RESPONSES TO DMHOA QUESTIONNAIRE

UPDATE:  OCTOBER 29, 2008 – Response from Christine O’Donnell

U.S. Senate Seat (R)

Responded YES to all six questions.

NOTE:  No response from Senator Joe Biden (D)

UPDATE:  OCTOBER 20, 2008 – Response from Harold Stafford

Senate District 16Harold E. Stafford – D

Favors all DMHOA legislation except placing Manufactured Housing as a Division in the Department of Housing. He comments that enforcement and oversight of rents should be done within an existing government structure.

NOTE:   Colin Bonini- R. No response

 

UPDATE:  OCTOBER 14, 2008 – Response from Brian Bushweller

Delaware Manufactured Home Owners Association

Candidates Questionnaire for the 2008 Election

 

1.  Support oversight on rent increases?  There are aspects of this proposal that would concern me.  However, I would look forward to discussions with DMHOA to seek ways of addressing the issue of unreasonable rent increases.

 

2.  Support full disclosure in sales material?  Yes.  Whatever the solutions to the underlying problems might be, full disclosure makes total sense.  Renters in manufactured home communities need to know, in great detail, exactly what they are getting into and exactly what the future might hold relative to rental rates.  If there is not already a reasonable cancellation period following the signing of an agreement, that should be available, as well.

 

3.  Support a Department to oversee MH communities and the RTA?  I would support a dedicated position within the DSHA or other appropriate place in state government the purpose of which would be to insure that whatever rules, regulations and laws are in place relative to MH communities and the RTA are fully and properly enforced and implemented.  A funding mechanism would need to be developed.

 

4.  Support 20% of community sale price going to RTA or community pays for cost of move?  There are aspects of this proposal that would concern me.  Among them is the upward push on rents that might result.  I would look forward to discussions with DMHOA to seek ways of addressing the funding needs of the RTA or of persons displaced from MH communities because the community is sold for other purposes.

 

5.  Comment on updates on Chapter 70 to eliminate loopholes.  I am not familiar with the loopholes in the law and look forward to discussing those issues with the DMHOA.

 

6.  Comment on posting information on licensed MH home installers on the AG’s website.  While I am not familiar with licensing practices in this regard, posting this information seems reasonable.

 

Candidates name:  Brian Bushweller            Senate: District 17

Date:  October 14, 2008.

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UPDATE:  October 11, 2008

The following response is from Jeremy Filliben who is opposing John Viola for the District 26 House seat.  As of this date we have not received a response from John Viola.

Candidates Survey 2008 Election – Jeremy FillibenSpecial for the DMHOA Web Site – October 4, 2008

Here are my responses:

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Yes
4. Yes
5. Yes
6. Yes, This information should be available on a State website.

Other Comments:

As State Representative, I will seek appointment to the Manufactured Housing Committee so I can advocate for my constituents.

Jeremy Filliben

 

From: Fred Neil, Public Relations Coordinator

The Delaware Manufactured Home Owners Association (DMHOA) is prohibited from making political endorsements. To keep the public informed, DMHOA has sent every candidate in Delaware a questionnaire regarding its Legislative Agenda.

Please keep in mind, in Delaware if you live in a leased land community you face foreclosure because of unlimited yearly increases permitted even if you own your home outright. There is no bailout available.

 

As of October 2, 2008, the only the following candidates have returned the questionnaire.

GOVERNOR

Jack Markell – Democrat

Oversight on rent increases. Similar to Florida law, this would require a landowner to justify increases above the Consumer Price Index. This is not rent control because it allows for maintenance costs:  The rising prices of gas, food, health care and energy are squeezing the middle class and seniors on fixed incomes, and relieving those pressures is a major reason I am running for governor. Increasing housing costs also hurt the middle class and seniors, two segments of the population likely to live in manufactured housing.  

