Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutWORK SESSION SUMMARY-09/23/2025-Work Session (2)Sustainability Services 222 Laporte Ave. PO Box 580, Fort Collins, CO 80522 CC: Tyler Marr, Deputy City Manager Chad Wright, Director, Housing & Community Vitality Marcy Yoder, Sr. Manager, Housing & Community Vitality WORK SESSION MEMORANDUM Date: September 30, 2025 To: Mayor and City Councilmembers Through: Kelly DiMartino, City Manager Jacob Castillo, Chief Sustainability Officer, Sustainability Services From: JC Ward, Community Engagement Manager, Housing & Community Vitality Subject: September 23, 2025 Work Session – Mobile Home Park Enforcement & Oversight BOTTOM LINE The purpose of this memo is to document the summary of discussions during the February 25, 2025 Work Session. Mayor Pro Tem Francis and Councilmembers Canonico, Gutowsky, Ohlson, Pignataro, and Potyondy were present. DISCUSSION SUMMARY General support for a Mobile Home Park Licensing Program to move forward enforcement components from the staff recommendation and prioritize work across the City. The staff recommendation includes centralizing management of mobile home park MHP”) work, addressing urgent issues [hazardous tree abatement, providing water/toilet access for long water outages, and detecting water leaks], addressing prioritized issues, and updating Municipal Code to align with the recommendation. Several Councilmembers highlighted the concern that costs for the program not be passed along to residents. Municipal Code changes requiring transparency of line-item rent increase notices will be part of the program. These changes and enforcement for violations would mirror the State’s MHPOP enforcement mechanisms and penalties in this area. Councilmembers expressed interest in the implementation costs for the MHP Licensing Program and staff confirmed that the biggest program expense is staffing. Redeployment strategies with tradeoffs for other areas of work are the most budget sensitive. An internal inventory of current staff time and functions will be conducted to identify positions or functions that could be further re-aligned with program priorities or centralized for more efficient management. After the initial start-up, the program would generate revenue through registration, certification fees, and penalties to offset costs. Compliance procedures and enforcement timelines for the overall program were discussed for administrative compliance and abatement of infrastructure with costs being recovered from MHP owners. Councilmembers also asked for clarification about whether the Code would be updated to address the responsibility of damage caused by hazardous trees or failure to abate hazardous trees. Staff confirmed that the Code updates would include responsibility for this damage being the MHP owner’s as part of required “tree maintenance”. Docusign Envelope ID: E242A7F4-DA4D-4343-9FD9-ACBA60B6FB3B Councilmembers noted resident support and appreciation for some MHP managers. Staff clarified that the MHP Manager Certification and training is not punitive, but a resource for MHP managers in a nuanced role for these unique neighborhoods that will provide networking opportunities, education, and increase their earning potential. The certification program is also designed to support employee retention for MHP managers and ideally decrease frequent turnover. Several Councilmembers discussed water quality issues in mobile home parks, enforcement, and the City’s jurisdiction. Staff acknowledged the challenges with identifying the source of water quality issues (inside the home’s pipes or in the MHP’s private infrastructure) and noted that the primary enforcement body for private infrastructure is the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. One Water Staff provided information on the best practices guidance they could offer to the MHP’s certified water operator, MHP owner/manager, mentoring available for water line maintenance, and their coordination with CDPHE. One Water staff also outlined the parallels they see in other neighborhoods with older homes and older interior water pipes and the advice they already provide to those homeowners. Staff noted that the initial barrier to overcome to fully address the water taste, smell, and texture issues MHP residents experience is to narrow down the source and methodically address those until the issues are resolved. NEXT STEPS Next steps include foundation components for the MHP Licensing Program: Internal staffing inventory and alignment strategies Development of funding mechanisms and fee for service departmental offerings Preparing proposed Municipal Code changes and bringing them forward for Council votes Creation of a data dashboard Resident survey to further assess baseline conditions MHP owner and manager outreach FOLLOW-UP ITEMS The list of 88 strategies identified and evaluated by staff teams was requested and is attached to this Memo, organized by subject matter expert team and cost range. Docusign Envelope ID: E242A7F4-DA4D-4343-9FD9-ACBA60B6FB3B Subject Matter Expert Department Cost Range Strategy Require MHPs to conduct and submit tree canopy assessment Educational Walk Through with Urban Forestry Ambassadors upon resident request removal (Arbor Day Foundation) Required MHP Manager training on tree health, maintenance, and penalties Educational Events on tree health, care, and maintenance partner delivered - CSU Extension, Urban Forestry Ambassadors) 1,000 to $10,00 per year Contract arborist MHP Tree Canopy Assessment and Identification of Hazardous Trees. Publish both. Complaint-based Tree Maintenance Inspection and Enforcement (contract arborist) Mitigation of hazardous tree maintenance/removal Mandatory Tree Replacement