HomeMy WebLinkAboutA008 - Letter dated november 30, 1992 to City Council - manufactured homes, tie-down regulations a
�i"'Ei C IT- Y OF AMES , IOWA 50010
I
November 30, 1992
FILED
The Honorable Larry R. Curtis, Mayor, DEC
and Members of the City Council 11 T
of the City of Ames
Re: Manufactured Homes, Tie-down Regulations C17Y CLERK
CllYofAMEs. IOWA
Dear Mayor Curtis and Council Members:
This is in response to the Council request for information and a regulatory
proposal pertaining to the anchoring of manufactured homes.
The standards for construction of manufactured homes are found in federal
regulations administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Develop-
ment. Pursuant to the National Manufactured Homes Construction and Safety
Act of 1974 (42 USC §5403) , all manufactured homes are inspected at the
factory and given a HUD seal of approval if the federal standards are met.
This process pre-empts state and local regulations of the manufactured home
structure.
The standards for installation of manufactured homes are found in state law.
Since 1979, Iowa law has required that: "any person who sells a new or used
mobile home shall provide an approved tie-down system." Sec. 103A.30, Code
of Iowa. This law is administered by the Iowa Department of Public Safety,
Building Code Bureau. The Department has promulgated detailed regulations
and instructions for "tie downs". See Part 661 IAC 16.621-16.629. Each time
a mobile home is installed on a site, whether it is an old site or a new
site, a new or used home, state law requires the installer to send a certifi-
cate to the State Department of Public Safety, Building Code Bureau, to
certify that the tie down regulations have been met.
The person who actually receives and files the installation permits is Mr.
Pete Green in the State Building Code Bureau. Mr. Green makes field inspec-
tions to spot check the certificates. Both Brian O'Connell and I have talked
to Mr. Green, on separate occasions, about his experiences administering the
state law, and about the wind resistive characteristics of properly anchored
mobile homes.
AMES — THE CENTER OF IT ALL
Mr. Green said that a local program of inspection to check installations for
compliance with state law would be useful . Prior to 1986, Chapter 135D, Code
of Iowa, provided for an annual state license for mobile home parks which
included an annual recommendation by the local Board of Health (City Coun—
cil) . After the 1986 repeal of those provisions, there is no process for
regular review of the condition of mobile homes and mobile home parks, except
those that are rented, per the Ames Rental Housing Code. See Sec. 13.22(2) ,
Ames Municipal Code, which requires rented mobile homes be tied down in
accordance with state regulations to receive a letter of compliance under the
Rental Housing regulations.
If the Council is looking for a useful local regulatory program related to
wind safety of mobile homes, it could consider a program of inspection to
assure compliance with state laws for installation and anchoring.
Yours truly,
� _.
John R. Klaus
City Attorney
515 Clark Avenue, P.O. Box 811
Ames, Iowa 50010
(515) 239-5146
JRK:gmw
CC : Brian O' Connell