S00240 Summary:

BILL NOS00240
 
SAME ASNo same as
 
SPONSORMAZIARZ
 
COSPNSR
 
MLTSPNSR
 
Amd S233, RP L
 
Requires a manufactured home park owner or operator to give every manufactured home resident a copy of their resident's bill of rights; requires the conspicuous posting of such bill of rights; provides that the resident's bill of rights shall be created and disseminated by the division of housing and community renewal.
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S00240 Actions:

BILL NOS00240
 
01/05/2011REFERRED TO HOUSING, CONSTRUCTION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
01/04/2012REFERRED TO HOUSING, CONSTRUCTION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
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S00240 Floor Votes:

There are no votes for this bill in this legislative session.
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S00240 Text:



 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                           240
 
                               2011-2012 Regular Sessions
 
                    IN SENATE
 
                                       (Prefiled)
 
                                     January 5, 2011
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced  by  Sen. MAZIARZ -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Housing, Construction  and
          Community Development
 
        AN  ACT to amend the real property law, in relation to requiring a manu-

          factured home park owner or operator to give every  manufactured  home
          resident a copy of their resident's bill of rights
 
          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
 
     1    Section 1.  Section 233 of the real property law, as amended by  chap-
     2  ter  566 of the laws of 1996, paragraph 6 of subdivision b as amended by
     3  chapter 561 of the laws of 2008, paragraph 1 of subdivision f as amended
     4  by chapter 48 of the laws of 1998, paragraph 5 of subdivision f as added
     5  by chapter 103 of the laws of 1996, subdivision w as amended by  section
     6  18 of part B of chapter 389 of the laws of 1997, paragraph 3-a of subdi-
     7  vision  w  as added by chapter 405 of the laws of 2001, subdivision x as
     8  added by chapter 561 of the laws of 2008, is amended to read as follows:

     9    § 233. Manufactured home parks; duties, responsibilities. a.  Wherever
    10  used in this section:
    11    1.  The term "manufactured home [tenant] resident" means one who rents
    12  space in a manufactured home park from a manufactured home park owner or
    13  operator for the purpose of parking his or her manufactured home or  one
    14  who  rents  a manufactured home in a manufactured home park from a manu-
    15  factured home park owner or operator.
    16    2. The term "manufactured home owner" means one who holds title  to  a
    17  manufactured home.
    18    3.  The  term  "manufactured  home  park" means a contiguous parcel of
    19  privately owned land which is used for the  accommodation  of  three  or
    20  more manufactured homes occupied for year-round living.
    21    4.  The  term  "manufactured home" means a structure, transportable in

    22  one or more sections, which in the traveling mode, is eight body feet or
 
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD00708-01-1

        S. 240                              2
 
     1  more in width or forty body feet or more in length, or, when erected  on
     2  site, is three hundred twenty or more square feet, and which is built on
     3  a  permanent chassis and designed to be used as a dwelling with or with-
     4  out a permanent foundation when connected to the required utilities, and
     5  includes the plumbing, heating, air-conditioning, and electrical systems
     6  contained  therein;  except that such term shall include a "mobile home"

     7  as defined in paragraph five of this subdivision, and  shall  include  a
     8  structure  which  meets  all the requirements of this subdivision except
     9  the size requirements and with respect to which the manufacturer  volun-
    10  tarily  files  a  certification required by the secretary of housing and
    11  urban development.
    12    5. The term "mobile home" means a moveable or portable unit,  manufac-
    13  tured prior to January first, nineteen hundred seventy-six, designed and
    14  constructed  to  be  towed  on  its  own chassis, comprised of frame and
    15  wheels, connected to utilities, and designed and constructed  without  a
    16  permanent  foundation  for  year-round  living. A unit may contain parts
    17  that may be  folded,  collapsed  or  telescoped  when  being  towed  and
    18  expanded  later  to  provide additional cubic capacity as well as two or

    19  more separately towable components designed to be joined into one  inte-
    20  gral  unit  capable  of  being  again  separated into the components for
    21  repeated towing. "Mobile home" shall mean  units  designed  to  be  used
    22  exclusively for residential purposes, excluding travel trailers.
    23    6. The term "resident's bill of rights" means a document published and
    24  disseminated  by  the  division of housing and community renewal setting
    25  forth the provisions of this section.
    26    b. A manufactured home park owner or operator may not evict a manufac-
    27  tured home [tenant] resident other than for the following reasons:
    28    1. The manufactured home [tenant] resident continues in possession  of
    29  any  portion  of  the  premises  after the expiration of his or her term

    30  without the permission of the manufactured home park owner or operator.
    31    2. The manufactured  home  [tenant]  resident  has  defaulted  in  the
    32  payment  of rent, pursuant to the agreement under which the premises are
    33  held, and a demand of the rent with at least thirty days notice in writ-
    34  ing has been served upon [him] such resident as  prescribed  in  section
    35  seven  hundred  thirty-five of the real property actions and proceedings
    36  law. Upon the acceptance of such delinquent rent together with allowable
    37  costs, an action instituted for nonpayment of rent shall be  terminated.
    38  Any  person succeeding to the manufactured home park owner or operator's
    39  interest in the premises may proceed under this subdivision for rent due
    40  [his] the predecessor in interest if he or she has a right thereto.

