2014 -- H 7685

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2014

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- ABANDONED MOBILE AND

MANUFACTURED HOME ACT

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Keable, Edwards, and Silva

     Date Introduced: February 27, 2014

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Title 31 of the General Laws entitled "MOTOR AND OTHER

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VEHICLES" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter:

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CHAPTER 44.2

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ABANDONED MOBILE AND MANUFACTURED HOME ACT

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     31-44.2-1. Legislative findings and purpose. – The general assembly finds that

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abandoned mobile and manufactured homes are a nuisance because they cause blight and depress

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property values. This act is intended to provide local governments and landowners with the

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authority to remove abandoned mobile and manufactured homes while protecting property rights.

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     31-44.2-2. Definitions. – As used in this chapter:

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     (1) "Department" means the department of business regulation.

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     (2) "Mobile and manufactured home" means a detached residential unit designed:

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     (i) For a long-term occupancy and containing sleeping accommodations, a flush toilet,

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and a tub or shower bath and kitchen facilities, having both permanent plumbing and electrical

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connections for attachment to outside systems;

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     (ii) To be transported on its own wheels or on a flatbed or other trailer or detachable

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wheels; and

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     (iii) To be placed on pads, piers, or tied down, at the site where it is to be occupied as a

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residence complete and ready for occupancy, except for minor and incidental unpacking and

 

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assembly operations and connection to utilities systems.

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     (4) "Abandoned mobile and manufactured home" means a mobile and manufactured

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home that is:

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     (i) Not connected to electricity or not connected to a source of safe potable water supply

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sufficient for normal residential needs, or both; or

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     (ii) Not connected to an adequate wastewater disposal system; or

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     (iii) Unoccupied for a period of at least one hundred twenty (120) days and for which

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there is clear and convincing evidence that the occupant does not intend to return; or

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     (iv) So damaged, decayed, dilapidated, unsanitary, unsafe or vermin infested that it

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creates a hazard to the health and safety of the occupants or the public.

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     (5) "Landowner" means the owner of the real property on which an abandoned mobile or

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manufactured home is located.

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     (6) "Municipality" means the city or town in which the mobile or manufactured home is

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located.

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     (7) "Licensee" means any person or agent licensed under § 31-44-1.7 who is directly or

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indirectly engaged in the business of maintaining or operating a mobile and manufactured home

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park under the provisions of chapter 31-44.

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     31-44.2-3. Jurisdiction. -- The district court of this state shall exercise jurisdiction in

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both law and equity over removal of abandoned mobile or manufactured homes with respect to

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any conduct in this state governed by this chapter or with respect to any claim arising from a

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transaction subject to this chapter. In addition to any other method provided by rule or by statute,

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personal jurisdiction may be acquired in a civil action or proceeding commenced in the court by

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the service of process in the manner provided herein.

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     31-44.2-4. Service of process for actions pursuant to chapter. -- (a)(1) In actions

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pursuant to this chapter, the summons for an action for removal of an abandoned mobile or

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manufactured home shall be in the form provided in this chapter. At the time of filing of the

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complaint, the clerk shall mark the date of hearing upon the summons, which shall be the ninth

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(9th) day after filing of the complaint, or the first court day following the ninth (9th) day. For the

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purposes of this section only, the time of filing of the complaint shall be the date upon which the

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clerk assigns a case number to the action and the filing fee is paid to the clerk. On the same day

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that the complaint is filed, the plaintiff's attorney or, if pro se, the plaintiff, or if more than one,

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the person filing the complaint shall mail a copy of the summons and complaint by first class

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mail, to the defendant, shall complete the proof of service on a copy of the original summons and

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file the completed proof of service in the appropriate court. The clerk shall note on the docket the

 

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mailing date of the summons and complaint, and shall complete the proof of service on the

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original summons. The plaintiff shall deliver the original summons and a copy thereof, together

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with a copy of the complaint to the division of sheriffs or any constable of the county in which

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the appropriate court is located. The officer receiving the copies shall serve them by:

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     (i) Handing them to the defendant;

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     (ii) Serving them at the defendant's dwelling unit to a person of suitable age and

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discretion then residing therein; or

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     (iii) If none be found, by posting them conspicuously on the door to defendant's dwelling

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unit.

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     (2) The deputy sheriff or constable serving the summons and complaint shall make proof

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of service on the original summons and shall file it with the clerk of the appropriate court at or

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before the time of the hearing. The proof of service shall show the manner and the day, hour, and

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place of service, and shall show that the defendant was served no less than five (5) days before

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the hearing.

