HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 12/10/2019 - MANUFACTURED HOUSING PRESERVATION AND LIVABILITY SDATE:
STAFF:
December 10, 2019
Tom Leeson, Director, Comm Dev & Neighborhood Svrs
Sue Beck-Ferkiss, Social Policy and Housing Program
Manager
Jeff Mihelich, Deputy City Manager
WORK SESSION ITEM
City Council
SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION
Manufactured Housing Preservation and Livability Strategies.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this work session is provide Council with an update of progress on Council priorities related to
manufactured housing communities (MHC) since the imposition of a moratorium on redevelopment and to seek
direction on potential options to preserve this type of housing and address livability issues that have been raised
by residents and owners.
MHCs typically are structured to divide asset ownership with homeowners renting the land under their home from
community owners. MHCs are an important part of the community’s housing stock and are a relatively affordable
type of housing. Staff has been asked to provide options for Council’s guidance and feedback to both preserve
this type of housing and improve livability in MHCs.
For the purpose of this presentation, staff is using the phrase “manufactured housing” to refer to both mobile
homes and manufactured homes. Federal definitions define mobile homes as units constructed prior to 1976,
while units constructed afterwards are defined as manufactured homes.
GENERAL DIRECTION SOUGHT AND SPECIFIC QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED
1. Do Councilmembers want staff to bring a manufactured housing zone forward for Council consideration?
2. Do Councilmembers have direction on which resident's rights and livability strategies to prioritize?
BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION
This summer, City Council initiated a moratorium on the acceptance of development applications that could result
in the partial or total closing of manufactured housing communities. The moratorium began in August 2019 and
will last until the earlier of the City’s adoption of regulations and/or strategies for the preservation of manufactured
housing communities or one year. Councilmembers also directed staff to investigate livability issues at these
communities and to help clarify rights and responsibilities of manufactured housing owners and residents. This
item will address preservation and resident’s rights/livability strategies separately.
Affordable housing, manufactured home preservation, and manufactured housing resident protections are Council
priorities and well-aligned with the recent City Plan update and the 2018 Strategic Plan. City Plan Policies LIV 6.4,
Permanent Supply of Affordable Housing, LIV 6.9, Prevent Displacement, and LIV 6.10, Mitigate Displacement
Impacts are specifically relevant to manufactured housing in Fort Collins. Policy directed to this housing type is
also contained in the City’s Affordable Housing Strategic Plan and the Affordable Housing Redevelopment
Displacement Mitigation Strategy. In addition, the Colorado General Assembly recently passed legislation (HB19-
1309) to strengthen enforcement of the State’s Mobile Home Park Act which encourages local governments to
play an active role in ensuring the Act is upheld.
Since the implementation of the moratorium, several interdepartmental staff teams have been working to better
understand current issues and operations in Fort Collins’ manufactured housing communities and to investigate
manufactured housing preservation strategies and livability issues. A core team is overseeing all work on these
December 10, 2019 Page 2
priorities and a resident rights/livability technical team has been formed to address those issues specifically.
(More information on this team will be found in the residents’ rights/ livability section below). The core team
includes:
• Neighborhood Services
• Planning
• Communications and Public Information Office
• Social Sustainability
• Utilities
• City Attorney’s Office
• Finance
This work is also in collaboration with external partners such as: The Family Center/La Familia, the Larimer
County Department of Health Built Environment Team, and several MHC resident leaders, owners, and
managers.
Manufactured Housing in Fort Collins
MHCs represent an important housing choice in Fort Collins. While residents may own or rent their home, they
always rent the pad the home rests upon. Residents of manufactured housing communities may not have the
means to rent or purchase in other neighborhood types. MHCs are exempt from some livability Codes and
Ordinances, as well as enforcement of those by City staff as private property, most of which is usually not visible
from public streets and sidewalks. Additionally, MHCs are home to historically underserved populations of non-
English speakers, lower-income households, and senior citizens. Through a series of meetings with MHC
residents and community partners working in the residents’ rights space, need was expressed by the public and
Council for programs and projects focused on manufactured housing livability and safety, preservation of
manufactured housing communities as an affordable housing option in Fort Collins, and equitable access to City
resources in historically underserved neighborhoods and populations.
Within Fort Collins city limits there are 10 manufactured housing communities and approximately 1,400 home
sites. An additional 14 communities and approximately 2,100 home sites exist within the Fort Collins’ Growth
Management Area (GMA) as illustrated in Attachment 1. Several of the largest communities in the GMA are also
immediately adjacent to City limits. While staff is preparing options for Council’s consideration to move forward
within City limits, consultation and collaboration with Larimer County will play an important role in strategies for
the communities outside City’s limits.
Manufactured housing is an important and significant form of private, unsubsidized, affordable housing in Fort
Collins. The approximate 3,500 manufactured homes in the GMA represent nearly the same inventory as the
City’s subsidized affordable housing stock of 3,450 units.
In addition to the relative affordability of manufactured homes, this type of housing has many benefits for
residents, including:
• Privacy and a single-family housing lifestyle
• Private or semi-private outdoor areas and gardens
• Strong sense of community
• Access to community amenities, if available (pools, playgrounds, community centers, etc.)
As mentioned above, residents of manufactured housing must contend with divided asset ownership. While a
resident may own or rent their home, the land underneath is rented from a community landowner and operator.
For residents this can lead to:
• Frequent and unpredictable housing cost increases
• Housing instability and fear of potential community closure and displacement
• Difficulty and cost of moving homes
• Power dynamics with owners/operators and limited tenant protections
December 10, 2019 Page 3
The large majority of the GMA’s manufactured housing communities were also constructed decades ago, and
development of new communities is rare. While no manufactured housing community has closed in Fort Collins
since the Bender Mobile Home Park in 2012, a future closure of one of the larger communities could mean the
displacement of a majority of residents and a large decrease in the City’s private affordable housing stock. The
closure of the Bender Park was the impetus for the City’s Affordable Housing Redevelopment Displacement
Mitigation Strategy and while that work’s focus was mitigation of redevelopment, the work presented here is
designed for preservation of this type of community.
Resident & Owner Issues - Community Engagement
The engagement plan for manufactured housing preservation and residents’ rights strategies (Attachment 2) has
focused on expanding organizational understanding of current resident and owner/operator issues. While staff
has completed several City-led meetings with residents and owners, a significant portion of issues has also been
relayed via community organizations and partners. Engagement with both MHC owners and residents is ongoing.
Collaboration & Coordination:
In September 2019 a cross-departmental residents’ rights/livability technical team (“Team”) led by Neighborhood
Services began meeting biweekly to plan and implement three interim budget cycle funded projects to improve
transparency and accessibility of resources:
• Manufactured Housing Community Handbook
• Manufactured Housing Community Neighborhood Improvement and Community-Building Mini-Grants
• Manufactured Housing Community Neighborhood Liaisons for the highest need communities
The residents’ rights/livability technical team includes contributors from Neighborhood Services, Communications
& Public Involvement, Social Sustainability, Utilities Customer Connections, and Planning. Community
engagement related to MHC livability with internal and external stakeholders and outlined in the attached Public
Engagement Plan for Mobile Home Parks is already underway.
