Can MH Parks Discriminate?

[newB]

Hi,
We're brand new to the idea of MHs and are not yet sure if they're a good idea for us or not. We're tired of renting but can't afford to buy a house or condo in the current market so are starting to research MHs. We live in CA and would have to rent the land - probably buy a used one in an established park.

We recently heard that in addition to qualifying financially (which will be no problem), some mobile parks also require prospective residents to be approved by the park management and/or residents' organization. Is that true? If yes, it sounds discriminatory and something we would want no part of. Have we misunderstood, or are MH parks exempt from discrimination laws?

We've also read that parks can allow/disallow pets. If that's the case, it sounds like owning a MH gives you a mortgage but still subjects you to "renter treatment." We're trying to get away from "rule by landlords." Are we misunderstanding things, or are MHs a poor idea for us?

Thanks in advance for any inputs!

[rmurray]

Sorry your post took 1 hour to get a live post...These discussion boards have been badly abused in the past by spammers..this caused the webmaster to make these boards moderated, which means a moderator must review and approve all posts..Sometimes this process can take up to 24 hours..but often like yours much sooner....This process keeps these boards on topic and family oriented..


Manufactured home parks do NOT have any exemption to the federal discrimination laws..There are exceptions which allow all adult parks usually plus 55 but to qualify a park must fill many requirements that serve the aged population..But discrimination related to race, religion, sexual preference or handicap are strictly forbidden..They still can make a background check and make business decisions that are strictly equal for all applicants..For instance there are parks who might require criminal background checks and forbid those with criminal records..Most parks will not allow registered sex offenders for instance as a matter of prudent business decision..These are all the same rights all landlords have...Good Luck finding a good location for you..Your state has many resources available to your you might want to check out there web site for help..

http://www.hcd.ca.gov/codes/ol/ombpg-menu.html

http://www.hcd.ca.gov/codes/mp/mp.cgi