LSJ says, “The Ingham County Health Department shut down the park for numerous sanitary issues, including improper sewer and water hookups, raw sewage on the grounds and reports of vermin.” MHProNews tracked the story earlier this year, as reported at this link and others.
State Representative Andy Schor, D-Lansing authored the bill, which mandates that municipalities be notified when the state inspects troubled “…mobile home parks.”
When Ingham County Health Department shut down the Life O’Riley, over 200 people were given 10 days to move out, and costs to relocate them topped $500,000.
Who is asking; was the cure as bad as the cause? Representative Schor said;
“What happened at Life O’Riley was bad news and we need to have some in-between steps to make sure that people don’t have to live in raw sewage for years — and then their penalty for that is getting thrown out and having to relocate. We need to find a better way to help those folks.” 
The bill would have the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), which regulates MHCommunities, would send copies annual inspection reports to local public officials.
LSJ says the bill “…would raise the maximum fine LARA can impose from $10,000 to $50,000. Life O’Riley park owner William Whalen’s Whalen RE Holdings of Lansing, Mich., LLC, was fined $10,000 in June and lost its license to operate the park for up to two years. Whalen must repair Life O’Riley and have LARA reinspect it before he can get the license back.”
WZZM13 states that G.A. Hunt is handling Life O’Riley’s sewer repair contract and Delta Township-based Michigan Plumbing has the water works elements. When all is said and done, the community could well end up being re-liscended.
If the bill fails to pass during the lame duck session, Schor would plan to reintroduce the bill in the 2015 session. ##
(Photo credits – MI State Capitol – Carlos Osorio/Associated Press. Life O’Reily MHP, LSJ)
