DEPARTMENT: Development Services
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Michael Shannon, Director
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
Mobile Living Parks, Chapter 18, Update on Proactive Inspections Program
SUMMARY:
An update on Chapter 18 of the Municipal Code - Mobile Living Parks, to include implementation status and results from the proactive inspections program.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
In 2016, the City investigated several significant code enforcement violations and health hazards at the Oak Hollow Mobile Home Park located in City Council District 8. At the urging of former Councilman and current Mayor, Ron Nirenberg, a post-mortem report for this location identified areas for improvement, one of which focused on proactive annual inspections of mobile living parks. With direction from the previous Neighborhoods and Livability Committee, the Development Services Department (DSD) facilitated an extensive public meeting and stakeholder input process to develop a revised ordinance that amends the registration and annual inspections of mobile living parks in the City. The changes were discussed at a number of stakeholder meetings, individual meetings, and with the Community, Health and Equity Committee on November 28, 2017. On December 14, 2017 the City Council approved a revised ordinance that created a proactive inspection program of mobile living parks.
The update to Chapter 18 of the Municipal Code - Mobile Living Parks seeks to prohibit future issues such as those seen at the Oak Hollow Mobile Home Park and keep these neighborhoods safe for residents. Becoming effective January 29, 2018, the ordinance applies to mobile living parks that are already registered with the City through Metro Health. DSD and Metro Health are managing the enhanced inspection program with increased involvement from the Department of Human Services and the Office of the City Attorney. In addition to parks already registered with the City, the program identifies and inspects unregistered properties to ensure their health and safety and provide education on the permit and registration requirements. The use of a multi-department inspection team provides the most efficient level of City services to ensure the health, safety and welfare for residents in these mobile living park communities.
The goal of the program is to proactively inspect each mobile living park on a quarterly and/or annual basis utilizing multiple departments to ensure that: density of mobile homes has not increased over time; electrical, sewer, and water connections are inspected regularly; and parks are in compliance with the San Antonio Property Maintenance Code. Since the program’s effective date, more than 40 mobile living parks have been inspected and 37 residents have been re-located from dangerous conditions with the City’s assistance. These inspections have been conducted using existing staff and resources. Despite the enhanced service provided, no fee changes were included in the ordinance.
ISSUE:
As part of the implementation of the updates to Chapter 18 of the Municipal Code - Mobile Living Parks approved by City Council, Development Services Department has enacted a multi-department inspection team to provide proactive inspections of mobile living parks.
This briefing will provide an update on the new proactive inspections program.
ALTERNATIVES:
This briefing is for informational purposes only.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There are no fiscal impacts, as this is a briefing only.
RECOMMENDATION:
This briefing is for informational purposes only.