In October, the Team met with representatives from six community organizations working within MHCs to raise
awareness of potential shared resources and future community engagement activities. The community partners at
the October meeting represented:
• Bike Fort Collins,
• CSU Center for Public Deliberation,
• La Familia/The Family Center,
• The Genesis Project,
• Larimer County Health Department,
• Urban Renewal Authority
• FC Moves
Through this collaborative work, community partners have provided information on MHC resident issues and
concerns gathered through neighborhood meetings, surveys, and workshops. This partner group will also assist in
identifying Neighborhood Liaisons for MHCs based on current or previous relationships established with
residents.
Language barriers, protection of resident privacy, fears of retaliation, and a lack of trust with the City meant some
of the traditional outreach approaches used by the City are not appropriate in this engagement effort. Partner
organizations such as The Family Center/La Familia, the Larimer County Department of Health Built Environment
Team and several resident leaders invited staff to existing meetings and events and provided summaries of
resident issues and concerns to staff (Attachment 3).
To supplement the information provided by partner organizations, Neighborhood Services staff is conducting
additional engagement to guide development of the Manufactured Housing Community Handbook and assess
December 10, 2019 Page 4
priorities for Manufactured Housing Community Mini-Grants. In November, Staff met with residents of three MHCs
through the Mi Voz community group and with an additional group of residents from a fourth mobile home park at
The Genesis Project. Staff has also hosted an information booth to connect with approximately 100 families from
seven different MHCs at the Homeward Alliance Family Resource Fair. Staff is intentionally attending existing
community events in recognition that residents are busy people with limited time to provide feedback on public
policy through community outreach.
In November, Staff met with property managers from Harmony Village and the Timber Ridge Manufactured
Housing Communities and with community partner, The Genesis Project, to gather information and schedule
participation in upcoming onsite community events.
The following outreach events are scheduled in December:
• Toys for Tots Distribution Event for Parklane, Hickory Village, and Poudre Valley MHC residents;
• Harmony Village Cocoa & Gingerbread Night;
• Manufactured Housing Grant Kick-Off Event for residents of Hickory Village, Poudre Valley, North
College, Montclair, and Stonecrest MHCs;
• An additional workshop and listening session for MHC owners and property managers is scheduled for
December 18, 2019.
See Attachment 5 for summary of completed engagement efforts to date. The residents’ rights/livability technical
team will continue to meet biweekly through Q1 2020.
Neighborhood Services staff is also conducting bimonthly meetings with the City Attorney’s Office and Purchasing
Department staff to finalize processes for mini-grant review and distribution that minimizes barriers to participation
for manufactured housing residents, property managers, and owners. Manufactured Housing Neighborhood
Improvement and Community-Building Mini-Grants will begin accepting applications in late December 2019 with
review of the first round of applications in March 2020.
Continuing outreach and mini-grant application workshops will be conducted Q1-3 2020 and will include
participation in community events for seniors, non-English speakers, and lower-income families, as well as
targeted outreach at manufactured housing communities and neighborhood meetings. Community partner
organizations with existing resident relationships have been identified for four MHCs and will begin developing a
Memorandum of Understanding with the City to serve as designated Neighborhood Liaisons in Q1 2020.
Resident Issues
The following list summarizes general issues or concerns shared with City staff or partner organizations. Note that
particular issues may vary by individual manufactured housing community. For a more detailed summary see
Attachment 4.
• Housing instability / fear of community closure
• Utility billing transparency
• Maintenance responsibilities (trees, amenity-upkeep, snow)
• Retaliation / harassment
• Frequent rent increases
• Evictions
• Safety (vehicle speeds, lighting)
• Restriction on home sales
• Availability of management
• Language equity
• Frequent rule changes
• Infrastructure conditions
December 10, 2019 Page 5
Owner/Operator Issues
The following list summarizes general issues or concerns by management shared with City staff, primarily in one-
on-one or small-group meetings. A larger owners meeting is planned with City staff on December 18th which may
reveal additional issues. Note that particular issues may vary by individual manufactured housing community.
• Frequent changes in management
• Communication with residents; poor means to distribute information
• Relationships between outside service providers, tenants, and owners/managers
• Language barriers
• Property maintenance enforcement
• Home protections & resources for residents (insurance)
Other Colorado Responses
While most jurisdictions have regulations related to Manufactured Housing Communities, some Colorado cities
have passed regulations for the purpose of preserving this housing type and address livability issues. The City of
Boulder and Boulder County are clear leaders in this space, and Broomfield, Lafayette, and Steamboat Springs
are examples of local jurisdictions with preservation-oriented policy and regulations. A list of regulations passed in
other Colorado cities that address similar issues raised by Fort Collins MHC residents includes:
• Manufactured Housing Zoning
• Accessory Structures Privileges
• Utility Billing Transparency
• Limitation on the Prohibition of Sales of Manufactured Homes
• Limitation on Required Upgrades to Existing Manufactured Homes
• Tree Maintenance Responsibilities
• Right to Privacy
• Prohibitions on Retaliation
• Mediation of Disputes
Efforts Underway in Fort Collins
The City has begun several efforts to begin to address several manufactured housing issues raised by residents
and owners/operators. These efforts include:
Manufactured Housing Handbook & Webpage - Guide for residents and owners of manufactured housing
communities with information on common questions, details about programs and incentives, identification of
responsibilities, mediation and dispute resources, and a calculator and formulas to improve billing of water
utilities.
Mini-grants - Council appropriated $50,000 to establish a mini-grant program for manufactured housing
communities that can be used by residents and owners for projects to improve livability. Examples of potential
projects could include translation services, sewer scoping, tree maintenance, or upgrades to community
amenities. Two grant rounds are anticipated In Q1-Q3 2020.
Neighborhood Liaisons - City or partner staff assigned to the highest need manufactured housing communities
to build relationships, answer questions, register complaints, and provide information on programs and incentives.
In addition to these City-led efforts, the State will begin a new program in Spring 2020 to improve enforcement of
the Mobile Home Park Act, including registration of manufactured housing communities, and a resident complaint
system.
December 10, 2019 Page 6
DISCUSSION
These City and State efforts are only a beginning and staff is providing additional preservation and residents’
rights strategies to bring forward for Council consideration.
Preservation oriented options
Preservation Strategy #1- Manufactured Home Zoning
Redevelopment of existing manufactured home communities is one of the primary factors that may result in
community closures and displacement of residents. To help prevent closures resulting from redevelopment, the
City could develop and implement a new manufactured housing zone district.
Creating a new manufactured housing zone district is one of the most direct and effective tools other jurisdictions
have implemented to help preserve existing communities. Manufactured housing zone districts designed for
preservation typically permit a much narrower range of land-uses in an effort to limit redevelopment opportunities.
In Fort Collins, most of the City’s manufactured housing communities are currently located in either the Low
Density Mixed-Use Neighborhood (LMN) or Service Commercial (CS) zone districts. These zone districts permit a
broad range of housing types and densities, as well as other commercial/retail uses. A new manufactured housing
zone district would likely be designed with a narrower range of permitted land uses and intensities, including
fewer opportunities for commercial land-uses or higher density residential redevelopment unless it included
affordability provisions.
