Intimidation by the owner and manager.   A double set of Rules and Regulations.   Fines given for petty things.   Streets badly in need of repair. Preferential treatment.   Sewage problems.   No leases given.

Does that sound familiar?

Some residents in a manufactured home park in a Cleveland suburb were tired of all of those issues and others not even mentioned above. A resident called AMHRO last year to share her story. She felt the burden of many of the residents. Her attempts to communicate with the owners often lead to a shouting match. Evictions were being served.

AMHRO officers (who are not attorneys) contacted the Cleveland Tenant Organization (CTO) for their support. Many meetings were set up with the residents and the CTO President. It was explained that the residents could follow the rules for putting their rent in escrow to encourage the owner to make the improvements needed. The Township Trustee Chair was contacted for her help. Legal Aid was contacted. All organizations worked together as a team. AMHRO representatives were present at all meetings. The residents decided to put their rent in escrow in a local court.

At last a date was set for a hearing. After that, the Legal Aid Attorneys and the plaintiff attorney worked out the settlement. The roads will be repaired by the park owner who will choose the contractor who must be approved by the magistrate.  A lease will be extended to all residents within 14 days.

It is believed that Columbia Park in Olmsted Township, OH was the largest park to put their rent money (825 participants) in escrow in Ohio in 2001.

Lessons learned if you are required to attend a court hearing:

• Be prepared to spend the whole day in court.
• Arrive early. Be very much awake and with a clear mind! Do not day dream! Turn your phone off!
• Be sure you have ALL documents that might even be requested. Take a pen or pencil and paper to take notes.
• Be sure you listen to every word when being questioned. Some may try to trick you into saying something that is incorrect.
• If you don’t understand the question, ask them to clarify it or reword it. Understand the question before you answer it.
• When possible, answer with “Yes” or “No.” By using “I think,” “maybe,”                “I Thought” may lead to more questions or explanation. Be specific and accurate with your answer.
• Once you make a statement, they may ask you to clarify your statement or give further explanation.
• Only answer the question being asked---nothing more!  If they need to know more, they will ask.
• Be mannerly to all. This is not a place for a get even attitude.
• The results may not be all you hoped for so be thankful for the judgment you did receive.  

HB 469

AMHRO President Bill Geniella has been working tirelessly in Columbus for everyone’s behalf. In the past an effort was made to have legislation passed to include signage such as listed below. Every manufactured home resident knows that we still need it. Rep. Mike Dovilla has seen the need and sponsored the Bill H.B. 469 (Listed below) and secured 5 other co-sponsors.

   An email was sent to each Representative who had an AMHRO Member in their district requesting that representative to support this bill sponsored by Rep. Dovilla. As of this time we do not know of their communication with Mike.

The following is from www.Ohio.gov on H.B. 469:                               

  Representative Dovilla

Cosponsors: Representatives Boose, Adams, J., Stebelton, Gonzales, Milkovich

To amend section 3733.11 of the Revised Code to prohibit a manufactured home park operator from prohibiting an owner's display on the owner's lot of "for sale" or political signs.

                                                                        As Introduced

(6) Prohibit the indoor or outdoor display either of a for sale sign by an owner on that owner's lot, including a sign that indicates the owner is offering the property for sale by owner, or of a political sign by a tenant or owner on that tenant's or owner's lot, if the tenant or owner displaying the sign complies with all applicable sections of the Revised Code and all applicable municipal and county ordinance and resolutions regulating the display of such a sign. As used in this section, "political sign" means a sign that advertises, promotes, endorses, or opposes an issue that has been certified to appear on the ballot, or a candidate whose name has been certified to appear on the ballot, at the next general, special, or primary election.

Welcome to AMHRO

Who is AMHRO?  (Association of Manufactured Home Residents in Ohio) AMHRO is the only organization in the State of Ohio that represents the residents within Ohio living in communities and parks.  As an owner of a manufactured home, you are in a unique ownership situation not duplicated anywhere else.  You own your home, but in when in a park or community you also rent someone else’s land. Your financial investment in your home is often greater than the community owner’s investment in your lot, even allowing for a share of the common area. Yet, these community owners have a HUGE influence over your living conditions.  AMHRO’s goal is to help manufactured home owners protect their investment in their homes, to protect their manufactured home quality of life and security for which they have worked so hard.

AMHRO Officers Attend the 2011 MHOAA Convention:

Please go to the Convention News page to read about AMHRO attending the MHOAA Convention in Washington, DC October 20-22, 2011

Question:  

If you are looking for state laws regarding manufactured housing, where do you go? Answer: The Ohio Revised Code for manufactured home parks can be found by going to the Ohio Revised Code page on this web site or to www.codes.ohio.gov/orc/3733

Disclaimer:
Nothing in the information on this website should be understood as legal advice. You are encouraged to seek legal advice from an attorney on any matter relating to legal issues. It may be very costly to ignore doing this.

Notice of Affiliation:   
AMHRO is proud to state that they have been a member of the Manufactured Home Owners Association of America (MHOAA) since 2007. www.mhoaa.us  The Manufactured Home Owner Association of America is the national association that represents the 17 million manufactured home owners across America. They now have 4 of their board members serving on the Manufactured Home Consensus Committee (MHCC). The MHCC is a statutory Federal Advisory Committee body charged with providing recommendations to the Secretary on the revision and interpretation of HUD's manufactured home construction and safety standards and related procedural and enforcement regulations. The MHCC was also charged with developing proposed model installation standards for the manufactured housing industry. By regulation, HUD has included the MHCC in the process of revising the Manufactured Home Model Installation Standards, Installation Program Regulations, and Dispute Resolution Program regulations.   

AMHRO Vision:
Membership   

We need all residents to become members. Through numbers we become stronger and our voice now becomes a shout, not a whisper.

Legislation

We need laws to protect all, not just a few. We were able to have 3 pieces of legislation introduced (HB 290, HB 309 and H 186) but no new laws outlined in these bills have been passed as of this date. We are still working very hard on this process to make it happen.

AMHRO Mission:

To educate and advise residents of their responsibilities, rights and privileges associated with residing in a manufactured home community and how to inform residents how to protect the value and security of their home.  
     1.  To assist residents in developing an organization within their own community 
           Association

2.  To promote health, safety and general welfare of each resident.

3.  To be an organization that is willing to use all available resources to bring about
      change that will improve the lives of residents.

4.  To serve as an avenue to channel information and to serve as a source to educate
      every resident about their rights as residents of manufactured home communities.

 

 

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