    41    3. The premises, or any part  thereof,  are  used  or  occupied  as  a
    42  bawdy-house,  or  house or place of assignation for lewd purposes or for
    43  purposes of prostitution, or for any illegal trade or business.
    44    4. The manufactured home [tenant] resident is  in  violation  of  some
    45  federal, state or local law or ordinance which may be deemed detrimental
    46  to  the safety and welfare of the other persons residing in the manufac-
    47  tured home park.
    48    5. The manufactured home [tenant] resident  or  anyone  occupying  the
    49  manufactured  home  is  in  violation of any lease term or rule or regu-
    50  lation established by the  manufactured  home  park  owner  or  operator
    51  pursuant  to  this section, and has continued in violation for more than
    52  ten days after the manufactured home park owner or  operator  has  given

    53  written notice of such violation to the manufactured home [tenant] resi-
    54  dent  setting  forth  the  lease term or rule or regulation violated and
    55  directing that the manufactured home [tenant] resident correct or  cease
    56  violation  of such lease term or rule or regulation within ten days from

        S. 240                              3
 
     1  the receipt of said notice. Upon the expiration of  such  period  should
     2  the violation continue or should the manufactured home [tenant] resident
     3  or  anyone occupying the manufactured home be deemed a persistent viola-
     4  tor of the lease term or rules and regulations, the park owner or opera-
     5  tor  may  serve written notice upon the manufactured home [tenant] resi-

     6  dent directing that [he] such resident vacate the premises within thirty
     7  days of the receipt of said notice.
     8    6. (i) The manufactured home park owner or operator proposes a  change
     9  in  the  use  of  the  land  comprising the manufactured home park, or a
    10  portion thereof, on which the manufactured home is located,  from  manu-
    11  factured  home  lot rentals to some other use, provided the manufactured
    12  home owner is given written notice of the proposed change of use and the
    13  manufactured home owner's need to secure other accommodations.  Whenever
    14  a  manufactured  home  park owner or operator gives a notice of proposed
    15  change of use to any manufactured home owner, the manufactured home park
    16  owner or operator shall, at the same time, give notice of  the  proposed
    17  change  of use to all other manufactured home owners in the manufactured

    18  home park who will be required  to  secure  other  accommodations  as  a
    19  result  of such proposed change of use.  Eviction proceedings based on a
    20  change in use shall not be  commenced  prior  to  six  months  from  the
    21  service  of  notice  of  proposed  change in use or the end of the lease
    22  term, whichever is later. Such notice shall  be  served  in  the  manner
    23  prescribed  in  section  seven  hundred thirty-five of the real property
    24  actions and  proceedings  law  or  by  certified  mail,  return  receipt
    25  requested.
    26    (ii) Where a purchaser of a manufactured home park certified that such
    27  purchaser did not intend to change the use of the land pursuant to para-
    28  graph  (b)  of  subdivision two of section two hundred thirty-three-a of
    29  this article, no eviction proceedings based on a change of use shall  be
    30  commenced  until  the  expiration  of  sixty months from the date of the

    31  closing on the sale of the park.
    32    c. If the manufactured home park owner or operator does not  have  one
    33  of  the above grounds available, the manufactured home [tenant] resident
    34  may raise the same by affirmative defense to an action for eviction.
    35    d. The proceedings to evict shall be governed by  the  procedures  set
    36  forth in article seven of the real property actions and proceedings law,
    37  except  for  the  provisions of subdivision two of section seven hundred
    38  forty-nine of the real property actions and proceedings law which  shall
    39  be superseded by the provisions of this subdivision.
    40    1.  The  officer  to  whom the warrant is directed and delivered shall
    41  give at  least  ninety  days  notice,  in  writing  and  in  the  manner
    42  prescribed in article seven of the real property actions and proceedings

    43  law  for  the service of notice of petition, to the person or persons to
    44  be evicted or dispossessed and shall execute  the  warrant  between  the
    45  hours of sunrise and sunset.
    46    2.  The  court  may  order that such warrant be directed and delivered
    47  with only thirty days written notice to the  person  or  persons  to  be
    48  evicted  or  dispossessed  if  the conditions upon which the eviction is
    49  founded pose an imminent threat to the health, safety, or welfare of the
    50  other manufactured home [tenants] residents  in  the  manufactured  home
    51  park.
    52    3.  The  court shall order that such warrant be directed and delivered
    53  with thirty days written notice to the person or persons to  be  evicted
    54  or  dispossessed  if the condition upon which the eviction is founded is
    55  that such person is in default in the payment of rent.


        S. 240                              4
 
     1    4. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs one and  two  of  this
     2  subdivision,  nor  of  any  other general, special or local law, rule or
     3  regulation to the contrary, the officer to whom the warrant is  directed
     4  and  delivered shall give seventy-two hours written notice to the person
     5  or  persons  to  be  evicted  or dispossessed, if such person or persons
     6  rents a manufactured home in a manufactured home park  from  a  manufac-
     7  tured  home  park  owner or operator and such officer shall execute such
     8  warrant between the hours of sunrise and sunset.
     9    e. [Leases.] 1. The manufactured home park  owner  or  operator  shall
    10  offer  every manufactured home [tenant] resident prior to occupancy, the
    11  opportunity to sign a lease for a minimum of one year, which offer shall
    12  be made in writing.

