then charge the homeowner.
 

There are laws in place for park owners and homeowner associations to initiate fines relating to house and yard maintenance violations. However, entering private property — including the homes of tenant who rent lots — is not allowed unless it’s to make repairs to park infrastructure.

SB 1262, sponsored by Sen. Ed Hooper, R-Clearwater, would change that.

The bill would amend existing law to authorize park owners or their management companies to not only enter someone’s property but hire workers to do so to, “ensure compliance in the future,” by forcing a homeowner to pay for work the park deems needs to be done.

 

“Though we do see the need for some method of keeping up appearances of the community, it is that ‘ensuring compliance’ that we object to,” said Jan McMeans, a mobile home owner and founder of Networks for Progress, a grassroots organization that looks out for mobile home owners’ rights.

The bill — still in committee — points out specific issues relating to mowing and edging the grass, as well as the trimming of trees and shrubbery. The park owner must give notice by mail and post the notice on the property. The park owner can move forward with ensuring the work is done within as few as three days from the mailing of the notice.

It also would give 30 days from the time of mailing before hiring workers to paint or pressure wash the mobile home. In all cases, the homeowner would then be billed for the work.

There are several problems with the bill that McMeans said needs to be addressed.

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