An act to amend Section 798.14 of the Civil Code, relating to mobilehomes.
Summary
AB 391 amends the Mobilehome Residency Law to change how certain required notices are delivered in mobilehome parks. The bill requires notices to be delivered to both the homeowner and the resident of the mobilehome, rather than only to the homeowner, unless otherwise provided by law. It also authorizes annual notices that may be combined before February 1 to be sent by email if the recipient gives affirmative, written consent that is separate from the lease or rental agreement and is not a condition of tenancy.
The bill defines affirmative, written consent and requires that consent to be clearly and conspicuously documented with the email address to which notices may be sent. It also allows consent to be revoked at any time, in writing, without fee, charge, penalty, or effect on the tenancy. If management obtains consent for email delivery, it must provide a separate written notice within five days explaining that the resident has agreed to receive only electronic notices, may miss paper notices, and may revoke consent at any time; that notice must be provided in English and, when applicable, in the primary language used during rental agreement negotiations.
Impact
AB 391 makes a targeted change to Civil Code Section 798.14 within the Mobilehome Residency Law. It expands the class of recipients for required notices to include both homeowners and residents, and it creates a statutory framework for electronic notice delivery for certain annual mobilehome park notices. The bill preserves existing mail and personal delivery methods unless the recipient affirmatively opts into email, and it adds disclosure requirements intended to ensure that consent is informed and revocable. The practical effect is to modernize notice delivery rules for mobilehome park management while maintaining tenant protections around notice access and tenancy terms.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been broadly supported and noncontroversial. It moved through committee and floor votes unanimously or with overwhelming support, including multiple 12-0 committee votes and large bipartisan floor votes, and it was placed on the consent calendar at several stages. The lack of recorded opposition in the provided history suggests general agreement with the bill’s consumer-protection and administrative-efficiency goals.
Contention
No significant opposition is reflected in the provided materials. The main policy issue embedded in the bill is the balance between convenience and tenant protection: allowing email notices can reduce administrative burden for park management, but the bill addresses concerns about missed communications by requiring affirmative written consent, a clear revocation right, and a warning notice that paper notices may no longer be received. Any potential contention would likely center on whether email delivery could disadvantage residents who rely on physical notices, but the bill’s consent and revocation safeguards appear designed to address that concern.
An act to amend Sections 18802, 18804, 18805, and 18806 of of, to amend and repeal Section 18803 of, and to add Section 18803.1 to, the Health and Safety Code, relating to housing.
An act to add Sections 798.11.1 and 798.11.2 to, to add Article 7.5 (commencing with Section 798.83.1) to Chapter 2.5 of Title 2 of Part 2 of Division 2 of, and to repeal Section 798.80 of, the Civil Code, relating to mobilehome parks.
An act to amend Sections 18802 and 18804 of, and to repeal Section 18806 of, 18802, 18804, 18805, and 18806 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to housing.