Senate Bill sb0934c1

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    Florida Senate - 2006                            CS for SB 934

    By the Committee on Community Affairs; and Senator Bennett





    578-1226-06

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to mobile homes and affordable

  3         housing; creating s. 163.31772, F.S.; providing

  4         legislative findings that mobile home parks

  5         provide safe and affordable housing; providing

  6         intent that local governments and redevelopment

  7         agencies use available funding sources to

  8         assist mobile home owners; providing

  9         definitions; requiring a local government to

10         use its revenue sources to assist certain

11         mobile home owners with relocation; encouraging

12         local governments to permit and approve

13         rezoning of property for the development of new

14         mobile home parks; providing that a local

15         government or redevelopment agency may enter

16         into a development agreement with the owner of

17         a mobile home park to ensure its continued use

18         for affordable housing; amending s. 723.06116,

19         F.S.; providing for late fees if a mobile home

20         park does not make payments to the Florida

21         Mobile Home Relocation Corporation within the

22         required time period; amending s. 723.0612,

23         F.S.; providing an exception; providing certain

24         time periods within which an application for

25         funding for relocation expenses must be

26         submitted to the corporation; amending s.

27         723.071, F.S.; providing legislative findings

28         that a right of first refusal is a property

29         right that should be negotiated between two

30         parties; amending s. 723.072, F.S., relating to

31         an affidavit of compliance by an owner of a

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    Florida Senate - 2006                            CS for SB 934
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 1         mobile home park; conforming cross-references;

 2         amending s. 723.083, F.S.; requiring an agency

 3         of municipal, local, county, or state

 4         government to provide a written document

 5         substantiating the existence of adequate mobile

 6         home parks or other suitable facilities before

 7         approving the rezoning of a park; requiring a

 8         written good-faith estimate of fiscal benefits;

 9         requiring certain reports be made available to

10         the public; providing an effective date.

11  

12  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

13  

14         Section 1.  Section 163.31772, Florida Statutes, is

15  created to read:

16         163.31772  Mobile home parks; change in use of land;

17  legislative findings and intent.--

18         (1)  The Legislature finds that:

19         (a)  Mobile home parks provide safe and affordable

20  housing to many residents of this state;

21         (b)  The rising price of real estate in Florida is

22  causing significant loss of affordable housing, including

23  mobile home parks;

24         (c)  Some mobile home park residents are being evicted

25  and forced to relocate from their communities due to the

26  change in the use of land from mobile home park rentals to

27  some other use;

28         (d)  The loss of this type of affordable housing is of

29  statewide concern; and

30         (e)  Local governments benefit significantly from the

31  redevelopment of these mobile home parks through increased

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    Florida Senate - 2006                            CS for SB 934
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 1  local and state tax revenues, but may not have authority to

 2  use all available funding and revenue sources to assist these

 3  displaced residents.

 4         (2)  It is the intent of the Legislature that local

 5  governments and redevelopment agencies assist in the

 6  relocation of and assistance to mobile home owners and are

 7  authorized to use all available funding sources so that the

 8  state's most needy residents are protected.

 9         (3)  As used in this section, the term:

10         (a)  "Affordable housing" has the same meaning as

11  provided in chapter 420.

12         (b)  "Community redevelopment agency" has the same

13  meaning as provided in s. 163.340.

14         (c)  "Local government" means a county or municipality.

15         (d)  "Mobile home park" has the same meaning as

16  provided in s. 723.003.

17         (4)  Any local government or community redevelopment

18  agency having jurisdiction over a mobile home park that is

19  being closed due to a change in the use of land is authorized

20  to use all available funding and revenue sources to:

21         (a)  Assist home owners with the cost of relocating

22  their homes;

23         (b)  Assist home owners in purchasing new manufactured

24  or mobile homes if the home they are occupying is not capable

25  of being moved to another location; and

26         (c)  Assist home owners in relocating to any other

27  adequate and suitable facilities.

28  

29  The local government shall, to the greatest extent possible,

30  relocate the homes of the mobile home owners to a mobile home

31  park in the same neighborhood or community.

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    Florida Senate - 2006                            CS for SB 934
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 1         (5)  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a

 2  local government or community redevelopment agency is

 3  authorized to and shall use revenues for the purposes of

 4  subsection (4) which are derived from sources, including, but

 5  not limited to, tax increment financing pursuant to s.

 6  163.387, urban infill and redevelopment funds pursuant to s.

