Fort Collins City Council Work Session 9/23/25

The purpose of this item is to provide additional information, requested at the February 11, 2025, Council Work Session, on options to improve mobile home park livability. Mobile home parks are a vital source of naturally occurring affordable housing in Fort Collins. Yet, because they are privately owned and managed, infrastructure and habitability standards vary widely, disproportionately affecting historically underserved residents. Oversight is fragmented among state, local, and federal entities, and enforcement under Municipal Code differs from other neighborhoods, often resulting in inconsistent services, complaint-driven inspections, and gaps in accountability. Mobile home parks (“MHP”) occupy a unique space between single-family HOA neighborhoods and multi-unit housing, leaving residents with ownership of their homes but little control over land, infrastructure, or management. Unlike other housing types, MHP residents face risks tied to private water systems, lack of oversight of property managers, and the possibility of losing their primary asset through a simplified eviction process, underscoring their vulnerability compared to other Fort Collins housing options. Because mobile home parks are private property with privately-owned infrastructure, enforcement under Municipal Code varies in both authority and level of service from other neighborhood types.Oversight for MHPs is largely complaint-driven, leaving significant gaps in data, enforcement, and coordination, and many provisions authorize but do not require action. The City and the State’s Mobile Home Park Oversight Program (“MHPOP”) currently are limited in the ability to address systemic issues and ensure long-term livability in mobile home parks. Mobile home parks’ unique ownership model, privately maintained infrastructure, fragmented oversight, and limited avenues for residents to assert their rights create distinct challenges in Fort Collins, with the greatest differences from other neighborhoods seen in three critical areas: habitability, accountability, and empowerment.To respond, 88 strategies were developed with guidance from residents and subject matter experts, organized into 10 flowcharts that establish phased pathways to compliance. These strategies emphasize voluntary compliance, flexible timelines, and escalation only when necessary, ensuring that each park can progress at its own pace while strengthening habitability, accountability, and empowerment for residents. Based on life, health, and safety concerns; urgency of need for intervention; and frequency of MHP resident complaints, staff is recommending:1. Centralizing MHP program management and creating a MHP licensing program2. Addressing urgent concerns3. Addressing longer-term issues through escalating enforcement strategies4. Municipal Code updates to support the recommendation