An Act to create 20.490 (7), 234.47 and 710.15 (5w) of the statutes; Relating to: penalties imposed on owners of mobile or manufactured home communities, grants for mobile homes and manufactured homes, and making an appropriation. (FE)
Summary
AB1192 would create a new penalty and grant structure for mobile and manufactured home communities in Wisconsin. It authorizes the Department of Safety and Professional Services to impose a $5,000 forfeiture on a community owner for each year, or part of a year, that the owner violates requirements under current law governing those communities, including reporting obligations. Unpaid forfeitures, along with unpaid assessments and fees owed by the owner, would become a lien on the community property until released by DSPS.
The bill also directs forfeiture revenue to the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority for grants. Those grants could be used by mobile or manufactured home community owners to bring communities into compliance with licensing standards, and by owners of mobile homes or manufactured homes to repair, renovate, and improve their homes. The bill creates the necessary statutory appropriation to receive and distribute these funds.
Impact
AB1192 would add a new enforcement mechanism to the statutes governing mobile and manufactured home communities by creating a specific forfeiture provision and lien authority for noncompliance. It would also establish a dedicated appropriation and grant program within state law, shifting forfeiture revenue into housing-related assistance administered by the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority. The bill would affect community owners, individual mobile/manufactured home owners, DSPS, and WHEDA, while tying financial penalties directly to compliance and property-based collection tools.
Sentiment
The available context suggests the bill was introduced as a housing-related regulatory and assistance measure, with a policy approach that combines enforcement against noncompliant community owners with financial support for repairs and compliance. There is no recorded committee transcript or vote breakdown in the provided materials, and the bill ultimately failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1. Based on the text alone, the bill appears aimed at addressing maintenance and licensing issues in the manufactured housing sector rather than being overtly partisan or controversial in its framing.
Contention
The main point of potential contention is the $5,000 annual forfeiture and lien authority imposed on mobile or manufactured home community owners, which could be viewed as a strong enforcement tool and a significant financial burden on operators. Another possible issue is the use of forfeiture revenue to fund grants, which may be supported as a reinvestment strategy but could raise questions about whether penalties are being used to subsidize compliance costs. The bill also distinguishes between community owners and individual home owners, so stakeholders may differ on whether the compliance burden and financial relief are allocated fairly.
Crossfiled
An Act to create 20.490 (7), 234.47 and 710.15 (5w) of the statutes; Relating to: penalties imposed on owners of mobile or manufactured home communities, grants for mobile homes and manufactured homes, and making an appropriation. (FE)