    13    2. (i) On or before, as appropriate, (a) the first day of  October  of
    14  each  calendar  year  with  respect to a manufactured home owner then in
    15  good standing who is not currently a party to a  written  lease  with  a
    16  manufactured  home  park owner or operator or (b) the ninetieth day next
    17  preceding the expiration date of any existing written  lease  between  a
    18  manufactured  home  owner  then in good standing and a manufactured home
    19  park owner or operator, the manufactured home  park  owner  or  operator
    20  shall  submit  to  each  such manufactured home owner a written offer to
    21  lease for a term of at least twelve months from  the  commencement  date
    22  thereof  unless  the manufactured home park owner or operator has previ-
    23  ously furnished the manufactured home owner with written notification of
    24  a proposed change of use pursuant to paragraph six of subdivision  b  of

    25  this  section. Any such offer shall include a copy of the proposed lease
    26  containing such terms and conditions, including provisions for rent  and
    27  other  charges, as the manufactured home park owner shall deem appropri-
    28  ate; provided such terms and conditions are consistent  with  all  rules
    29  and regulations promulgated by the manufactured home park operator prior
    30  to  the date of the offer and are not otherwise prohibited or limited by
    31  applicable law. Such offer shall also contain a statement  advising  the
    32  manufactured  home  owner  that if he or she fails to execute and return
    33  the lease to the manufactured home park owner or operator within  thirty
    34  days  after  submission of such lease, the manufactured home owner shall
    35  be deemed to have declined the offer of a lease and shall not  have  any
    36  right  to  a lease from the manufactured home park owner or operator for

    37  the next succeeding twelve months.
    38    (ii) For purposes of this paragraph, a manufactured home  owner  shall
    39  be deemed in good standing if he or she is not in default in the payment
    40  of  more  than one month's rent to the manufactured home park owner, and
    41  is not in violation of paragraph three, four or five of subdivision b of
    42  this section. No manufactured home park owner or operator  shall  refuse
    43  to  provide a written offer to lease based on a default of rent payments
    44  or a violation of paragraph three, four or five of subdivision b of this
    45  section unless, at least thirty days prior to the last date on which the
    46  owner or operator would otherwise be required to  provide  such  written
    47  offer  to  lease,  the  owner or operator notifies the manufactured home
    48  owner, in writing, of the  default  in  rent  or  the  specific  grounds

    49  constituting  the  violation and such grounds continues up and until the
    50  fifth calendar day immediately preceding the  last  date  on  which  the
    51  written offer would otherwise be required to be made.
    52    (iii)  For  purposes  of  this paragraph, the commencement date of any
    53  lease offered by the manufactured home park owner  to  the  manufactured
    54  home  owner  shall  be  the  ninetieth day after the date upon which the
    55  manufactured home park owner shall  have  provided  the  offer  required
    56  pursuant  to this paragraph; provided, however, that no such lease shall

        S. 240                              5
 
     1  be effective if, on such commencement date, the manufactured home  owner
     2  is  in  default of more than one month's rent. In the event the manufac-
     3  tured home owner shall have failed to execute and return said  lease  to

     4  the manufactured home park owner or operator within thirty days after it
     5  is  submitted to the manufactured home owner as required by subparagraph
     6  (i) of this paragraph the manufactured home owner  shall  be  deemed  to
     7  have declined to enter said lease.
     8    3.  No  lease  provision  shall be inconsistent with any rule or regu-
     9  lation in effect at the commencement of the lease.
    10    f. [Rules and regulations.] 1. A manufactured home park owner or oper-
    11  ator may promulgate rules and regulations governing the rental or  occu-
    12  pancy  of  a  manufactured  home lot provided such rules and regulations
    13  shall not be unreasonable, arbitrary or capricious. A copy of all  rules
    14  and  regulations  shall be delivered by the manufactured home park owner
    15  or operator to all manufactured home [tenants]  residents  at  the  same

    16  time  such owner or operator initially offers the written lease provided
    17  for in subdivision e of this section. A copy  of  the  rules  and  regu-
    18  lations  shall  be  posted  in a conspicuous place upon the manufactured
    19  home park grounds.
    20    2. If a rule or regulation is not applied uniformly  to  all  manufac-
    21  tured home [tenants] residents of the manufactured home park there shall
    22  be  a  rebuttable  presumption that such rule or regulation is unreason-
    23  able, arbitrary and capricious, provided, however, that an inconsistency
    24  between a rule or regulation and a  lease  term  contained  in  a  lease
    25  signed  before  the  date  the rule or regulation is effective shall not
    26  raise a rebuttable presumption that such rule is unreasonable, arbitrary
    27  or capricious.
    28    3. Any rule or regulation which does not conform to  the  requirements

    29  of  this section or which has not been supplied or posted as required by
    30  paragraph one of this subdivision shall  be  unenforceable  and  may  be
    31  raised  by  the  manufactured  home  [tenant] resident as an affirmative
    32  defense in any action to evict on the basis of a violation of such  rule
    33  or regulation.
    34    4.  No  rules  or  regulations may be changed by the manufactured home
    35  park owner or operator without specifying the date of implementation  of
    36  said  changed  rules  and regulations, which date shall be no fewer than
    37  thirty days after written notice to all [tenants] residents.
    38    5. A [mobile] manufactured home park owner or operator may not prohib-
    39  it the placement of a for sale sign on any [mobile] manufactured home. A

    40  rule or regulation may be promulgated limiting the maximum size of  such
    41  sign; provided, that it does not prohibit signs the size of which do not
    42  exceed the smaller of three feet by two feet or the maximum size allowed
    43  by law or governmental regulation or ordinance, if any.
    44    g. 1. No [tenant] resident shall be charged a fee for other than rent,
    45  utilities  and  charges  for  facilities  and  services available to the
    46  [tenant] resident. All fees, charges or assessments must  be  reasonably
    47  related to services actually rendered.
    48    2.  A  manufactured  home  park owner or operator shall be required to
    49  fully disclose in writing  all  fees,  charges,  assessments,  including
    50  rental fees, rules and regulations prior to a manufactured home [tenant]
    51  resident assuming occupancy in the manufactured home park.

