While manufactured home community (MHC) owners in Langley Township, British Columbia, Canada cannot be compelled to pay relocation costs to displaced residents when redeveloping their communities, municipalities can negotiate relocation costs with the owner when application is made for rezoning, according to langleytimes.

The Seniors Advisory Committee had asked the township to revise its policy so community owners would have to pay up to $25,000 to cover relocation costs. Township planner Teresa Kaszonyi discovered none of the jurisdictions adjacent to Langley require MHC owners to pay for relocating residents. “Municipalities have no authority to make regulations relating to a manufactured home park owner/tenant relationship,” the Kaszonyi report stated. Langley Township has an estimated 35-40 percent of all manufactured homes in the metropolitan Vancouver BC area.

The City Council, noting that the needs of residents be considered when redevelopment of an MHC is being planned, adjusted the policy from saying a community owner “should” consider compensation for displaced residents to “must consider assistance in addition to the provisions of the Manufactured Homes Park Tenancy Act,” including “payment of reasonable relocation costs.” MHProNews has learned the council approved the revision at its July 20 meeting. ##

(Photo credit: Sage Creek manufactured home community in British Columbia)

Article submitted by Matthew J. Silver to Daily Business News-MHProNews.