converting to a 55 & over park

[Paul McLaughlin]

We are expanding an existing park. It will have a second entrance eventually but will use the current parks entrace until later in the expansion project. Can we make the new section a 55 & over park and do we have to have a new name for the section / new park? Can we convert the entire park to 55 & over? Thanks

[Steve Cullen]

If zoneing is no problem there are some other ones to consider.
Will they have to share a club house, will the small kids be able to come over to the adult area and what if they do? The highest repos in the country are in family parks what if any would this have any impact on you adult property. I believe this is not a good marriage. The family parks are totally different that adult communities. See we even call them something different. Please be careful to research this and talk to park owners who have gone through this.

Steve 24 years in MH in Ariz

[Chrissy]

Under federal law, there is NO provision for converting an all-age community to a 55 and over community. If you want the expansion area to fill that market, it must be a totally separate community. Different entrance, different set of books, different guidelines, different name, different community! You may not convert any existing all-age community or portion thereof to a 55 and over.

[Paul McLaughlin]

The current park only has 4 kids in it and from what I read only 80% of the homes has to be occupied by at least 1 person 55 and over. If this is true the current park qualifies but is not called an over 55 park. Our opinion is that we want to sell to over 55 clients because we have had less problems with the over 55 homeowners and it is more attractive for sales if the park were over 55. Does this make it easier and more logical to convert even if we have to keep it as 1 park instead of 2 parks? Thanks for the follow up.
Paul

[Chrissy]

If you do not currently meet the 3 federal guidelines for qualifying for a 55 and over community, then you are not one. Meeting the 80/20 is only one of the criteria. You must also "intend" to provide housing for older persons under the Housing For Older Persons Act (HOPA) and state so in your documents and act so in your administration policies. You must also keep on file an age verification status with proof of age. If you have not been operating as a 55 and over community, you may NOT just start to do so and begin taking the privileges of one - like denying admimssion to families.

[Sandy]

Do you have any of that documentation? The board of my park is attempting to make ours a 55+ and there are many younger families that will be affected. Thank you.

[Chrissy Jackson]

What documentation specifically are you referring to? If your owners are trying to convert, they should talk to the Manufactured Housing Institute, 1-800-505-5500, Ann Parman. She will help alert them to the legal facts.