    52    3.  No fees, charges, assessments or rental fees may be increased by a
    53  manufactured home park owner or operator without specifying the date  of
    54  implementation  of  said fees, charges, assessments or rental fees which
    55  date shall be no less than ninety days after written notice to all manu-
    56  factured home [tenants] residents.  Failure on the part of the  manufac-

        S. 240                              6
 
     1  tured home park owner or operator to fully disclose all fees, charges or
     2  assessments  shall  prevent the manufactured home park owner or operator
     3  from collecting said fees, charges or assessments, and  refusal  by  the
     4  manufactured home [tenant] resident to pay any undisclosed charges shall
     5  not  be  used by the manufactured home park owner or operator as a cause

     6  for eviction in any court of law.
     7    4. (a) Whenever money shall be deposited or advanced on a contract  or
     8  license agreement for the use or rental of premises and the manufactured
     9  home, if rented, in a manufactured home park as security for performance
    10  of  the  contract  or  agreement  or to be applied to payments upon such
    11  contract or agreement when due, such money with interest accruing there-
    12  on, if any, until repaid or so applied, shall continue to be  the  money
    13  of  the  person making such deposit or advance and shall be a trust fund
    14  in the possession of the person with whom such deposit or advance  shall
    15  be  made and shall not be mingled with other funds or become an asset of
    16  the park owner, operator or his or her agent.
    17    (b) Whenever the person receiving money so deposited or advanced shall

    18  deposit such money in a banking organization, such person shall thereup-
    19  on notify in writing each of the persons making such security deposit or
    20  advance, giving the name and address  of  the  banking  organization  in
    21  which  the  deposit  of  security  money is made, and the amount of such
    22  deposit. Deposits in a banking organization pursuant to  the  provisions
    23  of  this  subdivision  shall  be made in a banking organization having a
    24  place of business within the state. If the person depositing such  secu-
    25  rity  money  in a banking organization shall deposit same in an interest
    26  bearing account, he or she shall be entitled  to  receive,  as  adminis-
    27  tration  expenses,  a  sum  equivalent to one percent per annum upon the
    28  security money so deposited, which shall be in lieu of all other  admin-
    29  istrative  and  custodial expenses. The balances of the interest paid by

    30  the banking organization shall be the money of  the  person  making  the
    31  deposit  or advance and shall either be held in trust by the person with
    32  whom such deposit or advance shall be made, until repaid or applied  for
    33  the use or rental of the leased premises, or annually paid to the person
    34  making the deposit of security money.
    35    (c) Whenever the money so deposited or advanced is for the rental of a
    36  manufactured  home park lot on property on which are located six or more
    37  manufactured home park lots, the  person  receiving  such  money  shall,
    38  subject  to  the  provisions  of this section, deposit it in an interest
    39  bearing account in a banking organization within the state which account
    40  shall earn interest at a rate which shall be the prevailing rate  earned
    41  by other such deposits made with the banking organizations in such area.

    42    (d) In the event that a lease terminates other than at the time that a
    43  banking  organization  in  such area regularly pays interest, the person
    44  depositing such security money shall pay over to his or her manufactured
    45  home [tenant] resident such interest as he or she is able to collect  at
    46  the date of such lease termination.
    47    (e) Any provision of such a contract or agreement whereby a person who
    48  so  deposits  or advances money waives any provision of this subdivision
    49  is void.
    50    h. No manufactured home park owner shall:
    51    1. Require a manufactured home [tenant] resident therein  to  purchase
    52  from said manufactured home park owner or operator skirting or equipment
    53  for  tying down manufactured homes, or any other equipment. However, the

    54  manufactured home park owner or operator may determine by rule or  regu-
    55  lation  the  style  or  quality of such equipment to be purchased by the
    56  manufactured home [tenant] resident from the vendor of the  manufactured

        S. 240                              7
 
     1  home [tenant's] resident's choosing, providing such equipment is readily
     2  available.
     3    2.  Charge  any  manufactured  home  [tenant]  resident who chooses to
     4  install an electric or gas appliance in his or her manufactured home  an
     5  additional  fee  solely  on  the  basis of such installation unless such
     6  installation is performed by the manufactured home park owner or  opera-
     7  tor at the request of the manufactured home [tenant] resident, nor shall

     8  the  manufactured home park owner or operator restrict the installation,
     9  service or maintenance of any such appliance, restrict  the  ingress  or
    10  egress  of repairers to enter the manufactured home park for the purpose
    11  of installation, service  or  maintenance  of  any  such  appliance,  or
    12  restrict  the  making  of  any interior improvement in such manufactured
    13  home, so long as such an installation or improvement  is  in  compliance
    14  with  applicable  building codes and other provisions of law and further
    15  provided that adequate utilities are available for such installation  or
    16  improvement.
    17    3. Require, by contract, rule, regulation or otherwise, a manufactured
    18  home  dweller  to  purchase from the manufactured home park owner or any
    19  person acting directly or  indirectly  on  behalf  of  the  park  owner,
    20  commodities  or  services  incidental to placement or rental within such

    21  park; nor shall the park owner restrict access to the manufactured  home
    22  park  to  any person employed, retained or requested by the manufactured
    23  home dweller to provide such commodity or service, unless  the  manufac-
    24  tured  home  park owner establishes that such requirement or restriction
    25  is necessary to protect the property of such park owner from substantial
    26  harm or impairment.
    27    4. Require a manufactured home owner  or  a  prospective  manufactured
    28  home  owner  to  purchase his or her manufactured home from the manufac-
    29  tured home park owner or operator, or from any person or persons  desig-
    30  nated  by  the  manufactured home park owner or operator. Nothing herein
    31  shall be construed to prevent a manufactured home park owner or operator
    32  from requiring that any new manufactured home to be installed in his  or
    33  her manufactured home park comply with the rules and regulations of said

