wa-law.org > bill > 2023-24 > HB 1810 > Original Bill
A manufactured/mobile home rental assistance program is created to assist low-income tenants of mobile homes or manufactured housing to maintain an affordable level of rental payments for a mobile home lot. The manufactured/mobile home rental assistance program is administered by the department under the authority of RCW 59.22.050. The department may adopt administrative rules to implement this program.
Under no circumstances may the department use amounts from the fund established under RCW 59.21.050 to provide the monetary rental assistance authorized in section 2 of this act.
On a monthly basis, the department may give a tenant monetary rental assistance for the purpose of assisting the tenant in the payment of rent for a mobile home lot.
Rental assistance may not exceed the lesser of $200 or 50 percent of the monthly rent for the mobile home lot.
A tenant may apply to the department to receive monetary rental assistance. The department shall consider the following factors in determining the eligibility of applicants to receive monetary rental assistance, and the amount of that assistance:
The applicant is a low-income tenant, which has the same meaning as low-income household in RCW 59.21.010;
The applicant is over the age of 55; and
The applicant is a tenant who has experienced a rent increase that outpaces inflation, as defined by the percentage change in the implicit price deflator published by the United States department of commerce.
Once a tenant is approved for monetary rental assistance, the tenant is entitled to such assistance on a monthly basis for one year, unless a change in circumstance occurs earlier that requires an adjustment or termination of such assistance. The tenant is required to notify the department of any change in circumstance, including a change in household income that impacts the tenant's low-income status, or a change in monthly rent for the mobile home lot. In the case of change in circumstance, the department shall adjust or terminate the amount of the monthly monetary rental assistance as appropriate.
A tenant must reapply annually to receive monetary assistance to continue to receive such assistance.
Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.
"Assignee" means an individual or entity who has agreed to advance allowable relocation assistance expenses in exchange for the assignment and transfer of a right to reimbursement from the fund.
"Department" means the department of commerce.
"Director" means the director of the department of commerce.
"Fund" means the manufactured/mobile home park relocation fund established under RCW 59.21.050.
"Landlord" or "park-owner" means the owner of the manufactured/mobile home park that is being closed at the time relocation assistance is provided.
"Low-income household" means a single person, family, or unrelated persons living together whose adjusted income is less than 80 percent of the median family income, adjusted for household size, for the county where the manufactured/mobile home is located.
"Manufactured/mobile home park" or "park" means real property that is rented or held out for rent to others for the placement of two or more manufactured/mobile homes for the primary purpose of production of income, except where the real property is rented or held out for rent for seasonal recreational purpose only and is not intended for year-round occupancy.
"Manufactured housing" has the same meaning as in RCW 59.22.020.
"Mobile home" has the same meaning as in RCW 43.22.335.
"Mobile home lot" has the same meaning as in RCW 59.20.030.
"Relocate" means to do one of the following:
Remove a manufactured/mobile home from a manufactured/mobile home park being closed and reinstall it in another location; or
Remove a manufactured/mobile home from a manufactured/mobile home park being closed and demolish and dispose of it and secure other housing.
"Relocation assistance" means the monetary assistance provided under this chapter, including reimbursement for the costs of relocation as well as cash assistance provided to allow the tenant to secure new housing.
"Tenant" means a person who owns a manufactured/mobile home located on a rented lot in a manufactured/mobile home park and rents the manufactured/mobile home lot for a term of one month or longer.
In order to provide general assistance to resident organizations, qualified tenant organizations, and tenants, the department shall establish an office of mobile/manufactured home relocation and rental assistance. This office shall:
Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, provide, either directly or through contracted services, technical assistance to qualified tenant organizations as defined in RCW 59.20.030 and resident organizations or persons in the process of forming a resident organization pursuant to this chapter. The office will keep records of its activities in this area.
Administer the mobile home relocation assistance program established in chapter 59.21 RCW, including verifying the eligibility of tenants for relocation assistance.
Administer the manufactured/mobile home rental assistance program established in section 1 of this act, including verifying the initial and continued eligibility of tenants for monetary rental assistance.
The sum of two million dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, from the general fund to the department of commerce for the purposes of this act.
If specific funding for the purposes of this act, referencing this act by bill or chapter number, is not provided by June 30, 2023, in the omnibus appropriations act, this act is null and void.