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     (b) In all actions pursuant to this chapter, the procedure shall be as follows:

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     (1) The summons pursuant to this chapter shall be in the form provided in § 31-44.2-8.

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     (2) Service shall be made pursuant to Rule 4 of the district court civil rules, or other

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appropriate rule of court.

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     (c) If a plaintiff or defendant is not a resident of this state or is a corporation not

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authorized to do business in this state and engages in any conduct in this state governed by this

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chapter, or engages in a transaction subject to this chapter, he or she may designate an agent upon

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whom service of process may be made in this state. The agent shall be a resident of this state or a

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corporation authorized to do business in this state. The designation shall be in writing and filed

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with the secretary of state. If no designation is made and filed or if the process cannot be served

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in this state upon the designated agent, process may be served upon the secretary of state, but

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service upon the secretary of state is not effective unless the plaintiff or petitioner forthwith mails

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a copy of the process and pleading by registered or certified mail to the defendant or respondent

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at his or her last reasonably ascertainable address. An affidavit of compliance with this subsection

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shall be filed with the clerk of the court on or before the return day of the process, if any, or

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within any further time the court allows.

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     (d) If, at the time of hearing, it appears that the clerk failed to provide mail service as

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required by subsection (a) of this section, or that the mailed service was undeliverable, service

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shall nevertheless be deemed complete if proof of service reflects that service was accomplished

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in accordance with subsection (a)(1)(i) or (ii) of this section.

 

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     31-44.2-5. Order for removal of an abandoned mobile or manufactured home. – (a)

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An action for the removal of an abandoned mobile or manufactured home may be commenced by

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a landowner/licensee/municipality if a mobile or manufactured home has been abandoned and the

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following conditions have been met:

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     (1) The mobile or manufactured home is not entitled to be situated on the property of the

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landowner/municipality/licensee; and

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     (2) The mobile or manufactured home is:

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     (i) Not connected to electricity or not connected to a source of safe potable water supply

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sufficient for normal residential needs, or both; or

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     (ii) Not connected to an adequate wastewater disposal system; or

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     (iii) Unoccupied for a period of at least one hundred twenty (120) days and for which

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there is clear and convincing evidence that the occupant does not intend to return; or

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     (iv) So damaged, decayed, dilapidated, unsanitary, unsafe or vermin infested that it

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creates a hazard to the health and safety of the occupants or the public.

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     (b) The action shall be commenced by filing a thirty (30) day notice for removal of the

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mobile or manufactured home, which shall be filed in the appropriate court according to the form

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provided in § 31-44.2-8.

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     (c) The summons shall be in the form provided in § 31-4.2-8 and shall specify that the

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defendant has thirty (30) days from the date of service in which to remedy the allegations in the

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complaint, and that if he or she fails to do so within that time, he or she shall be defaulted. The

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matter may be assigned for hearing in accordance with the rules of procedure of the appropriate

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court.

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     (d) If the court finds that the defendant failed to remedy the allegations contained in the

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complaint to the satisfaction of the court, the court shall issue an order for the removal of the

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abandoned mobile or manufactured home in accordance with this chapter.

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     31-44.2-6. Appeals. – Appeals of actions brought under this chapter shall be pursuant to

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§ 9-12-10.1.

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     31-44.2-7. Execution. -- If no appeal is claimed, and if the judgment has not been

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satisfied, execution shall be issued on the sixth (6th) day following judgment. Executions shall be

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issued only to the division of sheriffs. Every execution issued by any district court pursuant to

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this chapter shall continue in full force and effect for one year after the date thereof, and be

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returnable to the district court which issued it in accordance with the provisions of § 9-25-21. All

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costs in carrying out the mandates of the execution may be added to the execution by the clerk

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upon approval of the court upon presentment of evidence of the costs.

 

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     31-44.2-8. Notices and complaint forms. – (a) A notice in substantially the following

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language shall suffice for the purpose of giving an owner notice of removal of an abandoned

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mobile or manufactured home pursuant to chapter 31-44.2:

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THIRTY DAY NOTICE FOR REMOVAL OF MOBILE OR MANUFACTURED HOME

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     Date of Notice: ____________________

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     You are notified that a certain mobile or manufactured home (describe mobile home in

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terms of size, color, make, and model, if known) located at (give address or describe location)

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meets the definition of an abandoned mobile or manufactured home within the meaning of the

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"Abandoned Mobile or Manufactured Home Act" pursuant to chapter 31-44.2. Unless all

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delinquent taxes (including penalty and interest) are paid, and electric, water, and waste services

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are restored to this mobile or manufactured home within thirty (30) days of the date of this notice,

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the defendant shall remove and dispose of the mobile or manufactured home, and it shall be

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disposed of or sold at public auction free and clear of any existing liens.