While limiting potential MHC closures resulting from redevelopment is a primary benefit of manufactured housing
zoning, other benefits may include:
• Closure Notice Period - Many forms of redevelopment would first require Council-approval of a rezoning,
which will add time to the development review process and provide additional notice of an upcoming
community closure.
• Clarify Status of Nonconforming Uses - Nonconforming uses (grandfathered uses) can lead to delays or
complications for owners when completing financial transactions and imposes additional land use restrictions
that limit the ability of existing communities to change or expand.
• Development Standards - Opportunity for the City to implement specific development criteria for
manufactured housing communities, such as setbacks, landscaping/screening, or separation distances
between units. These types of standards are generalized for all types of housing but could become more
specific to manufactured housing communities in a new zone district.
In developing a manufactured housing zone district, the City should also consider:
• Impact on Private Property Rights - A new zone district would represent a downzoning and an impact on
private property rights. Many owners of manufactured housing communities in other communities who
proposed similar zoning opposed the actions. No outreach with owners specific to this potential strategy has
yet been held, however, this idea was previously discussed during the 2013 Affordable Housing
Redevelopment Displacement Mitigation Strategy. Further, many of the City’s manufactured housing
communities used to be zoned as one of two Mobile Home Park zoning districts prior to 1997.
There have been several legal challenges to manufactured home zoning across the country, either as
examples of a takings or spot rezoning. In many circumstances, the zone districts have been upheld,
especially if it can be demonstrated a reasonable economic use of the property remains.
December 10, 2019 Page 7
• City Plan Update - Any rezoning should be consistent with the City’s comprehensive plan. Several updates
may be needed to City Plan and the City’s Structure Plan Map, which provides future land use guidance, prior
to creating a new zone district and rezoning properties. Any City Plan updates could be processed prior to or
concurrent with potential rezoning and are anticipated to be minor in scope.
• Larimer County Collaboration - A majority of manufactured housing communities in the Fort Collins
community are located in the GMA rather than city limits. Any direction to proceed forward with a
manufactured housing zone district should also include discussion and consultation with Larimer County to
determine their interest in similar efforts for those communities within the GMA.
Next Steps:
If direction is received to pursue this strategy, additional targeted outreach with owners and residents of existing
communities is recommended. Staff would also begin additional work to develop specific zone district standards,
determine which communities make sense for voluntary or involuntary rezoning, and make necessary updates to
City Plan. Staff anticipates Council Consideration of rezoning and the new zone district could occur as early as
April 2020.
Preservation Strategy #2 - Negotiated Improvements & Incentives
Infrastructure upgrades and maintenance requirements also factor heavily in the financial viability and long-term
stability of many manufactured housing communities. Upgrades or replacement of critical infrastructure can cost
millions of dollars and create a tipping point where existing communities face substandard conditions or become
financially insolvent.
Several jurisdictions have partnered or offered financial assistance to manufactured housing communities to help
complete important maintenance and infrastructure upgrades and preserve the financial viability of a community.
• This assistance typically takes the form of low interest loans, grant funding, or the use of other federal, state,
and local affordable housing program funds.
• Financial assistance or other incentives could also be tied to requirements and other community benefits the
City could not otherwise require due to state preemption.
• Examples include agreements for pad rent stabilization, leasing terms, operational agreements or
opportunities to purchase.
Next steps:
Discussion and inventory with current owners/residents on current conditions and infrastructure investment
needed and would help clarify the timing and scale of any potential assistance that may help preserve
manufactured housing in the community. Identification of existing financial resources or a future budget offer for
new financial resources would be required to advance this strategy.
Preservation Option #3- Resident Cooperatives & Ownership
Resident Owned Communities (ROC USA) is a national nonprofit that has become synonymous with resident
ownership of manufactured home communities. By providing technical and financial assistance, the group and its
partners have assisted over 250 communities in the transition to resident ownership.
December 10, 2019 Page 8
As residents become their own owners, they have more control over the future of their manufactured housing
communities, rents, and operational and governance practices.
Resident owned communities can be found across the country but are especially prominent in New England and
the Pacific Northwest where concentrations of non-profits, technical experts, and supportive state and local
policies are in place to facilitate opportunities for residents to organize and submit competing financial offers when
a manufactured housing community is available for purchase.
Local government involvement for resident owned communities has traditionally involved financial assistance
during the initial sale/financing of a community. Some jurisdictions have also advocated for state-level changes to
create a more supportive environment that can facilitate resident owned communities. Policies that are credited
with helping facilitate resident owned communities in other parts of the country that are currently not defined or
required in Colorado or at local levels includes:
• Notice of Sale - Notice to residents must be given prior to a sale of a manufactured housing community.
• Opportunity to Purchase - Several states have provisions to require owners to consider competitive offers or
the right for residents to match a final offer when a community is for sale.
• Right to Organize / Retaliation Protection - Affirm and enforcement of fundamental resident rights to meet,
gather, and organize.
Next steps:
Identification of existing financial resources or a future budget offer for new financial resources would be required
to advance this strategy if the City wishes to help facilitate any future transactions or purchase opportunities by
residents. The City could also advocate for state-level changes such as an opportunity to purchase provisions.
Additionally, the City could partner with other technical experts and organizations to help educate residents about
resident cooperatives and ownership opportunities.
Residents’ Rights and Livability Issues:
While the Manufactured Housing Community Handbook, Neighborhood Improvement and Community-Building
Grants, and Neighborhood Liaison programs are designed to improve some of the resident and owners’ issues
describe above, others will require additional time, resources, and research to adequately address. All this will
add to the existing City supported Larimer Home Improvement Program that provides no or low-interest loans to
manufactured housing owners for needed improvements and provides emergency grants for certain repairs.
In the short term (3-6 months), Staff can explore:
A. Internal operating policy or modifying City Code related to water utility billing transparency for master-metered
mobile home parks*
B. Utilities oversight role in determining a reasonable percent for infrastructure administration costs, and
verifying invoices on improvements that are passed along to residents*
C. Utilities Customer Accounts providing calculations or online calculators to mobile home park owners,
managers, and residents to verify what they should be billing for Utility services*
D. Prohibition of retaliation and/or defining specific forms of retaliation
E. Proposing City Code changes to incorporate consistent property and tree maintenance responsibility for
manufactured housing communities in Fort Collins
December 10, 2019 Page 9
F. Proposing City Code change to limit upgrades required by manufactured housing communities to mobile or
manufactured home
G. Proposing City Code changes to prohibit limitations on sales of homes in parks
H. Abating sales tax on the purchase of manufactured homes
*Denotes activities already initiated by Utilities Customer Connections in Q3-4 2019
In the midterm (7-12 months), Staff can explore:
A. Incentivized mediation participation for resident groups, managers, and property owners**
B. Local complaint registration system to address gaps in the state reporting system**
C. Budgeting for Outcomes offer for Manufactured Housing Community Neighborhood Grant Funds for
infrastructure projects similar to the Vibrant Neighborhood Grant and Community Redevelopment Grant
programs funded in the past
D. Accessory structures privileges and guidelines for the decision-making process for building and maintaining
accessory structure
E. Enforcement or clarification of homeowner and tenant privacy rights in mobile home parks
** Denotes activities with similar existing programs or processes in place through Neighborhood Services
In the long term (more than 12 months to develop) or for activities that would require additional resources, Staff
can explore:
A. Requiring or incentivizing transparent manufactured housing community maintenance planning and budgeting
from community owners
B. Enforcement of sub-metering by manufactured housing community owners to verify billing of commodity and
maintaining infrastructure to Utilities standards
C. Neighborhood Liaisons for all manufactured housing communities
Table of options for livability issues:
Short Term (3-6 months) Mid Term (7-12 months) Long Term / Resources Req.
