Manufactured Home Parks
Resources
Glossary of Terms
Lot:
An area within a manufactured home park designed or used for a manufactured home.
Manufactured Home:
A structure that is not a part of real estate, and that has one or more sections that may be transported. The home (or a section of the home) has a width of eight body feet or more and a length of 40 body feet or more. On site, the home is 320 square feet or more. The home must be built as a permanent chassis. The home may or may not have a permanent foundation. The home must be designed as a dwelling when connected to the required utilities.
Manufactured Home Park:
Any site, lot, field, or tract of land where two or more occupied manufactured homes are located, either free of charge or for compensation. This includes any building, structure, tent, vehicle, or enclosure used, or intended to be used, for the manufactured home park. This does not include facilities open three or fewer seasons each year.
Park Owner:
The owner of a manufactured home park or any person acting on behalf of the owner to operate the park.
Resident:
A manufactured homeowner who rents a lot in a manufactured home park. This includes all members of the resident’s household.
Resident Association:
An organization formed to resolve matters related to living conditions in the manufactured home park. The organization must have written permission from at least 51 percent of the homeowners in the park to represent them.
General Resources
This section is designed to provide additional resources to manufactured home park owners, managers, residents and dealers. The following agencies provide varying services to those involved with manufactured home parks.
Office of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison
445 Minnesota Street, Suite 1400
St. Paul, MN 55101
(651) 296-3353 (Twin Cities Calling Area)
(800) 657-3787 (Outside the Twin Cities)
(800) 627-3529 (Minnesota Relay)
Minnesota Department of Health
Environmental Health Services
625 Robert Street North
PO Box 64975
Saint Paul, MN 55164
(651) 201-4500
www.health.state.mn.us
Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry
Construction Codes and Licensing Division
Manufactured Structures Section
443 Lafayette Road North
St. Paul, MN 55155
(651) 284-5092
www.doli.state.mn.us
All Parks Alliance for Change (APAC)
2380 Wycliff Street, Suite 200
St. Paul, MN 55114
(651) 644-5525 or (855) 361-2722
www.allparksallianceforchange.org
Manufactured & Modular Home Association of Minnesota
33 East Wentworth Avenue, Suite 265
West St. Paul, MN 55118
(800) 696-3721
www.mnmfghome.org
Minnesota Housing Finance Agency
400 Wabasha Street, Suite 400
St. Paul, MN 55102
(651) 296-7608 or (800) 657-3769
www.mnhousing.gov
Minnesota Management
and Budget
Minnesota Manufactured Home
Relocation Trust Fund
https://mn.gov/mmb/debt-management/cash-management/mn-manufacture-home/
Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota
220 South River Ridge Circle
Burnsville, MN 55337
(651) 699-1111 or (800) 646-6222
www.bbb.org/minnesota
Conciliation Courts
Currently, claims of up to $15,000 may be brought in conciliation
court. You can obtain legal forms for conciliation court by calling or visiting
the respective courthouse that you intend to file your claim in. Forms are also
available online at www.mncourts.gov.
What Is Conciliation Court?
Conciliation court is often called “people’s court” or “small claims court” because its basic purpose is to help people recover relatively small sums of money without having to hire a lawyer. Conciliation court allows you to bring your legal disputes to a court without the hassles of confusing legal procedures and high costs. Court rules are generally simple and informal, and the cost of filing in conciliation court is low.
