Florida’s Mobile Home Residents May Soon See Housing Relief
Florida’s mobile home residents facing housing challenges could soon receive short-term assistance. The Florida House is considering a bill that would make it easier for local governments to provide financial aid to mobile home owners struggling with rising land lease rates.
The Growing Crisis in Mobile Home Parks
As parks like Li’l Abner in Sweetwater close to make way for new developments, the legislation requires counties and cities to create contingency plans to help those displaced. The closure of Li’l Abner displaced approximately 3,000 residents, many of whom were seniors and low-income individuals.
How the Bill Works: SHIP Funding Flexibility
House Bill 267 loosens restrictions on funding from the State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) program. SHIP provides local governments with funds to promote housing affordability. Previously, counties like Miami-Dade couldn’t allocate more than 20% of their SHIP funds to support manufactured housing owners. The proposed bill, and its Senate counterpart, Senate Bill 594 (approved Wednesday), removes this restriction.
Senator Colleen Burton explained that residents have consistently reported increasing rents without corresponding income increases. The state housing program aims to promote homeownership, with 65% of funds dedicated to approved homeownership activities like down payment assistance, emergency repairs, and mortgage assistance.
Addressing the Unique Situation of Mobile Home Owners
Many mobile home owners own their homes but rent the land underneath them, creating a gray area regarding property ownership. These homes are often permanently anchored and expensive to move. The bill classifies land lease rates as a housing-related activity, potentially making residents earning less than 140% of the area median income ($123,900 for a family of four in Miami-Dade County) eligible for up to six months of land rent assistance.
Displacement Plans and Future Considerations
Both the House and Senate bills mandate that local governments develop plans to assist those affected by mobile home park closures. Many Florida mobile home communities have closed in the past decade and a half.
While the bills require plans to help displaced mobile home owners, they don’t specify details like increased relocation payments beyond the existing $3,000 to $6,000 state guarantee. Burton acknowledged that displacement can be costly and that additional funding would likely necessitate to be secured separately.
If passed, the provisions of the bill would capture effect on July 1.
Did you recognize?
Approximately 3,000 residents were displaced when the Li’l Abner Mobile Home Park closed in Sweetwater, Florida.
FAQ
Q: What is the SHIP program?
A: The State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) program provides funds to local governments to promote housing affordability.
Q: Who is eligible for assistance under this bill?
A: Residents earning less than 140% of the area median income may be eligible for up to six months of land rent assistance.
Q: Does this bill address relocation costs for displaced residents?
A: The bill requires local governments to create plans to help displaced residents, but does not specify increased relocation payments beyond existing state guarantees.
Q: When would these changes take effect?
A: If passed, the provisions of the bill would take effect on July 1.
This article was produced with financial support from sponsors such as The Green Family Foundation Trust and Ken O’Keefe, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners. The Miami Herald maintains full editorial control of this function.
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