 7  163.2523, general revenue funding, housing loan assistance

 8  programs, documentary stamp tax revenues derived from the

 9  redevelopment of the property which are available to the local

10  government, and impact and permit fees derived from the

11  redevelopment of the property.

12         (6)  A local government is encouraged to permit and

13  approve the rezoning of property for development of new mobile

14  home parks for the purpose of providing new homes, affordable

15  housing, or for the relocation of mobile home owners who are

16  displaced by a change in the use of land.

17         (7)  Any local government or community redevelopment

18  agency having jurisdiction over a mobile home park providing

19  affordable housing may enter into a development agreement or

20  other similar binding agreement with the owner of the mobile

21  home park to ensure the continued use of the mobile home park

22  for affordable housing for a specified time period through the

23  use of incentives, including, but not limited to:

24         (a)  Awarding transferrable development credits to the

25  property owner. The Department of Community Affairs shall

26  provide technical assistance to local governments in order to

27  promote the transfer of development rights for mobile home

28  park owners who provide affordable housing.

29         (b)  Providing fee waivers, such as waiving impact and

30  permit fees, for providing affordable housing.

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2006                            CS for SB 934
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 1         (c)  Providing housing assistance to the mobile home

 2  park owner for the difference between the lot rental amount

 3  paid by the home owners and lot rental amount charged in

 4  comparable mobile home parks that have similar facilities,

 5  services, amenities, and management, or for the difference

 6  between the rental value of the property being dedicated to

 7  affordable housing and its fair market value.  The Department

 8  of Community Affairs shall provide technical assistance to

 9  local governments in order to promote housing assistance to

10  mobile home park owners who provide affordable housing.

11  

12  Any such development agreement or other similar binding

13  agreement shall have a term that does not exceed 10 years.

14         Section 2.  Subsection (1) of section 723.06116,

15  Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

16         723.06116  Payments to the Florida Mobile Home

17  Relocation Corporation.--

18         (1)  If a mobile home owner is required to move due to

19  a change in use of the land comprising a mobile home park as

20  set forth in s. 723.061(1)(d), the mobile home park owner

21  shall, upon such change in use, pay to the Florida Mobile Home

22  Relocation Corporation for deposit in the Florida Mobile Home

23  Relocation Trust Fund $2,750 for each single-section mobile

24  home and $3,750 for each multisection mobile home for which a

25  mobile home owner has made application for payment of moving

26  expenses. The mobile home park shall make the payments

27  required by this section and by s. 723.0612(7) to the

28  corporation within 30 days after receipt from the  corporation

29  of the invoice for payment. Failure to make such payment

30  within the required time period shall result in a late fee

31  being imposed.

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    Florida Senate - 2006                            CS for SB 934
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 1         (a)  If payment is not submitted within 30 days after

 2  receipt of the invoice, a 10-percent late fee shall be

 3  assessed.

 4         (b)  If payment is not submitted within 60 days after

 5  receipt of the invoice, a 15-percent late fee shall be

 6  assessed.

 7         (c)  If payment is not submitted within 90 days after

 8  receipt of the invoice, a 20-percent late fee shall be

 9  assessed.

10         (d)  Any payment received 120 days after receipt of the

11  invoice must include a 25-percent late fee.

12         Section 3.  Subsection (9) of section 723.0612, Florida

13  Statutes, is amended, and subsection (12) is added to that

14  section to read:

15         723.0612  Change in use; relocation expenses; payments

16  by park owner.--

17         (9)  Any person whose application for funding pursuant

18  to subsection (1) or subsection (7) is approved for payment by

19  the corporation shall be barred from asserting any claim or

20  cause of action under this chapter directly relating to or

21  arising out of the change in use of the mobile home park

22  against the corporation, the park owner, or the park owner's

23  successors in interest. No application for funding pursuant to

24  subsection (1) or subsection (7) shall be approved by the

25  corporation if the applicant has either filed a claim or cause

26  of action, is actively pursuing a claim or cause of action,

27  has settled a claim or cause of action, or has a judgment

28  against the corporation, the park owner, or the park owner's

29  successors in interest under this chapter directly relating to

30  or arising out of the change in use of the mobile home park,

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2006                            CS for SB 934
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 1  unless such claim or cause of action is dismissed with

 2  prejudice.