Maintenance responsibilities Accessory structures privileges Negotiated investments
Utility billing transparency Local Complaint System Owner Master Metering (water)
Trees Maintenance Incentivized Mediation Liaisons (all parks)
Home sale protections Privacy rights Sale notice & purchase opportunity
Retaliation protections
Limitation of required upgrades
ATTACHMENTS
1. Map of Manufactured Housing Communities (PDF)
2. Engagement Plan (PDF)
3. Summary of Resident Issues-The Family Center (PDF)
4. Summary of Resident Issues-City Staff (PDF)
5. City Activities Summary (PDF)
6. Powerpoint Presentation (PDF)
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14 15 13
16 17
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24*
MAP
KEY
PARK
NAME
HOME
SITES
CITY /
GMA
1 Terry Cove 24 GMA
2 Blue Spruce 28 GMA
3 Terry Lake 29 GMA
4 Equestrian Center 4 GMA
5 Poudre Valley 349 GMA
6 Spaulding Lane 8 GMA
7 Highland Manor 66 GMA
8 Hickory Village 204 City
9 North College (Plaza) 320 City
10 Montclair 9 City
11 Stonecrest 24 City
12 Collins Aire 329 GMA
MAP
KEY
PARK
NAME
HOME
SITES
CITY /
GMA
13 Meldrum / Cherry 5 City
14 North Star 54 City
15 Co�onwood 12 City
16 Aspen 32 GMA
17 Skyline 172 City
18 Parklane 65 GMA
19 Mountainview 37 GMA
20 Sunflower 190 GMA
21 Timberidge 585 GMA
22 Harmony Village 486 City
23 Pleasant Grove 114 City
24 Cloverleaf 391 GMA
1
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PLAN
A. OVERVIEW
PROJECT TITLE: Manufactured Home Communities - Working Toward Collective Solutions
PROJECT LEADS:
• Susan Beck-Ferkiss (sbeckferkiss@fcgov.com)
• JC Ward (jcward@fcgov.com)
• Ryan Mounce (rmounce@fcgov.com)
• Tom Leeson (tleeson@fcgov.com)
BACKGROUND:
Definitions
• Manufactured Home:
Factory-built housing, constructed on or after June 15, 1976 and subject to construction standards
established by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
• Mobile Home:
Built prior to June 15, 1976, most but not all, adhere to American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
standards.
• Manufactured Home Community (MHC):
City and state ordinances and laws refer to “mobile home parks”, however the term “manufactured home
community” is a common industry term. For purposes of discussion we will use “manufactured home
community” in all project plans.
Manufactured Home Communities in Fort Collins
There is a total of 3,537 homes sites in Fort Collins with 1,590 being within City limits and 1,947 in the Growth
Management Area (table 1). According to the 2015 – 2019 Affordable Housing Strategic Plan, the number of total
housing units in Fort Collins is 61,294 as of 2015. This means mobile homes or manufactured homes constitute
approximately 5% of total housing units, and as such they are an integral component of affordable housing in the city.
PARK NAME SITES CITY/GMA PARK NAME SITES CITY/GMA
Terry Cove 24 GMA Meldrum/Cherry 5 City
Blue Spruce 28 GMA North Star 54 City
Terry Lake 29 GMA Cottonwood 12 City
Equestrian Center 4 GMA Aspen 32 GMA
Poudre Valley 349 GMA Skyline 172 City
Spaulding Lane 8 GMA Parklane 65 GMA
Highland Manor 66 GMA Mountainview 37 GMA
Hickory Village 204 City Sunflower 190 City
North College (plaza) 320 City Timberridge 585 GMA
Montclair 9 City Harmony Village 486 City
Stonecrest 24 City Pleasant Grove 114 City
Collins Aire 329 GMA Cloverleaf 391 GMA+
Total 1,394 Total 2,143
(table 1)
ATTACHMENT 2
2
Issues Experienced by Residents of Manufactured Home Communities
There have been several issues and concerns expressed by community members regarding the quality of life in
these communities. Some of the issues and solutions identified by City staff in conjunction with The Family Center
are:
ISSUES POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS TO EXPLORE
• Concerns about rent increases • Rent stabilization
• Right of first refusal
• Opportunities for residents to purchase
• Lack of enforcement of Colorado Mobile Home
Park Act and no resources to obtain legal
services
• Local enforcement
• Dedication of funding for mediation/arbitration
• Housing insecurity due to residents’
vulnerability to park closure or change in park
ownership leading to new rules and lot rents
• Opportunities for residents to purchase
• Cooperatives
• High water bills and lack of transparency for
utility charges
• Transparency, accountability, oversight and
enforcement
• Backed up sewers leading to waste flooding
homes and lawns
• Transparency, accountability, oversight and
enforcement
• Trees damaging homes and cars from both
branches and root systems
• Neighborhood grant program to contract tree
trimming services
• Harassment and retaliation from owners and
managers
• Dedication of funding for mediation/arbitration
• Right to have witnesses at meetings with
management
• Changes to leases require the consent of the
homeowner (signed by both parties both get a
copy of the signed agreement)
• Owners and managers setting limitations and
not allowing residents to sell their homes
• Limit park owners’ prohibitions on sale of
homes
PROJECT PURPOSE: In order to address the issues and concerns expressed by community members who live in
manufactured home communities, City Council implemented a moratorium that prevents the redevelopment of these
communities until August 2020, with the possibility of being extended. City staff will explore different options and
come up with a solution that contributes to the wellbeing and quality of life of community members who live in these
communities. Part of this solution involves looking at existing policy, looking at new policy formation, going over
different city codes that could be more strongly enforced, and also talking to owners and managers to see what they
can do to help. The City will seek the support of community organizations, community partners, and community
members, in coming up with more ideas that will help create a collective vision for how the problem or opportunity
could be addressed. This will take the form of a robust public engagement strategy that will ensure the interests of
those affected, mainly residents, are taken into consideration in the formation of a collective solution. As such the
public engagement plan will consist of meetings with residents, owners and managers, working groups with
community partners, community events, development of informative resources, development of communication tools,
tools that will help community members stay engaged in the decision making process, presentations, distribution of
information, etc.
ATTACHMENT 2
3
OVERALL PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT LEVEL: Consult and Involve
City staff has identified the level of public engagement needed for this project as and “Consult,” and “Involve.’
• Consult
Obtain public feedback on analysis, alternatives and/or decisions
• Involve
Work directly with the public throughout the process to ensure that public issues and concerns are
consistently understood and considered.