    34  manufactured home park or conform to the physical facilities then exist-
    35  ing  for  installation  of a manufactured home in said manufactured home
    36  park.
    37    i. 1. No manufactured home park owner or operator shall deny any manu-
    38  factured home [tenant] resident the right to sell his  or  her  manufac-
    39  tured  home  within the manufactured home park provided the manufactured
    40  home [tenant] resident shall give to the manufactured home park owner or
    41  operator twenty days' written notice of his or her  intention  to  sell,
    42  provided  that if the manufactured home owner is deceased no such notice
    43  shall be required from the administrator or executor of the home owner's
    44  estate, and provided further that no manufactured  home  park  owner  or
    45  operator  shall  restrict  access  to  the manufactured home park to any

    46  potential purchaser or representatives of any seller unless the manufac-
    47  tured home park owner establishes that such restriction is necessary  to
    48  protect  the  property  of  such park owner or operator from substantial
    49  harm or impairment. No manufactured home park owner  or  operator  shall
    50  require  the  manufactured  home owner or subsequent purchaser to remove
    51  the manufactured home from the manufactured  home  park  solely  on  the
    52  basis  of the sale thereof. The manufactured home park owner or operator
    53  may reserve the right to approve the purchaser of said manufactured home
    54  as a manufactured home [tenant] resident for the remainder of the  sell-
    55  er's  or deceased [tenant's] resident's term but such permission may not
    56  be unreasonably withheld. If the manufactured home park owner or  opera-


        S. 240                              8
 
     1  tor  unreasonably  withholds  his  or  her  permission  or  unreasonably
     2  restricts access to the manufactured home park,  the  manufactured  home
     3  [tenant]  resident  or  the  executor  or  administrator  of  a deceased
     4  [tenant's]  resident's  estate  may recover the costs of the proceedings
     5  and attorneys' fees if it is found that the manufactured home park owner
     6  or operator acted in bad faith by withholding permission or  restricting
     7  access.
     8    2.  The  manufactured  home  park  owner or operator shall not exact a
     9  commission or fee with respect to  the  price  realized  by  the  seller
    10  unless  the  manufactured home park owner or operator has acted as agent
    11  for the manufactured home owner  in  the  sale  pursuant  to  a  written
    12  contract.

    13    3. If the ownership or management rejects a purchaser as a prospective
    14  [tenant]  resident,  the  selling  [tenant] resident must be informed in
    15  writing of the reasons therefor.
    16    j. The owner or operator of a manufactured home park may enter a manu-
    17  factured home owner's manufactured home without the prior consent of the
    18  occupant only in case of emergency. The owner or operator of a  manufac-
    19  tured  home  park  may  enter  a manufactured home [tenant's] resident's
    20  manufactured home during reasonable hours on reasonable notice.
    21    k. The owner or operator shall provide reasonable notice where practi-
    22  cable to all manufactured home [tenants] residents who would be affected
    23  by any planned disruption of necessary services  caused  by  the  owner,

    24  operator or his or her agent.
    25    l. The park owner shall designate an agent on the premises or in close
    26  proximity  to  the  manufactured home park to insure the availability of
    27  emergency response actions in  matters  affecting  the  health,  safety,
    28  well-being  and  welfare of manufactured home [tenants] residents in the
    29  park. The designated agent's name, address and telephone number shall be
    30  posted in a conspicuous location in the park, given in writing  to  each
    31  [tenant] resident and registered with appropriate county law enforcement
    32  and health officials and local fire officials.
    33    m. [Warranty of habitability, maintenance, disruption of services.] In
    34  every  written or oral lease or rental agreement entered into by a manu-

    35  factured home [tenant] resident, the manufactured  home  park  owner  or
    36  operator  shall  be  deemed to covenant and warrant that the premises so
    37  leased or rented and the manufactured home if rented and all areas  used
    38  in  connection therewith in common with other manufactured home [tenants
    39  or] residents including all roads within the manufactured home park  are
    40  fit  for  human  habitation  and for the uses reasonably intended by the
    41  parties and that the occupants of such premises  and  such  manufactured
    42  homes  if rented shall not be subjected to any conditions which would be
    43  dangerous, hazardous or detrimental to their  life,  health  or  safety.
    44  When  any  such condition has been caused by the misconduct of the manu-
    45  factured home [tenant] resident or lessee or persons under  his  or  her

    46  direction or control, it shall not constitute a breach of such covenants
    47  and warranties. The rights and obligations of the manufactured home park
    48  owner  or  operator and the manufactured home [tenant] resident shall be
    49  governed by the provisions of this subdivision and subdivisions two  and
    50  three of section two hundred thirty-five-b of this article.
    51    n. 1. No manufactured home park owner or operator shall serve a notice
    52  to  quit  upon  any  manufactured home [tenant] resident or commence any
    53  action to  recover  real  property  or  summary  proceeding  to  recover
    54  possession of real property in retaliation for:
    55    (a)  A good faith complaint, by or in behalf of the [tenant] resident,
    56  to a governmental authority of the manufactured  home  park  owner's  or