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_____________________________________

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Signature of plaintiff

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I certify that I placed in regular U.S. mail first class postage prepaid, a copy of this notice

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addressed to the plaintiff on the _________________day of_____________20_____.

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     (b) A complaint in substantially the following language shall suffice for the purpose of

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commencing removal of an abandoned mobile or manufactured home pursuant to chapter 31-

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44.2:

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State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

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______________________________________, Sc. DISTRICT COURT

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_________________________________________ _________________ DIVISION

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PLAINTIFF DEFENDANT

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______________________________________________________________________________

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(Landowner/Licensee/Municipality Name) V (Mobile or Manufactured Homeowner Name)

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__________________________________________________

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__________________________________________________

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__________________________________________________

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(Address) (Address of premises on which abandoned mobile or manufactured home is located)

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COMPLAINT FOR REMOVAL OF ABANDONED MOBILE OR MANUFACTURED HOME

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chapter 31-44.2.

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     (1) Plaintiff is the landowner/licensee/municipality in which defendant's/owner's mobile

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or manufactured home is situated.

 

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     (2) The mobile or manufactured home meets the definition of abandoned mobile or

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manufacturer home as set forth in § 31-44.2-2(4) in the following manner.

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     CHECK ONE

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     Defendant's mobile or manufactured home is:

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     ______ Not connected to electricity or not connected to a source of safe potable water

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supply sufficient for normal residential needs, or both; or

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     ______ Not connected to an adequate wastewater disposal system; or

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     ______ Unoccupied for a period of at least one hundred twenty (120) days and for which

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there is clear and convincing evidence that the occupant does not intend to return; or

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     ______ So damaged, decayed, dilapidated, unsanitary, unsafe or vermin infested that it

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creates a hazard to the health or safety of the occupants or the public.

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     (3) Plaintiff seeks judgment for removal of defendant's mobile or manufactured home. If

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you do not remedy this situation within thirty (30) days your mobile or manufactured home will

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be removed without further notice on ____________(date), which must not be less than thirty-one

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(31) days from the date of mailing this notice. Plaintiff seeks costs and fees (if applicable).

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____________________________________________________

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     Signature of landowner/licensee/municipality

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     I certify that I placed in regular U.S. mail first class postage prepaid, a copy of this

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notice, addressed to plaintiff on the _________________ day of_____________20_____.

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     31-44.2-9. Auction of abandoned mobile or manufactured home. – (a) If an order for

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removal of an abandoned mobile or manufactured home has been issued in accordance with § 31-

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44.2-5 the mobile or manufactured home may be sold at public auction. The purchaser of the

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mobile or manufactured home shall take title of the home free and clear of all liens and claims of

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ownership, and shall receive a sales receipt and bill of sale, and shall be entitled to register the

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mobile or manufactured home.

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     (b) From the proceeds of the sale of abandoned mobile or manufactured home, the

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plaintiff shall reimburse itself the expenses of the auction, the costs of towing, preserving, and

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storing the mobile or manufactured home and all notices and publication costs incurred pursuant

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to this chapter. Any remainder from the proceeds of a sale shall be held for the owner of the

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mobile or manufactured home or entitled lienholder for ninety (90) days and then shall be

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deposited in a special abandoned mobile or manufactured home fund which shall remain

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available for the payment of auction, towing, preserving, storage, and all notice and publication

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costs which result from other abandoned mobile and manufactured homes, whenever the proceeds

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from a sale of the other abandoned mobile or manufactured homes are insufficient to meet these

 

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expenses and costs.

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     (c) Whenever the director finds that moneys in the abandoned mobile or manufactured

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home fund are in excess of reserves likely to be needed, he or she may transfer the excess to the

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general fund. But in the event there are additional claims against the abandoned mobile or

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manufactured home fund, or if the abandoned mobile or manufactured home fund is temporarily

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exhausted, these claims shall be met from the general fund to the limit of any transfers previously

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made to it pursuant to this chapter.

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     31-44.2-10. Severability. – If any provision of this chapter or the application thereof to

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any person or circumstances is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or

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application of this chapter which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application,

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and to this end the provisions of this chapter are severable.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- ABANDONED MOBILE AND

MANUFACTURED HOME ACT

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     This act would provide a procedure for removal of abandoned mobile or manufactured

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homes under the jurisdiction of the district court.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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