GOAL: Facilitate solutions that benefit all parties involved with a focus on:
• Preservation of manufactured home communities
• Protection of residents’ rights
• Enhancement and improvement of manufactured home communities
• Understanding residents’ concerns
• Understanding owners and managers of manufactured home communities’ concerns
• Alignment of chosen solutions to City’s Strategic Plan
• Addressing the power imbalance between residents, owners and managers
OBJECTIVES:
• Research and compile existing data regarding issues faced by residents of manufactured home
communities
• Host a series of meetings and/or events with residents
• Host a series of meetings with owners and managers
• Develop list of preservation strategies to be presented to City Council
• Develop list of livability and residents’ rights strategies to be presented to City Council
• Develop list of solutions approved by City Council to be presented to residents, owners and managers
• Engage residents, owners and managers in choosing their preferred solutions
• Create a handbook for residents that includes information regarding resources and supportive services
• Create online resources for residents that allows them to submit complaints
• Create guidelines for a neighborhood grant program to be used for neighborhood improvement projects
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY:
• Timeline: September 2019 – December2020
The strategy is broken down in four phases. The first phase will consist of understanding issues and
concerns from internal and external stakeholders by researching existing data. The data will be used to draft
a list of potential preservation options and a list of potential options related to livability and protection of
residents’ rights. In the second phase City staff will present list of possible solutions to City Council who will
provide guidance, approval and suggestions. The feedback received will be used to create the first iteration
of an implementation plan which will be shared with internal and external stakeholders to receive additional
feedback. City staff will meet with internal stakeholders in the third phase to refine the implementation plan.
Lastly, City staff and partner organizations will host a series of community meetings to share the final draft
of the implementation plan and to present next steps. The public engagement will be closely coordinated
with partners currently doing work in the targeted communities, as well as public engagement efforts for the
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Health Disparities Grant (CDPHE Health Disparities
Grant)
ATTACHMENT 2
4
• Phase 1 (October – December) – Understand Concerns and Develop Lists of Solutions
o City staff will meet with partner organizations who are currently working with, or have done work in
manufactured home communities, to develop a list of issues residents are facing. City staff will also
host a meeting with owners and manager of mobile home parks to learn some of the obstacles and
challenges they are facing that prevent them from addressing the issues stated by residents.
o Another component of this phase will consist of researching existing data obtained from community
partners and previous city-led community engagement events to build upon the list of issues.
o Feedback received from community members and community partners for the CDPHE Health
Disparities Grant will also be used to draft the list of solutions
• Phase 2 (December – February) – Present Lists of Potential Solutions
o City staff will develop a list of potential preservation solutions as well as a list of potential solutions
that address livability and protection of residents’ rights using the feedback and data obtained in
Phase 1. Possible solutions could include but are not limited to: enforcing existing policies,
following other municipalities’ ordinances, exploring land use regulations, developing a
neighborhood grant program, and creating a resident handbook etc. The lists will then be
presented to City Council for approval and guidance.
o City staff will host a series of community meetings and/or events to present the respective lists of
solutions to residents. These events will include several interactive activities designed to
encourage feedback from residents regarding their preferred options and will inform them about the
the next steps.
• Phase 3 (February – March) – Prioritize Lists of Solutions and Draft Implementation Plan
o City staff will analyze the feedback received from community members and use it to draft an
implementation plan that will prioritize next steps. The draft will then be presented to partner
organizations to collaborate with them in the creation of a final draft.
• Phase 4 (March – August) – Follow up and Implement
o City staff and partner organizations will organize a community event to present to community
members the final implementation plan and to let them know how their input influenced the creation
of such plan. The implementation plan will also be available online and will include a timeline of
next steps as well as tools for community members to stay informed and receive project updates.
KEY STAKEHOLDERS:
Internal Stakeholders
• City Council
• Executive Leadership Team
• City Planning Team
o Neighborhood Services
o Social Sustainability
o Planning, Development, and Transportation
o Communications and Public Involvement
• Advisory Committees/Groups
o Affordable Housing Board
o Internal Affordable Housing Task Force
o Planning and Zoning Board
o Larimer County Board of Health
ATTACHMENT 2
5
o Larimer County Affordable Housing Group
External Stakeholders
• Residents of manufactured home communities
• Property managers and owners of manufactured home communities
• The Family Leadership Training Institute (FLTI)
• Larimer County Department of Health and Environment (LCDHE)
• CSU’s Center for Public Deliberation (CPD)
• The Family Center/La Familia (TFC)
• Partnership for Age-Friendly Communities
• Larimer County
• Genesis Project
• Institute for Built Environment
• Fort Collins County Commissioner Kefalas
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
City Council and City staff
• Will work together in designing the strategy and assigning resources needed to implement the strategy as
well as resources needed to carry out the Public Engagement Plan
• City staff will put together an internal planning team that will implement the strategy
• City staff will organize an external planning team composed of community partners and community
members
External Planning Team
• External planning team will contribute with ideas, suggestions, and resources
• Will help with dissemination of information with community members
• Will collaborate with the City in creating community events
POTENTIAL TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES (more tools and techniques could be added as the project
progresses)
Phase 1
•World Cafe with owners
and managers
•Meetings with partner
organizations
•Meetings with residents
•Focus groups with
residents
•Anonymous comment
box
Phase 2
•Communityevents
•Our City page
•Questionnaires
• Info sheets
• Information kiosks
•Newsletters
•Lemonade stand
Phase 3
•Community events
•Lemonade stand
•Resource fairs
•Resident Handbook
•Surveys and
questionnaires
•Collaborative
workshops
•Social media
•Newsletters
•Our City page
Phase 4
•Community events
•Focus groups
6
B. DETAILED ENGAGEMENT PLAN
Phase 1 – Understand Concerns and Develop Lists of Solutions (INFORM)
Timeframe: October – December
Goal: Have a clear understanding of issues and concerns stakeholders in manufactured home communities are
experiencing and draft initial lists of solutions using feedback received from community members and partners.