        S. 240                              9
 
     1  operator's  alleged  violation  of any health or safety law, regulation,
     2  code, or ordinance, or any law or regulation which has as its  objective
     3  the regulation of premises used for dwelling purposes; or
     4    (b)  Actions  taken in good faith, by or in behalf of the manufactured
     5  home [tenant] resident, to secure or enforce any rights under the  lease
     6  or  rental  agreement,  under subdivision m of this section and subdivi-
     7  sions two and three of section two hundred thirty-five-b of  this  arti-
     8  cle,  or  under any other local law, law of the state of New York, or of
     9  its governmental subdivisions, or of the United States which has as  its
    10  objective the regulation of premises used for dwelling purposes; or
    11    (c)  The  manufactured home [tenant's] resident's participation in the

    12  activities of a [tenant's] resident's organization.
    13    2. No manufactured home park owner  or  operator  shall  substantially
    14  alter  the terms of the tenancy in retaliation for any actions set forth
    15  in subparagraphs (a), (b), and (c) of paragraph one of this subdivision.
    16  Substantial alteration shall include, but is not limited to, the refusal
    17  to continue a tenancy of the manufactured  home  [tenant]  resident  or,
    18  upon  expiration  of  the  manufactured home owner's lease, to renew the
    19  lease or offer a new lease; provided, however, that a manufactured  home
    20  park  owner  or operator shall not be required under this subdivision to
    21  offer a manufactured home owner a new lease or a  lease  renewal  for  a
    22  term greater than one year.
    23    3.  This  subdivision  shall apply to all manufactured home parks with

    24  four or more manufactured homes. However, its provisions  shall  not  be
    25  given  effect  in any case in which it is established that the condition
    26  from which the complaint or action arose was caused by the  manufactured
    27  home  [tenant]  resident,  a  member of the manufactured home [tenant's]
    28  resident's household, or a guest of the manufactured home [tenant] resi-
    29  dent.  Nor shall it apply in a  case  where  a  tenancy  was  terminated
    30  pursuant  to the terms of a lease as a result of a bona fide transfer of
    31  ownership. The rights and obligations  of  the  manufactured  home  park
    32  owner  or  operator and the manufactured home [tenant] resident shall be
    33  governed by the provisions of this subdivision and  subdivisions  three,

    34  four and five of section two hundred twenty-three-b of this article.
    35    o.  Whenever  a  lease  shall  provide  that  in any action or summary
    36  proceeding the manufactured home park  owner  or  operator  may  recover
    37  attorney's fees and/or expenses incurred as the result of the failure of
    38  the  [tenant] resident to perform any covenant or agreement contained in
    39  such lease, or that amounts paid by the manufactured home park owner  or
    40  operator  therefor  shall be paid by the [tenant] resident as additional
    41  rent, there shall be implied in such lease a covenant  by  the  manufac-
    42  tured  home  park owner or operator, to pay to the [tenant] resident the
    43  reasonable attorney's fees and/or  expenses  incurred  by  the  [tenant]
    44  resident  to the same extent as is provided in section two hundred thir-

    45  ty-four of this article which section shall apply in its entirety.
    46    p. Any manufactured home park owner or  operator  who  has  agreed  to
    47  provide  hot  or cold water, heat, light, power, or any other service or
    48  facility to any occupant of the manufactured home park who willfully  or
    49  intentionally  without  just  cause  fails  to furnish such water, heat,
    50  light, power, or other service or facility, or who interferes  with  the
    51  quiet enjoyment of the leased premises, is guilty of a violation.
    52    q.  Upon  receipt  of rent, fees, charges or other assessments, in the
    53  form of cash or any instrument other than  the  personal  check  of  the
    54  [tenant]  resident,  it  shall be the duty of the manufactured home park
    55  owner or operator to provide the payor with a written receipt containing
    56  the following:


        S. 240                             10
 
     1    1. the date;
     2    2. the amount;
     3    3. the identity of the premises and the period for which paid;
     4    4. the signature and title of the person receiving rent.
     5    r.  [Limitation  on late charges.] A late charge on any rental payment
     6  by a manufactured home owner which has become  due  and  remains  unpaid
     7  shall  not exceed and shall be enforced to the extent of five percent of
     8  such delinquent payment; provided, however,  that  no  charge  shall  be
     9  imposed  on  any  rental  payment  by a manufactured home owner received
    10  within ten days after the  due  date.  In  the  absence  of  a  specific
    11  provision  in  the lease or the manufactured home park's rules and regu-
    12  lations, no late charge  on  any  delinquent  rental  payment  shall  be
    13  assessed or collected.

    14    s.  It shall be a violation for a manufactured home park owner, opera-
    15  tor or his or her agent to restrict occupancy of a manufactured home  or
    16  manufactured  home park lot intended for residential purposes by express
    17  lease terms or otherwise, to a manufactured home  [tenant]  resident  or
    18  [tenants] residents or to such [tenants] residents and immediate family.
    19  Any  such  restriction  in  a  lease or rental agreement entered into or
    20  renewed before or after the effective date of this subdivision shall  be
    21  unenforceable  as against public policy. The rights and obligations of a
    22  manufactured home park owner  or  operator  and  the  manufactured  home
    23  [tenant]  resident  shall be governed by the provisions of this subdivi-

    24  sion and subdivisions one, three, four, five, six, seven, eight and nine
    25  of section two hundred thirty-five-f of this article.
    26    t. 1. Unless a greater right to assign is conferred by  the  lease,  a
    27  manufactured  home  [tenant]  resident  may  not assign his or her lease
    28  without the written consent of the manufactured home park owner or oper-
    29  ator, which  consent  may  be  unconditionally  withheld  without  cause
    30  provided that the manufactured home park owner or operator shall release
    31  the  manufactured  home [tenant] resident from the lease upon request of
    32  the mobile home [tenant] resident upon thirty days notice if  the  manu-
    33  factured  home  park  owner  or  operator unreasonably withholds consent
    34  which release shall be the sole remedy of the [tenant] resident.  If the