 3         (12)  An application to the corporation for

 4  compensation under subsection (1) or subsection (7) must be

 5  received by the corporation within 1 year after the expiration

 6  of the eviction period as established in the notice required

 7  under s. 723.061(1)(d).  If the applicant files a claim or

 8  cause of action that disqualifies the applicant under

 9  subsection (9) and the claim is subsequently dismissed,

10  application must be received within 6 months following filing

11  of the dismissal with prejudice as required under subsection

12  (9).  However, such an applicant must apply within 2 years

13  after the expiration of the eviction period as established in

14  the notice required under s. 723.061(1)(d).

15         Section 4.  Section 723.071, Florida Statutes, is

16  amended to read:

17         723.071  Sale of mobile home parks; legislative

18  findings.--

19         (1)  The Legislature finds that a right of first

20  refusal to purchase a mobile home park is a property right

21  that should be negotiated between two parties at arms length

22  and for due consideration.  The Legislature further finds that

23  this chapter does not preclude mobile home owners from

24  purchasing a right of first refusal from a willing park owner.

25  The Legislature therefore encourages mobile home owners to

26  organize as a homeowners' association in accordance with this

27  chapter for the purpose of negotiating a right of first

28  refusal with a park owner.

29         (2)(1)(a)  If a mobile home park owner offers a mobile

30  home park for sale, she or he shall notify the officers of the

31  homeowners' association created pursuant to ss.

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    Florida Senate - 2006                            CS for SB 934
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 1  723.075-723.079 of the offer, stating the price and the terms

 2  and conditions of sale.

 3         (b)  The mobile home owners, by and through the

 4  association defined in s. 723.075, shall have the right to

 5  purchase the park, provided the home owners meet the price and

 6  terms and conditions of the mobile home park owner by

 7  executing a contract with the park owner within 45 days,

 8  unless agreed to otherwise, from the date of mailing of the

 9  notice and provided they have complied with ss.

10  723.075-723.079.  If a contract between the park owner and the

11  association is not executed within such 45-day period, then,

12  unless the park owner thereafter elects to offer the park at a

13  price lower than the price specified in her or his notice to

14  the officers of the homeowners' association, the park owner

15  has no further obligations under this subsection, and her or

16  his only obligation shall be as set forth in subsection (3)

17  (2).

18         (c)  If the park owner thereafter elects to offer the

19  park at a price lower than the price specified in her or his

20  notice to the home owners, the home owners, by and through the

21  association, will have an additional 10 days to meet the price

22  and terms and conditions of the park owner by executing a

23  contract.

24         (3)(2)  If a mobile home park owner receives a bona

25  fide offer to purchase the park that she or he intends to

26  consider or make a counteroffer to, the park owner's only

27  obligation shall be to notify the officers of the homeowners'

28  association that she or he has received an offer and disclose

29  the price and material terms and conditions upon which she or

30  he would consider selling the park and consider any offer made

31  by the home owners, provided the home owners have complied

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    Florida Senate - 2006                            CS for SB 934
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 1  with ss. 723.075-723.079. The park owner shall be under no

 2  obligation to sell to the home owners or to interrupt or delay

 3  other negotiations and shall be free at any time to execute a

 4  contract for the sale of the park to a party or parties other

 5  than the home owners or the association.

 6         (4)(3)(a)  As used in subsections (2) (1) and (3) (2),

 7  the term "notify" means the placing of a notice in the United

 8  States mail addressed to the officers of the homeowners'

 9  association. Each such notice shall be deemed to have been

10  given upon the deposit of the notice in the United States

11  mail.

12         (b)  As used in subsection (2) (1), the term "offer"

13  means any solicitation by the park owner to the general

14  public.

15         (5)(4)  This section does not apply to:

16         (a)  Any sale or transfer to a person who would be

17  included within the table of descent and distribution if the

18  park owner were to die intestate.

19         (b)  Any transfer by gift, devise, or operation of law.

20         (c)  Any transfer by a corporation to an affiliate.  As

21  used herein, the term "affiliate" means any shareholder of the

22  transferring corporation; any corporation or entity owned or

23  controlled, directly or indirectly, by the transferring

24  corporation; or any other corporation or entity owned or

25  controlled, directly or indirectly, by any shareholder of the

26  transferring corporation.

27         (d)  Any transfer by a partnership to any of its

28  partners.

29         (e)  Any conveyance of an interest in a mobile home

30  park incidental to the financing of such mobile home park.

