Spokesperson for MHP tenants encouraged by draft policy

Sooke District Council has sent a draft Manufactured Home Park (MHP) redevelopment policy for legal examination. Council has also asked staff for a draft policy pertaining to MHP closures.

The document was created by the district’s planning department and inspired by a September 15 presentation to council by Sooke Resident Linda Brown on behalf of dwellers in district parks, and primarily the Cedar Glen park on Sooke River and Kirby Roads where Brown resides.

Brown had been motivated to act as a result of the park recently being put on the market, and news that a sale could be imminent. As of October 4 a sale had yet to be finalized although owner Jim Wilson had said completion of a deal could be close.

Brown stated her case with about 40 neighbours on hand to show their support. Council looked favourably upon her suggestion for a bylaw or policy to be enacted to protect MHP residents in the event the use of their parks is changed. This type of policy is in effect in a number of B.C. communities and offers safeguards over and above those laid out in the provincial Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act.

Council directed planning staff to prepare such a document and it was ready for the Oct. 6 meeting.

Linda Brown first saw the draft policy on Oct. 3 and was quite agreeable with the way it had been put together. She said there were a couple of minor points missing that she’d have liked to see included, but she was “relatively pleased” with the policy and “thrilled” by the speed with which district planning staff had produced it.

“They did a darn fine job and I think they went above and beyond...I think they wanted to get this done.”

The three-part policy requires that a landowner applying for a change in land use for an existing MHP must prepare, at their own cost, plans for communication, redevelopment, and tenant financial assistance and relocation.

The first part of the policy contains the stipulation that tenants are informed of local housing options, including other parks that will allow for the relocation of existing homes.

A key point in the second part is the item regarding housing agreements, or covenants providing existing tenants with the “right of first refusal on purchasing a new residence that is proposed on the landowner’s property.”

In the third section are a couple of important provisions, that, under certain circumstances, the landlord be required to “confirm another manufactured home space within the region for the home to be moved to, and incur all costs associated with that move of the home, including personal possessions.” If such space were unavailable, the landlord would be required to pay the tenant the value of their home as determined by a qualified third-party assessor, at the landowner’s cost.