Aitkin | (218) 927-7350 |
Anoka | (763) 760-6700 |
Becker | (218) 846-7305 |
Beltrami | (218) 333-4120 |
Benton | (320) 968-5205 |
Big Stone | (320) 839-2536 |
Blue Earth | (507) 304-4650 |
Brown | (507) 233-6670 |
Carlton | (218) 384-9578 |
Carver | (952) 361-1420 |
Cass | (218) 547-7200 |
Chippewa | (320) 269-7774 |
Chisago | (651) 213-8650 |
Clay | (218) 299-5065 |
Clearwater | (218) 694-6177 |
Cook | (218) 387-3610 |
Cottonwood | (507) 831-4551 |
Crow Wing | (218) 824-1310 |
Dakota | |
Apple Valley | (952) 891-7256 |
Hastings | (651) 438-8100 |
West St. Paul | (651) 554-6200 |
Dodge | (507) 635-6260 |
Douglas | (320) 762-3033 |
Faribault | (507) 526-6273 |
Fillmore | (507) 765-3356 |
Freeborn | (507) 377-5153 |
Goodhue | (651) 267-4800 |
Grant | (218) 685-8282 |
Hennepin | (612) 348-2713 |
Houston | (507) 725-5806 |
Hubbard | (218) 732-5286 |
Isanti | (763) 689-2292 |
Itasca | (218) 327-2870 |
Jackson | (507) 847-4400 |
Kanabec | (320) 679-6400 |
Kandiyohi | (320) 231-6206 |
Kittson | (218) 843-3632 |
Koochiching | (218) 283-1160 |
Lac qui Parle | (320) 295-4000 |
Lake | (218) 834-8330 |
Lake of the Woods | (218) 634-1451 |
Le Sueur | (507) 357-8260 |
Lincoln | (507) 694-1355 |
Lyon | (507) 537-6734 |
Mahnomen | (218) 935-2251 |
Marshall | (218) 745-4921 |
Martin | (507) 238-3205 |
McLeod | (320) 864-1281 |
Meeker | (320) 693-5230 |
Mille Lacs | (320) 983-8313 |
Morrison | (320) 632-0327 |
Mower | (507) 437-9465 |
Murray | (507) 836-1125 |
Nicollet | (507) 934-7850 |
Nobles | (507) 265-5170 |
Norman | (218) 784-5458 |
Olmsted | (507) 206-2400 |
Otter Tail | (218) 998-8420 |
Pennington | (218) 683-7023 |
Pine | (320) 591-1500 |
Pipestone | (507) 353-7080 |
Polk | (218) 281-2332 |
Pope | (320) 634-5222 |
Ramsey | (651) 266-8230 |
Red Lake | (218) 253-4281 |
Redwood | (507) 637-4020 |
Renville | (320) 523-3680 |
Rice | (507) 332-6107 |
Rock | (507) 353-7095 |
Roseau | (218) 463-2541 |
Scott | (952) 496-8200 |
Sherburne | (763) 765-4600 |
Sibley | (507) 237-4051 |
St. Louis | |
Duluth | (218) 726-2460 |
Hibbing | (218) 262-0105 |
Virginia | (218) 749-7106 |
Stearns | (320) 656-3620 |
Steele | (507) 444-7701 |
Stevens | (320) 208-6640 |
Swift | (320) 843-2744 |
Todd | (320) 732-7800 |
Traverse | (320) 422-7752 |
Wabasha | (651) 565-3524 |
Wadena | (218) 631-7633 |
Waseca | (507) 835-0540 |
Washington | (651) 430-6268 |
Watonwan | (507) 375-1236 |
Wilkin | (218) 643-7172 |
Winona | (507) 457-6385 |
Wright | (763) 682-7539 |
Yellow Medicine | (320) 564-3325 |
Legal Aid Services
Legal Aid Services provide legal assistance to financially disadvantaged persons. Each Legal Aid office has criteria to determine when a person qualifies for legal assistance at little to no cost. Some Legal Aid offices provide assistance only within certain areas of the state or to certain groups of individuals—see specific listings for more information.
Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services
(888) 575-2954
www.smrls.org
Administrative Office
1000 Alliance Bank Center,
55 East 5th Street
St. Paul, MN 55101
(651) 228-9823
Albert Lea Office
132 North Broadway
Albert Lea, MN 56007
(507) 377-2831
Serving Faribault, Freeborn, Mower, Rice, and Steele counties.
Eastside and American Indian Branch Office
579 Wells Street, Suite 100
St. Paul, MN 55130
(651) 222-5863
Mankato Office
12 Civic Center Plaza, Suite 3000
Mankato, MN 56001
(507) 387-5588
Serves Blue Earth, Brown, LeSueur, Martin, McLeod, Nicollet, Sibley, Waseca and Watonwan counties (also seniors living in Faribault county).
Rochester Office
903 West Center Street, Suite 230
Rochester, MN 55902
(507) 292-0080
Saint Paul Central Office
400 Alliance Bank Center
55 East 5th Street
St. Paul, MN 55101
(651) 222-5863
Serving Carver, Ramsey, Scott and Washington counties (also seniors living in Dakota county).
Shakopee Office
712 Canterbury Road South
Shakopee, MN 55379
(952) 402-9890
Serving LSC clients in Carver, Dakota and Scott counties and Seniors in Carver and Scott counties.
Winona Office
66 East Third Street, Suite 204
Winona, MN 55987-3478
(507) 454-6660 (voice or TTY)
Serves Dodge, Fillmore, Goodhue, Houston, Olmstead, Wabasha and Winona counties.
Worthington Office
1567 North McMillan Street, Suite 6
Worthington, MN 56187
(507) 372-7368
Serves Cottonwood, Jackson, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood and Rock counties.
Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid Offices
Minneapolis Office
430 First Avenue North, Suite 300
Minneapolis, MN 55401-1780
(612) 334-5970
(612) 332-4668 (TDD)
St. Cloud Office
110 Sixth Avenue South, Suite 200
St. Cloud, MN 56301
(320) 253-0121 or (888) 360-2889
Serves Benton, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Sherburne, Stearns, Todd, and Wright counties
Willmar Office
415 Seventh Street SW
P.O. Box 1866
Willmar, MN 56201
(320) 235-9600 or (888) 360-3666
Serves Big Stone, Chippewa, Kaniyohi, Lac Qui Parle, Lincoln, Meeker, Renville, Swift, and Yellow Medicine counties
Legal Aid Service of Northeastern Minnesota
Duluth Office
302 Ordean Building
424 West Superior Street
Duluth, MN 55802
(218) 623-8100 or (855) 204-1697
Serves Carlton, Cook, Lake and southern St. Louis counties
Brainerd Office
P.O. Box 804
324 South Fifth Street, Suite A
Brainerd, MN 56401
(218) 829-1701 or (800) 933-1112
Serves Aitkin, Cass, and Crow Wing counties
Grand Rapids Office
350 NW 1st Avenue, Suite F
Grand Rapids, MN 55744
(218) 322-6020 or (844) 623-8999
Serves Itasca and Koochiching counties
Pine City Office
1015 Hillside Avenue SW, Suite 4
Pine City, MN 55063
(320) 629-7166 (voice/TTY) or
(800) 382-7166
Serves Pine and Kanabec counties
Virginia Office
Olcott Plaza, Suite 200
820 North Ninth Street
Virginia, MN 55792
(218) 749-3270 (voice/TTY) or
(800) 886-3270
Legal Services of Northwest Minnesota
Alexandria Office
426 Broadway Street
Alexandria, MN 56308
(320) 762-0663 or (800) 450-2552
Serves Douglas, Grant, Otter Tail, Pope, Stevens, Traverse and Wadena counties [seniors living in Wadena county are served by St. Cloud Area Legal Services].
Bemidji Office
215 Fourth Street NW
P.O. Box 1883
Bemidji, MN 56619
(218) 751-9201 or (800) 450-9201
Serves Beltrami, Clearwater, Hubbard, Lake of the Woods and Mahnomen counties.
Moorhead Office
P.O. Box 838
1015 Seventh Avenue North
Moorhead, MN 56560
(218) 233-8585 or (800) 450-8585
www.lsnmlaw.org
Serves Becker. Clay, Kittson, Marshall, Norman, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake, Roseau and Wilkin counties
Anishinabe Legal Services
www.alslegal.org
Serves Indian and non-Indian residents of Leech Lake, Red Lake and White Earth reservations.
Cass Lake (Central) Office
P.O. Box 157
411 First Street Northwest
Cass Lake, MN 56633
(218) 335-2223 or (800) 422-1335
Red Lake Office
P.O. Box 291
Red Lake Agency, Room 18
Highway 1 West
Red Lake, MN 56671
(218) 335-2223, ext. 113
White Earth Office
P.O. Box 379
White Earth Judicial Complex
35500 Eagle View Road
White Earth, MN 56591
(218) 335-2223, ext. 114
Housing Alliance Law Office
Housing Alliance Law Office (HALO)
Main Office
400 Alliance Bank Center
55 East 5th Street
St. Paul, MN 55101
(651) 222-4731
HALO Neighborhood Office
450 North Syndicate, Suite 285
St. Paul, MN 55104
(651) 291-2837
HALO Neighborhood Office Johnson Elementary School
740 York Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55106
(651) 793-7318
Toll-Free Hotline for
Greater Minnesota:
(888) 575-2954
Refugee, Immigrant, and Migrant Services
St. Paul Office
450 North Syndicate Street,
Suite 285
St. Paul, MN 55104
(651) 291-2837
Rochester Office
903 West Center Street, Suite 230
Rochester, MN 55902
(507) 292-0080
Judicare of Anoka County
Judicare of Anoka County, Inc. is a non-profit corporation that provides free legal representation in non-criminal matters to low-income residents of Anoka County.
Judicare of Anoka County
1201 89th Avenue Northeast, Suite 310
Blaine, MN 55434
(763) 783-4970
www.anokajudicare.org
Minnesota State Legislature
Contact your legislators if you have questions about changes in the law or wish to propose changes to state law:
House Information
(651) 296-2146 or (800) 657-3550
www.house.leg.state.mn.us
Senate Information
(651) 296-0504 or (888) 234-1112
www.senate.leg.state.mn.us
Minnesota Association of Community Mediation Programs
The Minnesota Association of Community Mediation Programs consists of several centers which provide trained volunteer mediators to help resolve disputes peacefully and cooperatively. These centers cannot provide legal advice. The costs and fees vary:
Conflict Resolution Center
2101 Hennepin Avenue South, Suite 100
Minneapolis, MN 55405
(612) 822-9883
www.crcminnesota.org
(Serves Minneapolis, St. Anthony, Edina, Bloomington, Burnsville, Richfield, and Eden Prairie)
Community Mediation Services, Inc.