    35  owner reasonably withholds consent, there shall be no assignment and the
    36  manufactured home [tenant] resident  shall  not  be  released  from  the
    37  lease.
    38    2.  (a) A manufactured home [tenant] resident renting space or a manu-
    39  factured home in a manufactured home park with four or more manufactured
    40  homes pursuant to an existing lease shall have a right to  sublease  his
    41  or  her  premises  subject  to  the written consent of the park owner in
    42  advance of the subletting. Such consent shall not be unreasonably  with-
    43  held.
    44    (b)  The manufactured home [tenant] resident shall inform the manufac-
    45  tured home park owner or operator of his or her intent  to  sublease  by
    46  mailing  a  notice  of  such  intent  by  certified mail, return receipt

    47  requested. Such request shall be accompanied by the  following  informa-
    48  tion:  (i)  the  term  of  the  sublease,  (ii) the name of the proposed
    49  sublessee, (iii) the business and permanent home address of the proposed
    50  sublessee, (iv) the [tenant's] resident's reason for subletting, (v) the
    51  [tenant's] resident's address for the term of  the  sublease,  (vi)  the
    52  written  consent  of  any  [co-tenant]  co-resident  or guarantor of the
    53  lease, and (vii) a copy of the proposed sublease, to which a copy of the
    54  manufactured home [tenant's]  resident's  lease  shall  be  attached  if
    55  available,  acknowledged  by the manufactured home [tenant] resident and
    56  proposed [subtenant] subresident as being a true copy of such sublease.

        S. 240                             11
 
     1    (c) Within ten days after the mailing of such  request,  the  manufac-
     2  tured home park owner or operator may ask the manufactured home [tenant]
     3  resident for additional information as will enable the manufactured home
     4  park  owner  or operator to determine if rejection of such request shall
     5  be  unreasonable.  Any such request for additional information shall not
     6  be unduly burdensome. Within  thirty  days  after  the  mailing  of  the
     7  request  for  consent, or of the additional information reasonably asked
     8  for by the manufactured home park owner or operator, whichever is later,
     9  the manufactured home park owner or operator shall send a notice to  the
    10  manufactured  home  [tenant] resident of his or her consent or, if he or

    11  she does not consent, his or her  reasons  therefor.  Manufactured  home
    12  park owner's or operator's failure to send such a notice shall be deemed
    13  to  be  a  consent  to the proposed subletting. If the manufactured home
    14  park owner or operator consents, the premises may be sublet  in  accord-
    15  ance with the request, but the manufactured home [tenant] resident ther-
    16  eunder, shall nevertheless remain liable for the performance of manufac-
    17  tured  home  [tenant's]  resident's obligations under said lease. If the
    18  manufactured home park owner or operator reasonably  withholds  consent,
    19  there shall be no subletting and the manufactured home [tenant] resident
    20  shall  not  be  released  from  the lease. If the manufactured home park

    21  owner or operator unreasonably withholds consent, the manufactured  home
    22  [tenant]  resident  may  sublet  in  accordance with the request and may
    23  recover the costs of the proceeding and attorneys fees if  it  is  found
    24  that  the manufactured home park owner or operator acted in bad faith by
    25  withholding consent. The rights and obligations of the manufactured home
    26  park owner or operator and the manufactured home [tenant] resident shall
    27  be governed by the  provisions  of  this  subdivision  and  subdivisions
    28  three, five, six, seven and eight of section two hundred twenty-six-b of
    29  this article.
    30    u. In the event of a breach by a manufactured home park owner or oper-
    31  ator  of  any of the requirements of this section, the manufactured home
    32  [tenant] resident may commence an action for damages  actually  incurred

    33  as  a  result  of  such  breach,  or  in an action or summary proceeding
    34  commenced by such manufactured home park owner or operator, may counter-
    35  claim for damages occasioned by such breach.
    36    v. On and after April first, nineteen hundred eighty-nine, the commis-
    37  sioner of housing and community renewal shall have the power and duty to
    38  enforce and ensure compliance  with  the  provisions  of  this  section.
    39  However,  the  commissioner  shall not have the power or duty to enforce
    40  manufactured home park rules and regulations established under  subdivi-
    41  sion  f  of  this  section. On or before January first, nineteen hundred
    42  eighty-nine, each manufactured home park owner or operator shall file  a
    43  registration  statement  with the commissioner and shall thereafter file
    44  an annual registration statement on or  before  January  first  of  each

    45  succeeding  year.  The  commissioner,  by regulation, shall provide that
    46  such registration statement shall include only the names of all  persons
    47  owning  an interest in the park, the names of all [tenants] residents of
    48  the park, all services provided by the park owner to the [tenants] resi-
    49  dents and a copy of all current manufactured home park rules  and  regu-
    50  lations.  Whenever there shall be a violation of this section, an appli-
    51  cation may be made by the commissioner of housing and community  renewal
    52  in the name of the people of the state of New York to a court or justice
    53  having  jurisdiction by a special proceeding to issue an injunction, and
    54  upon notice to the defendant of not less than five days, to  enjoin  and
    55  restrain  the  continuance  of such violation; and if it shall appear to

