Manufactured Home Parks
Park Closing
A park owner must follow certain steps before closing a park. The park owner must provide a “closure statement” to the commissioners of health and the housing finance agency, the local planning agency, and each resident at least nine months before the planned closing. The “closure statement” says the park is closing, lists replacement housing within 25 miles of the park, and gives cost estimates for moving homes from the park. The “closure statement” must include the following language in a font not smaller than 14 point: “YOU MAY BE ENTITLED TO COMPENSATION FROM THE MINNESOTA MANUFACTURED HOME RELOCATION TRUST FUND ADMINISTERED BY THE MINNESOTA HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY.”
A public hearing will be held to review the closure statement and determine the impact of the park closing. The municipality must mail residents a notice, at least ten days before the hearing, stating the time, place, and purpose of the hearing. Residents may not be required to move until 60 days after the conclusion of the public hearing. At the time of the public hearing, displaced residents must be informed that they may be eligible for payment from the Minnesota Manufactured Home Relocation Trust Fund as compensation for reasonable relocation costs. In some instances, the municipality may have other parties, including the municipality, pay relocation costs for the displaced residents. A “displaced resident” includes residents and members of the resident’s household as of the date the closure statement is submitted.
If a person purchasing a manufactured home park intends to close or change it within one year of the purchase agreement, the person must notify the park owner in writing. The park owner must then give each resident a 45-day notice of the purchaser’s intent to close or convert the park. The 45-day written notice must:
- State the park owner will provide information on the price, terms, and conditions of the buyer’s offer.
- Be sent by first class mail to all residents.
- Indicate that the notice to residents begins on the postmark date and runs for 45 days.
During the notice period, 51 percent of the residents in the park may work together to meet the buyer’s cash price and purchase the park themselves to keep it as a manufactured housing community. The park owner must accept the counter offer from the residents if it meets the cash price of the first offer.
Notice of Sale
If a park owner is selling a manufactured home park and advertising it for sale through a publication, newspaper, or realtor, the park owner must, at the same time, give a written notice to all residents of the park. If time is required to sell the park, the owner is only required to provide residents with written notice once each year.
