Mobile home storm rules in Colorado

Colorado addresses storm and disaster safety mainly through the landlord's detailed maintenance and emergency duties in the Mobile Home Park Act (C.R.S. Part 2 of Article 12), backed by the federal HUD construction code. The information below describes how the law generally works; anyone dealing with a specific situation should consider consulting a licensed attorney in Colorado.

What the statute says

C.R.S. §38-12-212.3(2)(b) requires the landlord to maintain roads and pavement "in a passable, safe condition ... sufficient to provide access for residents' vehicles, emergency vehicles, vans providing transportation services ..., and school buses," including "snow removal, ensuring adequate drainage, and maintaining pavement above water lines"; to maintain lot grades and "regrade lots as necessary to prevent the accumulation of stagnant water and the detrimental effects of moving water"; and to maintain trees "in a manner that protects the safety of residents." The landlord must "establish and maintain an emergency contact number, post the number in common areas, and communicate the number to home owners" (§38-12-212.3(5)).

If a water line the landlord owns fails, §38-12-212.3(1)(b) requires the landlord to pay for "alternative sources of potable water and ... portable toilets ... no later than twelve hours after the service disruption begins," unless prevented by conditions beyond the landlord's control, and to reimburse residents for resulting damages and expenses. The home's construction follows the federal HUD code (24 C.F.R. Part 3280). If a change in the use of the land forces residents out, §38-12-217 requires at least 12 months' notice, and §38-12-203.5 provides remedies for affected home owners.

How it works in general

Colorado puts unusually concrete storm-relevant duties on the park: keep the roads passable for emergency vehicles, plow snow, grade the lots so water doesn't pool or wash, keep drainage working, and maintain trees so they don't endanger residents. The park has to post an emergency contact number residents can use. If the park's water system fails, the park has to truck in potable water and set up portable toilets within 12 hours and reimburse residents for damage. For the home itself, Colorado relies on the federal HUD code's construction and anchoring standards, and it doesn't require a park to provide a storm shelter, so disaster preparation and assistance run through state and federal emergency management. If a storm pushes a park toward a change of use, residents get a full year's notice plus statutory remedies.

Common scenarios

General examples Colorado park residents commonly encounter:

• A storm leaves standing water or blocks a road. The landlord must grade against stagnant and moving water and keep roads passable for emergency vehicles (§38-12-212.3(2)(b)).
• The park's water system fails. The landlord must provide potable water and portable toilets within 12 hours (§38-12-212.3(1)(b)).
• A disaster pushes a park toward closure. A change of use requires 12 months' notice plus remedies (§38-12-217, §38-12-203.5).

Other authorities that may apply

The Mobile Home Park Act (C.R.S. §§38-12-212.3, 38-12-203.5, 38-12-217) sets the maintenance, emergency, and change-of-use duties; the federal HUD code governs home construction and anchoring. The Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and FEMA administer disaster assistance, and a homeowner's insurance policy — not statute — usually governs storm-damage claims.