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2006                            CS for SB 934
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 1         (f)  Any conveyance resulting from the foreclosure of a

 2  mortgage, deed of trust, or other instrument encumbering a

 3  mobile home park or any deed given in lieu of such

 4  foreclosure.

 5         (g)  Any sale or transfer between or among joint

 6  tenants or tenants in common owning a mobile home park.

 7         (h)  Any exchange of a mobile home park for other real

 8  property, whether or not such exchange also involves the

 9  payment of cash or other boot.

10         (i)  The purchase of a mobile home park by a

11  governmental entity under its powers of eminent domain.

12         Section 5.  Subsection (1) of section 723.072, Florida

13  Statutes, is amended to read:

14         723.072  Affidavit of compliance with statutory

15  requirements.--

16         (1)  A park owner may at any time record, in the

17  official records of the county where a mobile home park is

18  situated, an affidavit in which the park owner certifies that:

19         (a)  With reference to an offer by him or her for the

20  sale of such park, he or she has complied with the provisions

21  of s. 723.071(2) s. 723.071(1);

22         (b)  With reference to an offer received by him or her

23  for the purchase of such park, or with reference to a

24  counteroffer which he or she intends to make, or has made, for

25  the sale of such park, he or she has complied with the

26  provisions of s. 723.071(3) s. 723.071(2);

27         (c)  Notwithstanding his or her compliance with the

28  provisions of either subsection (2) (1) or subsection (3) (2)

29  of s. 723.071, no contract has been executed for the sale of

30  such park between himself or herself and the park homeowners'

31  association;

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    Florida Senate - 2006                            CS for SB 934
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 1         (d)  The provisions of subsections (2) (1) and (3) (2)

 2  of s. 723.071 are inapplicable to a particular sale or

 3  transfer of such park by him or her, and compliance with such

 4  subsections is not required; or

 5         (e)  A particular sale or transfer of such park is

 6  exempted from the provisions of this section and s. 723.071.

 7  

 8  Any party acquiring an interest in a mobile home park, and any

 9  and all title insurance companies and attorneys preparing,

10  furnishing, or examining any evidence of title, have the

11  absolute right to rely on the truth and accuracy of all

12  statements appearing in such affidavit and are under no

13  obligation to inquire further as to any matter or fact

14  relating to the park owner's compliance with the provisions of

15  s. 723.071.

16         Section 6.  Section 723.083, Florida Statutes, is

17  amended to read:

18         723.083  Governmental action affecting removal of

19  mobile home owners.--

20         (1)  No agency of municipal, local, county, or state

21  government shall approve any application for rezoning, or take

22  any other official action, which would result in the removal

23  or relocation of mobile home owners residing in a mobile home

24  park without first determining that adequate mobile home parks

25  or other suitable facilities exist for the relocation of the

26  mobile home owners. The existence of adequate mobile home

27  parks or other suitable facilities shall be substantiated in a

28  written document.

29         (2)  The agency of municipal, local, county, or state

30  government considering an application for rezoning or other

31  official action shall make a written good faith estimate of

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    Florida Senate - 2006                            CS for SB 934
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 1  the fiscal benefits.  The good faith estimate must include,

 2  but need not be limited to, annual increases in property taxes

 3  or other revenue sources and any nonrecurring revenues or

 4  fees, including, but not limited to, impact fees, permit fees,

 5  connection fees, utility charges, or other revenues.

 6         (3)  The written reports required in this section shall

 7  be made available to the public for inspection and copying at

 8  least 10 days prior to the scheduled meeting for consideration

 9  of any such rezoning or other official act.

10         Section 7.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

11  law.

12  

13          STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
                       COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
14                         Senate Bill 934

15                                 

16  The committee substitute (CS) for SB 934 clarifies that local
    governments are authorized to use all available funding and
17  revenue sources to assist displaced mobile home owners. The CS
    does not require a local government to use all of its
18  available funding and revenue sources, but a local government
    must use some of these monies to assist mobile home owners who
19  are displaced as the result of a change in the use of land for
    the park.
20  
    This CS encourages, rather than requires, a local government
21  to permit and approve the rezoning of property for new mobile
    home parks to accommodate displaced mobile home owners. It
22  deletes language relating to property tax abatement as an
    incentive for mobile home park owners. Fee waivers are added
23  to the list of possible incentives that a local government may
    offer park owners. Also, it makes technical changes.
24  

25  

26  

27  

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