Tools:
• World Cafe with owners and managers
• Meetings with partner organizations
• Meetings with residents
• Focus groups with residents
• Anonymous comment box
Objectives:
• Finalize Public Engagement Plan
• Host meeting with community partners to inform them about the project and to build list of issues residents
are experiencing
• Draft list of potential preservation solutions to be presented to City Council
• Draft list of potential solutions that address livability and protection of residents’ rights
• Research and compile existing data on mobile home parks including:
o City data
▪ City Plan
▪ 2015 – 2019 Affordable Housing Strategic Plan
▪ CDPHE Health Disparities Grant
o Partner data
o Open data
• Start working on public engagement tools to:
o Receive feedback from stakeholders (e.g. doorhangers w/questionnaire; online questionnaire;
hotline; anonymous comment box)
o Centralize information for planning team (e.g. One Drive; internal Our City page; Microsoft Teams)
o Keep stakeholders informed about the project (e.g. Our City page; newsletter)
Phase 2 – Present Lists of Solutions (CONSULT)
Timeframe: December – January
Goal: Compile and analyze feedback received and present to community members
Tools:
• Community events with a fun theme
• Our City page for community members
• Questionnaires
• Info sheets
• Lemonade stands
• Newsletters
Objectives:
• Participate in City Council work session and present relevant documents to seek input regarding lists of
solutions
• Work with City Council in refining list of solutions that address livability and protection of residents’ rights
ATTACHMENT 2
7
• Organize internal stakeholder meeting to review list of solutions
• Organize external stakeholder meeting to present list solutions
• Organize meeting with community partners to report back on feedback received from City Council
• Create public engagement tools to:
o Receive feedback from stakeholders (e.g. doorhangers w/questionnaire; online questionnaire;
hotline; anonymous comment box)
o Centralize information for planning team (e.g. One Drive; internal Our City page; Microsoft Teams)
o Keep stakeholders informed about the project (e.g. Our City page; newsletter)
• Get additional feedback from external stakeholders by
o Canvassing in manufactured home communities to invite residents to first community event and to
inform them about the project
o Identifying partner, community, and/or city events in, or near, manufactured home communities
where City staff could set up an outreach table
o Interviewing stakeholders
Phase 3 – Prioritize List of Solution and Draft Implementation Plan (COLLABORATE)
Timeframe: January – March
Goal: Refine list of solution and prioritize next steps
Tools:
• Community events
• Lemonade stand
• Resource fairs
• Resident Handbook
• Surveys and questionnaires
• Collaborative workshops
• Social media
• Newsletters
• Our City page
Objectives:
• Draft implementation plan using feedback received from City Council and community members
• Meet with community partners to share the implementation plan draft and to collaborate with them in refining
the plan
• Create tools that will make it easier for community members to provide anonymous feedback
Phase 4 – Follow-up and Implement Livability and Residents’ Rights Solutions
Timeframe: March – December
Goal: Share final implementation plan with internal and external stakeholders and begin working on established
priorities that address livability and protection of residents’ rights
Objectives: (Objectives will be developed using feedback received from stakeholders, as we move along the
project)
ATTACHMENT 2
Hello,
Below you will find a summary of issues The Family Center/La Familia has heard from mobile home park
residents. The Family Center/La Familia has been working diligently with mobile home park residents for
over a year and a half to gain a better understanding of the unique issues and challenges they are facing.
Residents have come forward to speak to these issues with a high level of fear of eviction, retaliation
and harassment for voicing their concerns and experiences. We ask that the information below be
treated with respect and acknowledgement of the risk these community members have taken to
provide the information.
The issues we have collected are summarized into seven categories; Rent and Fees, Lack of Enforcement
of Colorado Mobile Home Park Act, Housing Insecurity, Utilities and Infrastructure, Protection of
Homeowner’s Equity, Harassment and Retaliation and Other. Following the issues we have provided
some suggested solutions based on best practices and work we have seen from our partners across the
State.
While most of the solutions we present are policy, we recognize that this process can be lengthy and
controversial. Therefore, we ask the City to show their commitment to the preservation and protection
of mobile home communities and residents by creating solutions to address the immediate needs of the
community during the policy process. The immediate needs of the community include: high water bills
due to overbilling and lack of enforcement/regulation, retaliation and eviction during this process and
damage to homes and cars from lack of tree maintenance. By addressing the immediate needs of the
community the City is showing their commitment to preserving and protecting these communities.
Issues
Rents and Fees
Issue: Concern about rent increases, many residents are experiencing high rent increase multiple times a
year. High concern of a future in which homeowners could no longer afford their lot rents.
Issue: Selective enforcement of park rules and regulations, often resulting in fees without warning.
Lack of Enforcement of Colorado Mobile Home Park Act (CMHPA)
Issues: Homeowners having rights under the CMHPA is not sufficient, particularly when the only remedy
involves engaging a lawyer and filing suit, a lengthy and expensive process.
Issue: Currently CMHPA states rules should be for convenience, safety and welfare of residents. This is
arbitrary, many parks have rules that fall outside of these guidelines.
Housing Insecurity
Issue: Residents are vulnerable to closure, forcing residents to sell or abandon their homes.
Issue: Residents are vulnerable to change in park ownership leading to new rules and lot rents.
Issue: High rates of evictions/threat of eviction
Utilities and Infrastructure
Issues: High water bills that vary widely. Residents report retaliation through water bills. Lack of
transparency for utility charges, unable to locate water meters.
ATTACHMENT 3
Issue: Backed up sewers lead to waste flooding the home and lawns
Issue: Poor water quality due to aging water and sewer system. Many residents drink only bottled water
due to smell, taste and/or discoloration.
Issue: Trees damaging homes and cars from both branches and root systems.
Issue: Limited access to utilities, many parks do not have internet and rely on hot spots. (This has
become a larger issue when PSD switched to online reporting only and parents cannot access
information related to their child’s education).
Issue: Poor street maintenance (large pot holes, crumbling streets)
Issue: Safety issues due to lack of lighting, speed limit signs, stop signs, speed bumps. Low enforcement
of illegal activity in parks.
Issue: Inadequate trash facilities and inadequate or no recycling services.
Protection of Homeowner’s Equity
Issue: Some parks set limitations or do not allow residents to sell their home. Rules vary across parks,
some parks set a year that homes cannot be sold others simply don’t allow it. For example one park
does not allow homes built previous to 1985 be sold. If a residents wishes or needs to move they have
to pay to have their home removed or torn down (both are costly) or they abandon their home all
scenarios end with the homeowner losing an investment and built equity.
Issue: If you buy a home in a mobile home park you have to be approved to live in the park by
management. Sometimes management denies residency in the park (sometimes for no reason at all),
leading to residents not being able to live in their own home. In other cases managers require residents
to update the home or land (new windows, roof, removing sheds, etc.) that are outside the scope of the
lease and these demands are arbitrary.
Harassment and Retaliation
Issue: Selective enforcement of rules and regulations
Issue: Discrimination through: application approval, additional structure approval, utility bills,
upkeep/maintenance requirements
Issue: Predatory towing inside the park
Issue: Changes to lease do not require the consent of the homeowner. Managers threaten residents
with eviction if they do not sign new lease.
Issue: Evictions (some due to retaliation). Homes are owned by people and are difficult/impossible to
move, if an eviction happens it can required moving out, removal of home, or forfeiting the home to the
park owner. Forfeited homes (sometimes forcefully forfeited) are often fixed and resold with no benefit
to resident who originally owned the home.
Issue: Residents are threatened or harassed for: trying to hold community meetings, doing door to door
outreach, bringing up issues with management.
Issue: No clear rules on right to fences, additional structures, patios, sheds. Rules often change and
residents have to remove structures that they were previously told they could have.
Issue: Some parks do not allow residents to rent out extra bedrooms.
Issue: Park leases, rules and regulations are only in English.
ATTACHMENT 3
Other
Issue: Residents are charged extra parking fee some parks do not allow residents to park work truck
(landscaping, construction, etc.) inside the park.
Issue: Residents are charged a pet fee to have a pet living inside a home that they own.
Issue: Some rules/regulations restrict home owner from making improvements that contribute to green
house gases. Lawn/solar/insulation/windows
Issue: Residents are unable to communicate with park management/owner due to language barriers
and/or lack of management staff and communication channels. Some parks have been without park
management in office for multiple months.
Suggested Solutions
Stabilize Rent
Solutions: “Rent Control” has been mentioned repeatedly. While there is an issue legally with rent
control, some creativity surrounding stabilizing rent is a possibility. For example, most residents are in a
month to month lease and the manager can raise as many times as they wish with a 60 day notice.
Could they sign a year lease with a prevision that rents do not increase during that period.
Solution: Right of first refusal. If RoFR is not possible than solely opportunity to purchase. If both are
possible then there are ways they can work together.
