State senators and housing officials on Feb. 21 heard testimony from residents of Williston Woods, a 34-unit manufactured-housing community, who said the association’s ownership structure has left it off Vermont’s Mobile Home Park registry and ineligible for several state programs and grants.

The exclusion has immediate consequences, residents told the Senate Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs Committee: a $32,000 pump-replacement project and engineering planning for a stormwater plan that has already cost roughly $51,000, expenses the association says it cannot absorb without state aid.

Committee members said the testimony raised a definitional and policy gap that could be resolved administratively or, if needed, by legislation.

"We own the lot our house sits on, which means we're not able to get listed on the mobile home park registry," said Tim Cook, treasurer of Williston Woods Homeowners Association. "But we're a mobile home park. ... We consist of 34 units recognized by HUD as affordable senior housing."

Why it matters

The registry is used by state programs and charitable organizations to target funding and technical assistance for manufactured-home residents and parks. Williston Woods residents said that because the association’s parcels are individually owned rather than held by a single park owner or land-lease entity, programs that use the registry as an eligibility screen have denied their applications.

"We had two pumps that were dying ... We were turned down because we weren't on the registry," said Gary Novak, president of Williston Woods Homeowners Association. Novak said the community purchased one replacement pump for about $18,000 and that other stormwater and engineering costs could "completely bust our bank." He added that household monthly fees in the community run about $245 and that many residents are fixed-income seniors.

Housing division response

Sean Gilpin, director of the Housing Division, said the registry is currently limited to communities that meet Vermont’s statutory definition of a mobile home park and that the state distinguishes leased-land parks from communities where residents own individual lots. "The distinction has often been made because of the ownership structure," he said, adding that Title 10, chapter 153 contains the state mobile-home-park law.

Gilpin and Scott Charland, housing program coordinator, described the Manufactured Home Improvement and Repair (MUR) program — which provides up to $18,000 per home for repairs, up to $20,000 for park infill and up to $15,000 for foundations — and said the program was originally targeted at registered parks because of demonstrated need and program design.

Possible fixes and immediate steps

Committee members said they were sympathetic and proposed a two-track response: short-term, case-by-case assistance while the department reviews the registry definition and how support programs identify eligible communities. Chair Senator Kesha Ram Hinsdale and other members suggested drafting a letter to the Agency of Natural Resources and the Agency of Commerce and Community Development to request interim measures and urged the housing division to review Williston Woods’ bylaws.

"How we can still make you eligible for support is of interest to everyone on the committee," Ram Hinsdale said.

The committee asked Williston Woods to send bylaws to the housing division and invited department staff to visit the park. Officials agreed to review eligibility options for existing programs and to consider whether a definition change or administrative remedy is appropriate.

Next steps

Housing staff said they will look at the association’s bylaws and program rules, explore short-term options (including whether the Manufactured Home Improvement and Repair program or other pots can be made available), and report back to the committee. Senators also discussed drafting a letter to ANR and ACCD to request immediate, case-specific assistance while the policy work proceeds.

Ending

Williston Woods residents offered to host a site visit. Gilpin and Charland said they would accept the association’s bylaws and examine whether program rules or the mobile-home-park definition can be adjusted administratively; the committee signaled support for follow-up and possible legislative changes if necessary.