9220 Bass Lake Road, Suite 270
New Hope, MN 55428
(763) 561-0033
www.communitymediations.org
Hmong American Mediation Center
(651) 797-9494
Somali American Leaders and Mediators
(763) 561-0033
(Serves Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Champlin, Corcoran, Golden Valley, Hopkins, Maple Grove, Minnetonka, Mound, New Hope, Orono, Plymouth, Robbinsdale, and St. Louis Park)
Dispute Resolution Center
91 East Arch Street
St. Paul, MN 55130
(651) 292-7791
www.disputeresolutioncenter.org
(Serves Ramsey, Dakota, and Washington counties)
Mediation Services for Anoka County
3200 Main Street, Suite 210
Coon Rapids, MN 55448
(763) 422-8878
www.mediationservice.org
(Serves Anoka County)
Mediation & Conflict Solutions
1700 North Broadway, Suite 124
P.O. Box 6541
Rochester, MN 55903-6541
(507) 285-8400
www.mediationconflictsolutions.org
Rice County Dispute Resolution Program
1651 Jefferson Parkway
Northfield, MN 55057
(507) 664-3522
www.rcdrp.org
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Provides brochures and housing programs. HUD also handles most low-income public housing assistance claims and programs:
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Minneapolis Field Office
212 Third Avenue South, Suite 150
Minneapolis, MN 55401
(612) 370-3000
www.hud.gov
U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs
Provides information, loans and insurance to veterans who wish to purchase manufactured homes:
United States Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Benefits Administration
St. Paul Regional Office
1 Federal Drive, Fort Snelling
St. Paul, MN 55111
(800) 827-1000
www.va.gov
Forms Required by State Law
There are two forms that people buying and selling manufactured homes will use. These are the Notice Required by State Law (Form 1) and the Notice of Compliance Form (Form 2). The full text of these forms follows:
Form 1: Notice Required by State Law
This notice must be printed in minimum size of ten point, boldface print, and posted in a conspicuous and public location in the park.
Important Notice:State law provides special rules for the owners, residents, and prospective residents of manufactured home parks.
You may keep your home in the park as long as the park is in operation and you meet your financial obligations, obey state and local laws which apply to the park, obey reasonable park rules, do not substantially annoy or endanger the other residents or substantially endanger park personnel and do not substantially damage the park premises. You may not be evicted or have your rent increased or your services cut for complaining to the park owner or to a governmental official.
If you receive an eviction notice and do not leave the park, the park owner may take you to court. If you lose in court, a sheriff may remove you and your home from the park within seven days. Or, the court may require you to leave the park within seven days but give you 60 days to sell the home within the park.
If you receive an eviction notice for a new or amended rule and the court finds the rule to be reasonable and not a substantial modification of your original agreement, the court will not order you to leave but will order you to comply with the rule within ten days. If you do not comply within the time given or if you violate the rule at a later time, you will be subject to eviction.
All park rules and policies must be reasonable. Your rent may not be increased more than twice a year. Changes made in park rules after you become a park resident will not apply to you if they substantially change your original agreement.
The park may not charge you an entrance fee.
The park may require a security deposit, but the deposit must not amount to more than two months rent.
You have a right to sell the home in the park. But the sale is not final until the park owner approves the buyer as a new resident, and you must advise in writing anyone who wants to buy your home that the sale is subject to final approval by the park owner. The park must provide to you, in writing, the procedures and criteria used to evaluate a prospective resident. If your application is denied, you can request, in writing, the reason why. You must also disclose in writing certain safety information about your home to anyone who wants to buy it in the park. You must give this information to the buyer before the sale, in writing, on the form that is attached to this notice. You must completely and accurately fill out the form and you and the buyer should each keep a copy.
Your rental agreement and the park rules contain important information about your rights and duties. Read them carefully and keep a copy.
You must be given a copy of the shelter or evacuation plan for the park. This document contains information on where to seek shelter in times of severe weather conditions. You should carefully review the plan and keep a copy.
By February 1 of each year, the park must give you a certificate of rent constituting property taxes as required by Minnesota Statutes, section 290A.19.
For further information concerning your rights, consult a private attorney. The state law governing the rental of lots in manufactured home parks may also be enforced by the Minnesota Attorney General.
Form 2: Notice of Compliance Form
A used manufactured home manufactured after June 14, 1976, cannot be sold or installed for occupancy unless it complies with the Notice of Compliance Form set forth below, signed by the seller and purchaser indicating which party is responsible for making or paying for necessary corrections prior to transfer of ownership.