Level the Power Dynamic
Solutions: The need for local enforcement and dedication of funding to mediation/arbitration that is
affordable and the balance of power is equal. The current mediation program the CFC offers is not
sufficient nor is able to address the unique needs of mobile home park issues.
Solution: Right to have witness at meetings with management
Solution: Right to door to door outreach
Solution: Stipulations are reviewed by a judge or mediator- landlord cannot force agreement on a
stipulation. Judge/mediator paid for by the City.
Solution: Landlord cannot demand any repair or modification to any home for cosmetic reasons.
Demand for repair should come from city/county/state inspector.
Solution: Clarification on right to fences, additional structures, patios, sheds
Solution: Changes to leases require the consent of the homeowner (signed by both parties both get a
copy of the signed agreement)
Solution: Translated leases
Utilities- Higher quality and provision of services
Solutions: Transparency, accountability, oversight, enforcement: should apply to any utilities provided
by the park and billed to residents. Amounts should be fair/equitable, billed separately and itemized.
Billing should be subject to audit.
Solution: Adequate trash service, recycling
Solution: Land owners are identified as responsible for tree maintenance (enforced)
ATTACHMENT 3
Protect of Homeowners Equity
Solution: Limit park owners prohibitions on sale of homes
Other Ideas and Considerations
Ability to rent rooms out
Way to report issues w/o being retaliated against or joint agreed mediation
Cities interpret and enforce the CMHPA to determine if park rules are for residents’ welfare, safety and
convenience
ATTACHMENT 3
Detailed Outreach Summary (City-led efforts)
Detailed summary of residents’ rights and livability issues for mobile home parks as identified by
stakeholders in more than one mobile home park through community partner resources and
engagement work to date by the City of Fort Collins:
• Rent and Fees:
o Increases in rent and notices thereof
o Frequency of rent increases
o Frequency of Mobile Home Park fee changes and notices thereof
• Mobile Home Park Rules and Enforcement:
o Inconsistent enforcement of park rules and/or lease terms
o Fear of retaliation and eviction for community organizing or bringing issues to
management
o Possible violation of Colorado Mobile Home Park Act regarding park rules and/or lease
terms
o Lack of enforcement responsibility for Colorado Mobile Home Park Act
o Distinction between mobile home parks and other neighborhoods leaves mobile home
park residents without some City enforcement of livability-related Codes
o Inconsistency in application and additional structure approval processes and decisions
• Utilities:
o Lack of water utility billing transparency for master-metered mobile home parks
o Inconsistent calculations of monthly water utility charges and/or inconsistent fee
structure between housing units for master-metered mobile home parks
o Costs to residents from continuous consumption of water resulting from park
infrastructure maintenance issues or irrigation systems maintained by mobile home
park owners
o Clogged or compromised sewer systems that result in wastewater flooding homes and
lawns
o Compromised potable water quality due to aging park infrastructure or maintenance
issues
o Inadequate stormwater drainage or site flooding
o Restrictions on home improvements designed to address energy efficiency and
renewable energy sources
o Limited internet access and supporting infrastructure
• Park Maintenance and Safety:
o Need for clarity regarding responsibility and cost of tree trimming, root system
monitoring, and care
o Lack of safety outdoor lighting
o Inadequate street maintenance
o Need for traffic calming measures and stop signs within the mobile home park
o Changes to lease length without resident consent
o Inadequate law enforcement in mobile home parks
o Availability of recycling services and trash facilities
• Communication:
o Lack of availability and requirement for materials, announcements, leases, rules, or
regulations to be available in Spanish
ATTACHMENT 4
o Language barriers between residents and property management staff
o Need for access to current property manager contact information and office hours
• Property Rights:
o Challenging process and cost associated with moving a mobile home out of a park that
varies from one park to another
o Availability of other mobile home parks for relocation of a home
o Restricting or denying mobile home buyers based on park management residency
approval process that is not transparent or open to homeowners
o Requiring homeowners to upgrade their home or yard
ATTACHMENT 4
City Summary of Events & Activities (to date)
Manufactured Housing Livability
Implementation Progress for Mobile Home Park Livability Projects
Project/Activity Completion Date Participation
Internal MHC Residents’ Rights
& Livability Team
10/2/19 Internal Staff
Neighborhood Liaison Research
- MHC Internal & External
Stakeholder Engagement
Coordination
10/8/19 Partner Organizations – Bike Fort Collins, CSU
Center for Public Deliberation, La Familia, The
Genesis Project, Larimer County Health
Department Urban Renewal Authority
City Departments – CPIO, FC Moves, Long-
Range Planning Neighborhood Services,
Social Sustainability
Mini-Grant - Application &
Award Process
11/6/19 Internal Staff
Handbook & Mini-Grant -
Neighborhood Outreach
11/6/19 7 participants - Mi Voz Community Group
Handbook & Mini-Grant -
Property Manager Outreach
11/13/19 2 property managers - Harmony Village and
Timber Ridge MHCs
Neighborhood Liaison Outreach
- Community Partners
11/14/19 2 community partners - The Genesis Project
Handbook & Mini-Grant -
Neighborhood Outreach
11/16/19 Homeward Alliance Family Resource Fair
Booth - 200 families total with 7 MHCs
represented
Handbook & Mini-Grant –
Neighborhood Outreach
11/18/19 6 participants – Parklane MHC/The Genesis
Project
Handbook & Mini-Grant –
Neighborhood Outreach
12/5, 12/6,
12/7/19
Parklane MHP, Hickory Village, Poudre Valley
MHC
Handbook & Mini-Grant –
Neighborhood Outreach
12/13/19 Harmony Village
Handbook & Mini-Grant –
Property Manager/Owner
Outreach
12/18/19 TBD
Handbook & Mini-Grant –
Neighborhood Outreach
TBD – Dec.
2019/Jan. 2020
Hickory Village, Poudre Valley MHP, North
College MHP, Parklane MHP, Montclair MHP,
Stonecrest MHP
December 10, 2019
Manufactured Housing Redevelopment Moratorium
Tom Leeson, Sue Beck-Ferkiss, Jeff Mihelich
ATTACHMENT 6
Work Session Overview
Background
Divided Asset Ownership
Resident & Owner Issues
Location in the Growth Management Area
Preservation Strategies
Manufactured Housing Zoning
Livability / Residents’ Rights Strategies
Menu of options
2
ATTACHMENT 6
Alignment
City Plan
LIV 6.4 Permanent Supply of Affordable Housing
LIV 6.9 Prevent Displacement
LIV 6.10 Mitigate Displacement Impacts
3
Strategic Plan – Neighborhood Livability & Social Health
1.1 Improve access to quality housing that is
affordable to a brand range of income levels
1.3 Co-create a more inclusive and equitable
community that promotes unity and honors diversity
ATTACHMENT 6
4
Direction sought from City Council
1. Does Council want staff to bring a manufactured housing zone
forward for Council consideration?
2. Does Council have direction on which resident's rights and livability
strategies to prioritize?
