SECTIONS 18150-18153

18150.  The Legislature finds and declares that increasing numbersof Californians live in manufactured homes and mobilehomes and thatmost of those manufactured home and mobilehome owners reside inmobilehome parks. Because of the growing number of problems andcomplaints dealing with various aspects of living in manufacturedhomes and mobilehomes, it is necessary to designate a MobilehomeOmbudsman within the Department of Housing and Community Developmentto better provide assistance to the public in handling andcoordinating the resolution to those problems and complaints.18151.  (a) The position of mobilehome ombudsman is herebyestablished in the Department of Housing and Community Development. (b) Except as provided in subdivision (c), the ombudsman shallprovide assistance in taking complaints, and helping to resolve andcoordinate the resolution of those complaints, from the publicrelating to manufactured homes and mobilehomes, including, but notlimited to, problems of titling and registration, installation,warranties, financing, other than financing by a supervised financialorganization, as defined in Section 1801.6 of the Civil Code, sales,inspection of homes and parks, mobilehome accessories andimprovements, and problems relating to the Mobilehome Residency Law(Chapter 2.5 (commencing with Section 798) of Title 2 of Part 2 ofDivision 2 of the Civil Code). (c) The ombudsman shall not arbitrate, mediate, negotiate, orprovide legal advice on mobilehome park rent disputes, lease orrental agreements, or disputes arising from lease or rentalagreements, but may provide information on these issues. (d) The ombudsman shall refer any alleged violations of law orregulations within the Department of Housing and CommunityDevelopment's jurisdiction to the Division of Codes and Standardswithin the Department of Housing and Community Development.18152.  The Governor shall designate a deputy director in theDepartment of Housing and Community Development to serve as theMobilehome Ombudsman.18153.  The Mobilehome Ombudsman shall establish procedures to dealwith complaints, including the publication of complaint forms andwritten materials which shall be made available to the publicinforming them of the functions of the Mobilehome Ombudsman andproviding information on manufactured homes and mobilehomes. Theombudsman shall work with, and coordinate his or her efforts with,other divisions and sections of the department and with otheragencies of state and local government.