We help people talk to each other

Manufactured Communities Resource Center

Contact us at:1-800-453-5511

In the Salem area at:503-986-2145

On the Web at:www.ohcs.oregon.gov

ManufacturedCommunities

Resource Center

Oregon Housing and Community Services

What does legislation say aboutthe Tenants Committee?In 1997, the Oregon Legislature passed ORS 90.600(5)(a), which states:

• Tenantsofamanufacturedhomeparkmayform acommitteeofsevenorfewermembersbya parkwideelectiontorepresentalltenants.

• TheTenantsCommitteemayrequestameeting withthelandlord,inwriting,todiscussany complaint other than rent issues. In response to thisrequest,thelandlordmustmeetwiththe TenantsCommitteetodiscussthecomplaint within30days.

• Unlessotherwiseagreed,thelandlordorthe landlord’s representative shall meet with the tenants committee at least once, but not more thantwice,eachcalendaryear.Themeetingshall beheldonthepremisesiftheparkhasasuitable meetingspace,oratalocationreasonably convenient to tenants.

• TheTenantsCommitteeshallsendawritten summaryofissuesandconcernsaddressedatthe meeting to the landlord, who then must respond inwritingtothecommittee’ssummarywithin 60days.

Tenants Committee

725 Summer Street NE, Suite BSalem, Oregon 97301-1266

FAX: 503-986-2002TTY:503-986-2100

What happens when communication efforts are unsuccessful? SometimeslandlordsmaynotagreetomeetwiththeTenantsCommittee.Thecommitteemayusethepark’sinformaldisputeresolutionprocedure,foundintheirStatementofPolicy.Requiredbylaw,theproceduremakessurethatissuesaregivenafairhearingwithin30daysafterthe landlord receives the complaint in writing.

Forhelpwithconflictsorquestionsregardinganypartoftheprocesstoformacommitteeortheinformaldisputeresolutionprocedure,tenants and landlords are encouraged to contactOregon’sManufacturedCommunitiesResource Center.

What is a manufactured community? Amanufactureddwellingparkisauniquecommunity.Unlikeothercommunities,tenants who own their homes don’t own the land that their home sits on.

In addition, tenants who live in these communitiesarerequiredtosignrentalagreementsandfollowparkrulesandregulations.

Attimes,communicationcanbreakdownbetweenlandlordsandtenants.ThisiswhenaTenantsCommitteecanhelp.

What is a Tenants Committee? ATenantsCommitteeisagroupoftenantselectedbyamajorityofparkresidentstorepresent their interests.

Promoting communication between landlords and tenants.

How to form a Tenants Committee:

Are Tenants Committees required? Oregon law encourages landlords to meet withtenantstotalkoverissues.Tenantsarenotrequiredtoformacommittee,butthelawprovidesstepstocreateoneifitisneeded.

Who can be a member? Anyparktenantmaybeonthecommittee.Thelawidentifiesstaffmemberswhopayrentas tenants. However, their participation on thecommitteemightbetakenasaconflictofinterest and is not recommended.

How often should a Tenants Committee meet? Tenantsmaymeetasoftenastheychoose,but meetings with the landlord or landlord’s representativemaybeheldatleastoncebutnomorethantwiceinacalendaryear.

1-800-453-5511

• Identifyatenantwillingtoassumetheresponsibility fortheprocess.

• Selectagroupofthreeormoretenantstohandlethe election details.

• Createanddistributeaflyerthatexplainswhata TenantsCommitteeis,summarizestheelection process,andrequestsnominationstobesubmitted to the group.

Thelawdoesnotestablishaformalelectionprocess.However,itisadvisabletofollowasystemtomeettheintentofthelaw.Exampleofanelectionprocess:

• Placeaballotboxinasecure,centrallocation.The tenantsgroupwillcountreturnedballotsandnotifythe sevennomineeswiththegreatestnumberofvotesof their election to the committee.

• Selectachairpersonandarecordingsecretaryatthe firstcommitteemeeting.