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Stronger language, but no dollar amount in new mobile home policy

Landlords won’t be forced to cover relocation costs when residents are displaced by redevelopment

A new Township policy uses stronger language about redeveloping mobile home parks, but does not include a requested requirement that would have forced owners to pay relocation costs for displaced residents.

The municipal Seniors Advisory Committee wanted the Township policy revised to require landlords to pay up to $25,000 to cover the cost of relocating by residents of a trailer park when it gets closed because of redevelopment.

However, a report by Township planner Teresa Kaszonyi found none of the municipalities adjacent to Langley require mobile homes park landlords to pay relocation costs.

The Township doesn’t have the legal power to compel landlords to pay compensation, either, the report added.

“Municipalities have no authority to make regulations relating to a manufactured home park owner/tenant relationship,” the Kaszonyi report stated.

However, a municipality can negotiate relocation costs with the owner when they apply for the necessary rezoning to redevelop a park, she said.

Council approved a revised policy that “emphasized more strongly that Council is concerned that the needs of tenants be taken into account as part of redevelopment plans.”

Council also adjusted the language to make it stronger, including changing the part that says a landlord “should” consider compensation for residents displaced by redevelopment, to have it say a landlord “must consider assistance in addition to the provisions of the Manufactured Homes Park Tenancy Act,” including “payment of reasonable relocation costs.”

Council endorsed the changes at the July 20 meeting. It’s estimated the Township has 35 to 40 per cent of all manufactured homes in the Metro Vancouver region.



Dan Ferguson

About the Author: Dan Ferguson

Best recognized for my resemblance to St. Nick, I’m the guy you’ll often see out at community events and happenings around town.
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