Mobile home damaged in winter storms? New SLO County program could pay for repairs
San Luis Obispo County mobile home park residents were some of the most directly impacted by the winter storms that swept through the region in 2022 and 2023 — and now, they’re getting some help from the county.
At Tuesday’s county Board of Supervisors meeting, the board voted unanimously to accept and distribute nearly $11 million in Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery Funds through the Manufactured Home Replacement and Elevation Program, which will provide funding to replace and weatherproof mobile homes damaged in the storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides, according to a news release from the county.
Some homes may require elevation to ensure that future severe weather events do not damage the homes any further, which will be evaluated on a case by case basis, according to the Manufactured Home Replacement and Evaluation Program website.
The funding comes from an overall $115 million allocation from the California Department of Housing and Community Development in the wake of the winter storms, which swept through the state, causing widespread damage, according to the release.
Starting Wednesday, April 15, mobile homeowners can qualify for the program if they meet the following requirements:
- Own a manufactured home in a San Luis Obispo County mobile home park
- Have at least $3,000 in unmet repair or replacement needs stemming from the December 2022-January 2023 storms
- Occupied the home as a primary residence at the time of the storms
- Meet program income requirements (posted on website and application)
Applicants can still qualify if they have already received disaster relief funding and completed repairs, so long as there are still unmet needs from the storm damage, according to the release.
According to the Manufactured Home Replacement and Evaluation Program website, applicants must provide one of the following proof of identity: a California ID, a U.S. passport, a military ID, a certified birth certificate or other government-issued photo ID.
Applicants must also provide either a certificate of title for the manufactured home or a bill of sale or other documents showing the home does not have a loan or lien, according to the website. They must also provide one proof of primary residence during the disaster, which can be in the form of FEMA Individual Assistance documentation, property tax records, tax return, voter registration, driver’s license, utility bill from time of the disaster, insurance documents or a lease agreement.
Applicants must provide proof of storm damage to help confirm that the home was damaged during the storm. According to the release, that proof must be in the form of a FEMA award or denial letter, a Small Business Administration letter, insurance documents, repair receipts or documentation from nonprofits or charities that provided assistance.
Finally, proof of income must be provided for every household member age 18 or older in the form of a tax return, pay stub, bank statement, Social Security or retirement benefit statement, unemployment benefits statement or self-employment profit and loss statements.
”This program will allow some of our most vulnerable residents who experienced storm damage during the 2023 Winter storms to not only recover from that damage but also prepare their homes to be more safe and secure from future severe weather,” Board of Supervisors Chair Jimmy Paulding said in the release.
To apply, mobile home park residents can visit slocounty.gov/MHRE, call 805-781-4634 or email HSDGrants@co.slo.ca.us.