for hazardous trees removed to maintain canopy cover/reduce heat islands Note Hazardous Trees during Proactive Inspections and send violation to MHP Manager and MHP Team for additional Enhanced Code Compliance and Habitability Standards Education; Education on available complaint systems and Manager and MHP Team Items in bold are MHP owner-focused strategies; non-bold are City or residents-focused strategies Staff Time Tradeoff Minimal Supply/Service Cost 1,000 or less) per year Forestry Staff Time Tradeoff 10,000+ per year Attachment 1 - MHP Enforcement Strategies Docusign Envelope ID: E242A7F4-DA4D-4343-9FD9-ACBA60B6FB3B Assist MHPOP with on-the-ground Nuisance and Rental Inspections (could be fee for service model) Building Permit trainings & template designs available to MHP residents (sheds, carports, decks) Provide inspection checklists to MHP Managers for common area maintenance and Nuisance Codes Required MHP Manager training on Nuisance Code, IPMC,warranty of habitability (as applied to lots and exterior), rights and responsibilities, permitting requirements, and resources Expand Community Consultants/Promotoras Programs to include Educational Assessments by trained community Mitigation Grants to support voluntary compliance - community clean-up days; large item disposal; hazardous waste pickup; dilapidated fence repair/replacement New Complaint-based Snow Enforcement (possible fee for service from MHPOP) spreaders, de-icer for MHP owners and/or residents Traffic calming/control assessment, recommendations to MHP Managers, and education about speed limit Provide educational assessments of MHP and recommendations on parking policies and best practices given Provide information, best practices, and materials if residents or managers want to set up a residential parking program based on the Residential Parking Permit Program available in other parts of the city. Provide educational assessments of MHP road conditions and Allow MHP residents to request speed limit flashing signs & Slow Down" signs Implement Pavement Condition assessment (PCI) in MHPs upon request. Publish. Required MHP Manager training on traffic safety, available resources, and speed limit enforcement Establish speed limit enforcement standards for all MHPs. Assess penalties for non-compliant speed limit enforcement. Install traffic calming/ traffic control measures or offer grants for MHP Owners to do so Mitigation of hazardous road condition by Streets or contractor Costs charged to MHP owner or improvements (negotiate with credit union partners) for Minimal Supply/Service Cost Traffic Ops, Streets, & Parking 10,000+ per year 1,000 to $10,00 per year Minimal Supply/Service Cost 1,000 or less) per year Building Services Docusign Envelope ID: E242A7F4-DA4D-4343-9FD9-ACBA60B6FB3B Assist with property manager education around speeding, dangerous driving, & criminal activity or reporting Outreach focused on processes to report emergency & non- emergency issues to police; trust-building activities & outreach for residents/police Outreach Team upon resident request Required MHP Manager training on speeding, dangerous driving, & criminal activity or reporting Watch but while you walk your dog) Trainings 10,000+ per year Enforcement of speed limits within MHPs filing MHPOP complaint or Eviction filing 1,000 to $10,00 per year specific to MHPs Proactive water rebilling audit. Publish findings. Require submission of MHP water infrastructure maintenance annual schedule and past maintenance records. Provide recommendations for best practices on selecting, installing, reading, and maintaining MHP-owned water maintenance schedules program participation Provide best practice guide for water shutoff and boil notices. Work with CDPHE on enforcement against boil notices not in potable water/toilet access after statutory time exceeded Street/safety lighting ownership map with GIS of existing easements Power Minimal Supply/Service Cost Conflict Transformation Works Police Services Minimal Supply/Service Cost Docusign Envelope ID: E242A7F4-DA4D-4343-9FD9-ACBA60B6FB3B Coordination with MHPOP and CDPHE on water outage notifications and response monitoring (may require Larimer County hotline coordination or Water Utility provider hotline Required MHP Manager training on water conservation, energy conservation infrastructure maintenance/repair, rights 24-hour water outage complaint hotline (Larimer County & CDPHE partnership) Provide resident education on continuous consumption and water conservation already doing - Utilities Water Quality Lab testing upon request within lab capacity City provides portable toilets and drinking water with charge back to MHP Owner - complaint-based or upon request by Water infrastructure leak detection assessments by One Water and charge back to MHP Sewer backflow valve grants or matching funds for individual homes Rebates for LED or energy efficient lightbulb swaps for street/safety lighting - Dark Skies compliant Initiative compliant Infrastructure repair by City/contractor Infrastructure repair/replacement grants and loan products could be down payment replacement for resident purchase of the MHP) (possible partnership with Epic Loan Program) Grants for water filters, sewer scoping, plumbing repairs or replacement due to water quality issues. Rental Housing 1,000 to $10,00 per year Expand lease & community rule review pilot to include MHP residents (partnership potential with Colorado Poverty Law Project/Eviction Legal Fund) Require language access program to include translations of leases and MHP rules Costs paid by MHP owner 1,000 to $10,00 per year Staff Time Tradeoff Minimal Supply/Service Cost MHP Program Team Docusign Envelope ID: E242A7F4-DA4D-4343-9FD9-ACBA60B6FB3B