July 10, 2020 - SACRAMENTO – Senator Connie M. Leyva (D-Chino) issued the following statement after the California State Auditor today released an audit report examining the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) mobilehome park and complaint inspection process:

“In June 2019, I requested that the State Auditor conduct an important audit of HCD’s inadequate oversight and follow-up that has allowed some mobilehome parks to fall into serious disrepair, as well as risk the public health of their residents.  HCD has previously identified the accumulation of combustible materials, inadequate gas meters, and exposed live electrical parts at mobilehome parks.  Media reports also identified a mobilehome park in Northern California with poor infrastructure that was without power for several days during an extreme heat wave in 2018 that endangered the health and safety of elderly residents.”

“As the Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Manufactured Home Communities, I believe that the findings of this audit are disturbing and will require further oversight so that we can improve the mobilehome park inspection processes at HCD.  It is unacceptable that HCD ‘did not conduct park inspections at more than half of the active parks in its jurisdiction between 2010 and 2019’ even though it met its statutory obligation and does not even have written policies and procedures for how it selects mobilehome parks for inspections.  The department must also follow up on complaint inspections in timely fashion, as well as ensure that the violation citation process is done promptly and consistently.  I also find the auditor’s findings regarding inspectors’ potential conflict of interest particularly troubling since it is critical that these inspectors perform their work impartially and without any bias.  HCD must not only properly collect inspectors’ required statement of economic interests, but it must also review the statements and follow up as needed to prevent any potential conflicts.”

“As mobilehomes are a vital option for affordable housing in California, it is clear that the state must improve both the quality and frequency of these inspections so that we can keep the approximately two million mobilehome residents living at nearly 5,000 mobilehome parks healthy and safe.  I would like to thank the State Auditor and her team for their hard work and dedication to ensuring that government works effectively for all Californians, including those living at mobilehome parks. As we continue to review the audit findings, I will work with my staff, HCD staff, mobilehome park residents, mobilehome park owners and other stakeholders to follow up on the recommendations and fix the issues noted in this audit.”

The State Auditor’s full audit report can be found at the following location: Audit Report.

The State Auditor’s audit fact sheet is found at the following location: Fact Sheet.
Source: Senator Connie M. Leyva