Your Florida mobile home park is closing: your rights, the notice, and state help with the move

A letter saying the park is closing is one of the hardest things a mobile home owner can get. The good news is that Florida law gives you time and some money to work with. This guide walks through what the notice has to say, what the state pays, and what to do first, in plain language.

The notice: at least six months

• When a park owner changes the use of the land, residents must get at least six months of written notice to move.
• The notice is posted in the park and sent by certified or registered mail.
• It must tell you, in plain print, that you may be entitled to money from the Florida Mobile Home Relocation Trust Fund.
• A later sale of the land does not shorten your six months.
• You have 90 days from the notice to challenge the change of use, if you want to fight it. After that, that right is gone.

Before the closing, the residents may get a chance to buy

If the park has a homeowners association set up under Florida's mobile home law, the owner has to offer the park to the association first, at a stated price. The association has 45 days to sign a contract. Ask your association right away whether it got that offer.

The state relocation fund (FMHRC)

The Florida Mobile Home Relocation Corporation pays residents who have to leave because the park is closing. You choose one of two paths:

• You can move farther than 50 miles; you pay the extra distance.
• The mover must be a Florida-licensed mobile home installer. FMHRC pays the mover with a voucher after the move.
• FMHRC decides within 45 days of a complete application.
• The title must be in your name, and the park must be registered with the state as a mobile home park.

Who does not qualify

• Residents the park owner moves at its own expense.
• Residents who told the park they were leaving before the notice.
• Residents with an eviction for unpaid rent filed before the notice.
• Residents with an active or settled claim against the park owner over the closing.

Deadlines you cannot miss

1. 90 days from the notice: last day to challenge the change of use.
2. Before the move date in the notice: have the home moved, or the title signed over if you are leaving it.
3. One year after the eviction period ends: last day for FMHRC to receive your application.

Move it or leave it?

It depends on the home and where it would go. A home in good shape, with a place to go within 50 miles, is usually worth moving, and the fund covers part of the cost. A home with water damage, a weak frame, or nowhere to go may be better left with the abandonment payment. Older homes can be harder to move and may need extra permits, so get the home looked at early.

What to do this week

1. Read the notice and write down the move-out date.
2. Ask the homeowners association whether the park was offered to them.
3. Find your title and check it is in your name.
4. Call FMHRC to confirm the park is registered and ask for the forms.
5. Get the home looked at by a licensed installer to know if it can move, and start looking for a new park or lot.

Who to call

• Florida Mobile Home Relocation Corporation (FMHRC): (888) 320-0322, fmhrc.org.
• Florida DBPR, Division of Condominiums, Timeshares and Mobile Homes: (850) 487-1395, myfloridalicense.com.