ATTACHMENT 6
Zone Development Timeline
5
City Limits
Manufactured Home Community
GMA Boundary
City GMA Total
Communities 10 14 24
Home Sites 1,400 2,137 3,537
Manufactured Housing Community (MHC)
Locations in the Fort Collins GMA
ATTACHMENT 6
Manufactured Home Living
Manufactured housing represents a significant portion of Fort Collins’
private affordable housing stock
Similar benefits to single family homes:
Privacy
Single-family lifestyle
Semi-private outdoor areas
Strong sense of community
Relative affordability
6
ATTACHMENT 6
Manufactured Home Living
Disadvantages:
Land is rented; unpredictable cost increases
Housing instability and potential community closure
Difficult & costly to move homes
Power dynamics with operators
Limited tenant protections
Shared utility billing
7
ATTACHMENT 6
Manufactured Home Communities
Most communities constructed decades ago
New communities are relatively rare
When communities close, residents are often
displaced
Limited regional inventory to accommodate
displaced residents
May be frequent ownership or management
changes
8
ATTACHMENT 6
State Regulation:
The Mobile Home Park Oversight Act
• Colorado Mobile Home Park Act (1991, amended 2010)
• Mobile Home Park Oversight Act (2019)
• Creates a Mobile Home Park Act Dispute Resolution and
Enforcement Program
• Grants counties and municipalities the power to enact
certain ordinances for MHCs
• Extended the time period between the notice of nonpayment
and termination of tenancy
• Extended time to vacate after eviction order
9
ATTACHMENT 6
10
Council-initiated moratorium on development in manufactured
housing communities
Goal: Implement preservation strategies
Goal: Implement livability and residents’ rights strategies
Moratorium
ATTACHMENT 6
Work Underway
Outreach /
Understand Issues Research / Analysis Initial Implementation
Partner data
Resident outreach
Owner & management
outreach
Building relationships
Utility billing practices
Preservation &
residents’ right
strategies
Legal constraints
Local options
State regulations
State advocacy
Handbook
Webpage
Mini-grants
Neighborhood liaisons
(highest need parks)
ATTACHMENT 6
Resident Issues
Input shared by community organizations or collected by City staff
Issues or concerns vary by community
12
Fear of closure / housing
instability
Utility billing transparency
Maintenance responsibilities
(trees, amenities, snow)
Retaliation / harassment
Frequent rent increases
Evictions
Safety
Home sale restrictions
Management availability
Language equity
Frequent rule changes
Infrastructure conditions
ATTACHMENT 6
Owner & Manager Issues
Input shared by owners and operators
Issues or concerns vary by community
13
Frequent changes in management
Communication with residents; poor distribution networks
Relationships between service providers, tenants, owners/managers
Language barriers
Property maintenance enforcement
Home protections & resources (insurance)
ATTACHMENT 6
Strategies used by Colorado Communities
Manufactured Housing Zoning
Accessory Structures Privileges
Utility Billing Transparency
Limitation on the Prohibition of Sales of Manufactured Homes
Limitation on Required Upgrades to Existing Manufactured Homes
Tree Maintenance Responsibilities
Right to Privacy
Retaliation Prohibited
Mediation of Disputes
ATTACHMENT 6
Preservation Strategy
Implement new manufactured housing
zone district
Most effective preservation
strategy
Limits redevelopment opportunities
of existing communities
Similar to mobile home park
zoning that existed in Fort Collins
pre-1997
15
ATTACHMENT 6
Manufactured Housing Zoning
Potential benefits:
Limits potential community closures caused by redevelopment
Additional notice period when rezoning is proposed
Clarify status of nonconforming uses
Define manufactured housing specific development standards
16
ATTACHMENT 6
Manufactured Housing Zoning
Additional considerations:
Downzoning & impact on private property rights
Requires minor City Plan updates
Consultation with Larimer County on communities located in the GMA
17
ATTACHMENT 6
Current Zoning
MHCs in city limits located predominantly in two zone districts:
Low Density Mixed-Use Neighborhood (LMN) & Service Commercial (CS)
These zone districts permit a broad range of uses and intensities:
18
RESIDENTIAL USES NONRESIDENTIAL USES MISC. USES
Single-family
Duplex
Townhomes
Mobile Home Parks
Multifamily
Group Homes
Childcare
Retail
Office/clinics
Gas stations
Restaurants / Brewpubs
Indoor Recreation
Light Industrial (CS only)
Workshops (CS only)
Parks
Schools
Community Facilities
Churches
ATTACHMENT 6
Manufactured Housing Zoning
Manufactured housing zoning for preservation typically permits
a narrow range of land uses and intensities:
19
RESIDENTIAL USES NONRESIDENTIAL USES MISC. USES
Single-family
Duplex
Manufactured Housing
Multifamily *
Childcare
Accessory Retail / Vending
Bed & Breakfast
Parks
Schools
Community Facilities
Churches
* Some communities permit multifamily redevelopment with affordability restrictions
ATTACHMENT 6
Zone Development Timeline
20
Council
Work Session
Dec 2019
Targeted Outreach &
Board Recommendations
Jan – Mar 2020
Develop
zone district
standards
Council
Consideration
Apr 2020
Determine
communities
for voluntary /
involuntary
rezoning
City Plan update
ATTACHMENT 6
Livability / Residents’ Rights
21
ATTACHMENT 6
Summary of Options
In Progress /
Underway
Short Term
(3-6 months)
Mid Term
(7-12 months)
Long Term / Resources
Req.
Handbook Maintenance
responsibilities
Accessory structures
privileges
Negotiated investments
Website Utility billing
transparency
Local Complaint System Owner Master Metering (water)
Mini-grants Trees Maintenance Incentivized Mediation Liaisons (all parks)
Liaisons
(highest need parks)
Home sale protections Privacy rights Sale notice & purchase
opportunity
LHIP & Emergency
grants
Retaliation protections
Limitation of required
upgrades
ATTACHMENT 6
Pad rent stabilization – currently prohibited by state law
Right of first refusal – requires balancing of property rights
Lease provisions
Other Potential Approaches
ATTACHMENT 6
New State Program
Starting 2020, new state dispute resolution program begins
Enforcement of Mobile Home Park Act
Registration of manufactured housing communities
Complaint registry
ATTACHMENT 6
25
1. Does Council want staff to bring a manufactured housing zone forward for
Council consideration?
2. Does Council have direction on which resident's rights and livability
strategies to prioritize?
Short Term (3-6 months) Mid Term (7-12 months) Long Term / Resources Req.
Maintenance responsibilities Accessory structures privileges Negotiated investments
Utility billing transparency Local Complaint System Owner Master Metering (water)
Trees Maintenance Incentivized Mediation Liaisons (all parks)
Home sale protections Privacy rights Sale notice & purchase opportunity
Retaliation protections
Limitation of required upgrades
Direction sought from City Council
ATTACHMENT 6
ATTACHMENT 5
•Our City page
•Resource Fairs
ATTACHMENT 2
MANUFACTURED HOUSING COMMUNITIES:
HOME SITES:
City - 1,400
GMA - 2,137
Total - 3,537
Harmony
Trilby
Kechter
Horsetooth
Drake
Prospect
Elizabeth
Mulberry
Laporte
Vine
Willox
Mountain Vista
Richards Lake
College
Shields
Taft Hill
Overland
Lemay
Timberline
Ziegler
Strauss Cabin
Turnberry
MANUFACTURED HOUSING
IN FORT COLLINS GMA
City Limits
GMA Boundary
Manufactured
Housing Community
ATTACHMENT 1