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.