    56  the satisfaction of the court or justice  that  the  defendant  has,  in

        S. 240                             12
 
     1  fact,  violated  this section, an injunction may be issued by such court
     2  or justice, enjoining and restraining any  further  violation  and  with
     3  respect  to  this  subdivision,  directing  the filing of a registration
     4  statement.  In any such proceeding, the court may make allowances to the
     5  commissioner of housing and community renewal of a sum not exceeding two
     6  thousand dollars against each defendant, and direct restitution.   When-
     7  ever  the  court  shall  determine  that a violation of this section has
     8  occurred, the court may impose a civil penalty  of  not  more  than  one
     9  thousand  five hundred dollars for each violation. Such penalty shall be
    10  deposited in the manufactured home cooperative fund, created pursuant to

    11  section fifty-nine-h of the private housing finance law.  In  connection
    12  with  any  such  proposed  application,  the commissioner of housing and
    13  community renewal is authorized to take proof and make  a  determination
    14  of  the  relevant  facts  and  to issue subpoenas in accordance with the
    15  civil practice law and rules. The provisions of this  subdivision  shall
    16  not impair the rights granted under subdivision u of this section.
    17    w.  [Real  property  tax payments.] 1. A manufactured home park owner,
    18  operator or the agent of such owner or operator shall reduce the  annual
    19  rent  paid  by a manufactured home [tenant] resident for use of the land
    20  upon which such manufactured home sits in an amount equal to  the  total
    21  of  the  real  property  taxes  actually  paid by such manufactured home

    22  [tenant] resident for such manufactured home plus the  amount  by  which
    23  the  taxes  on  such  manufactured  home were reduced as a result of the
    24  partial real property tax exemption granted  to  the  manufactured  home
    25  [tenant] resident pursuant to article four of the real property tax law,
    26  provided such manufactured home [tenant] resident:
    27    (a)  owns a manufactured home which is separately assessed, subject to
    28  the provisions of paragraph two of this subdivision;
    29    (b) is entitled to and actually receives a partial real  property  tax
    30  exemption pursuant to article four of the real property tax law; and
    31    (c) pays the real property taxes due on such home.
    32    2.  In  the  case  of  a  manufactured  home  which  is not separately
    33  assessed, but which is entitled to and actually receives the school  tax

    34  relief  (STAR)  exemption authorized by section four hundred twenty-five
    35  of the real property tax law, the [tenant] resident of such manufactured
    36  home shall be entitled to a rent reduction pursuant to this  subdivision
    37  to  the  same extent as a [tenant] resident of a manufactured home which
    38  satisfies the criteria set forth in paragraph one of  this  subdivision.
    39  Such  rent  reduction shall be equal to the amount by which the taxes on
    40  such manufactured home were reduced as a result of such exemption.
    41    3. A manufactured home park owner or operator providing a reduction in
    42  rent as required by paragraph one or two of this subdivision may retain,
    43  in consideration for record keeping expenses, two percent of the  amount
    44  of such reduction.
    45    3-a.  Any  reduction required to be provided pursuant to paragraph one

    46  or two of this subdivision shall be provided as follows:
    47    (a) a reduction in monthly rent (prorating  the  reduction  in  twelve
    48  parts) shall take effect upon the first monthly rental payment due sixty
    49  days  after the last date for the payment of real property taxes with no
    50  penalty or interest for lateness and shall be extended to the next elev-
    51  en monthly payments thereafter; or
    52    (b) with the consent of the manufactured home park owner, operator, or
    53  agent of such owner or operator, a reduction in rent may  be  offset  in
    54  the  entire  amount  of  such reduction against the first monthly rental
    55  payment due sixty days after the last date for the payment of real prop-
    56  erty taxes with no penalty or interest for  lateness,  and  the  balance

        S. 240                             13
 

     1  thereof,  if  any, may be offset against the monthly rental payments for
     2  succeeding months, until exhausted; or
     3    (c)  at the election of the manufactured home park owner, operator, or
     4  agent of such owner or operator, the total amount of such  reduction  in
     5  rent may be paid to the [tenant] resident no later than sixty days after
     6  the  last date for the payment of real property taxes with no penalty or
     7  interest for lateness.
     8    4. The failure of a manufactured home park owner or operator to comply
     9  with the provisions of this subdivision shall be a violation  punishable
    10  by a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars for each violation.
    11    x.  1.  Rent  and  other  fees,  charges  and  assessments  may not be
    12  increased by a manufactured home park owner or operator more  than  once
    13  in any year.

    14    2.  Notwithstanding  the  provisions of paragraph one of this subdivi-
    15  sion, if a fee, charge, or assessment in effect at the commencement of a
    16  lease or tenancy is for goods or services provided by a party  unrelated
    17  to  and  not controlled by the manufactured home park owner or operator,
    18  the manufactured home park  owner  or  operator  may,  upon  the  notice
    19  required in this section, provide for the pass-along to the manufactured
    20  home tenant of any increases in such fee, charge or assessment.
    21    3.  Any agreement modifying any of the rights set forth in this subdi-
    22  vision shall be void as contrary to public policy.
    23    y. A manufactured home park owner or operator shall offer every  manu-
    24  factured  home  resident  prior to occupancy a written copy of the resi-
    25  dent's bill of rights. The resident's bill of rights  shall  be  created

    26  and  disseminated  by  the  division of housing and community renewal. A
    27  copy of the resident's bill of rights shall be posted in  a  conspicuous
    28  place upon the manufactured home park grounds.
    29    § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
    30  it shall have become a law; provided, however, that effective immediate-
    31  ly,  the  addition,  amendment  and/or  repeal of any rule or regulation
    32  necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective  date  are
    33  authorized  and  directed  to  be  made  and completed on or before such
    34  effective date.
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