Manufactured housing residents have a significant financial investment in their homes and cannot easily move to a new lot if their current lot rent rises beyond their reach — unlike someone living in an apartment who can just relocate to a new building. I envision a system that gives prospective tenants a sense of how much they will have to pay for rent in the future – before they move in.

Full disclosure in sales material and on a cover sheet before buying a home or signing a lease to include a warning about unlimited rent increases and that no oral promise is valid: I wholeheartedly support increasing disclosure requirements in manufactured housing transactions. I have already proposed significantly improving disclosure requirements for mortgage loans, and I see no reason why Delawareans purchasing manufactured homes on leased land should not receive crystal-clear disclosure about what they are purchasing.  

Create a Department within the Delaware State Housing Authority to oversee manufactured home communities and the Relocation Trust Fund Authority?: We must consider every option to see that manufactured housing remains a critical component of Delaware’s affordable housing supply.  While I am always hesitant to create additional layers of bureaucracy, I promise you that as Governor I will guarantee that the state government protects manufactured home residents from mistreatment and vigorously oversees the trust fund to ensure it is fulfilling its purpose.

Earmark 20 percent of community sale prices to the Relocation Trust Fund Authority or require the community-owner to pay the entire cost of relocating park residents as required in other states?: Manufactured home owners make a significant investment in their houses and that investment deserves to be protected if their park is sold to a new owner who wants to redevelop the land. That’s why I will make sure as Governor that the relocation trust fund has sufficient resources to help displaced homeowners move to new parks.

My desire to protect the investment homeowners have made in their manufactured houses and my belief in the importance of preserving affordable housing in Delaware led me to support the creation of a system that gives homeowners a chance to form a cooperative and purchase their park if it is up for sale.  I am hopeful that the new cooperatives will be able to purchase land that is up for sale and prevent inconvenient and costly relocations.

Update Chapter 70 to eliminate loopholes: I want the relocation trust fund to do what it was intended to do – help homeowners who have to move their manufactured home to another park because theirs is closing. As Governor, I will be committed to closing any loopholes in the law that weaken the effectiveness of the relocation fund or any other reform to the state’s manufactured housing laws that have been made in recent years.

Post a list of manufactured home installers, including addresses and phone numbers, licensed in Delaware on the Attorney General’s Web site: As Governor, I will support good corporate citizens, and that includes reputable, licensed manufactured home installers. We should make it easy for Delawareans to contact these businesses.   

William Swain lee – Republican

Favors Oversight similar to Florida Law

Favors Full Disclosure

Re: Department of Manufactured Housing wants “no new growth in Government until costs are controlled, but favors concept.”

No response to making community owners pay for moves or pay a pay 20% of sales price to Relocation Fund but favors the concept.

Favors eliminating  loop hole in Chapter 70 and posting of Installers names and contact information on AG’s website.           

HOUSE

House District 18

Michael A. Barbieri – D

No response to date

Terry Spence – R

Favors ALL of the DMHOA Legislative agenda

House District 21

 Patricia D Creedon – D

No response to date

Michael Ramone – R

Favors ALL of the DMHOA Agenda

House District 35

L. Aaron Chaffinch – D

No response to date

David L. Wilson – R

Favors Oversight on Rents, Full Disclosure, Posting of Installers list and contact info

Does not favor creating a new Department of Manufactured Housing but would expand powers of existing agency.

Does not favor requiring Community Owners to pay for moves of homes or contributing to the RTA is property is sold.

Wants more information regarding loopholes.

House District 37

Helen C. Truitt  – D

No response to date

Joseph W. Booth – R

Does not support Oversight on rent increase

Favors Full Disclosure

Questions how a Department of Manufactured Housing within the DSHA would operate

Never heard of laws in other states that require Community Owners forcing a move to pay full expenses or 20% of the sale price the property to the RTA

Favors closing loop holes in Chapter 70 and public posting of Installers and conact info

House District 39

Jerry Lewis Semper  – D

Favors ALL of DMHOA’s agenda

Daniel B. Short – R

No response to date