Mobile home storm rules in Kansas

Storm and disaster issues for Kansas manufactured-home residents draw on the state's habitability and utility-supply duties and on the federal HUD standards that govern how homes are built and installed. The Mobile Home Parks Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (K.S.A. 58-25,100 et seq.) sets the landlord's duties, and the federal HUD Code governs construction and anchoring. For a specific situation, consider consulting a licensed attorney in Kansas.

What the statute says

On the landlord's habitability and utility duties, K.S.A. 58-25,111(a) provides that "when prevented by an act of God, the failure of public utility services or other conditions beyond the landlord's control," the landlord shall, among other duties:

Furnish outlets for electric, water and sewer services and provide to such outlets an adequate, safe and sanitary supply of such services.

The same section requires the landlord to keep the space "in a fit and habitable condition" and to "keep all common areas of the mobile home park in a clean and safe condition." Construction and installation safety — including wind-zone design and anchoring — is governed by the federal HUD Code (24 C.F.R. Parts 3280 and 3285).

How it works in general

Day-to-day habitability and the supply of utility hookups are the landlord's duty under §58-25,111, though those duties are framed against acts of God and other conditions beyond the landlord's control. How a home itself withstands wind — its construction rating and its anchoring and installation — comes from the federal HUD Code and the Kansas Manufactured Housing Act's installation framework, not from the lease. Disaster relief is handled through federal and state emergency-management programs.

Common scenarios

General examples Kansas park residents commonly encounter:

• Common areas become unsafe after a storm. Section 58-25,111(a) places the duty to keep them clean and safe on the landlord.
• A utility supply is disrupted. The §58-25,111(a)(6) duty is measured against acts of God and conditions beyond the landlord's control.
• Questions arise about anchoring or tie-downs. Those standards come from the federal HUD Code and the home's installation.

Other authorities that may apply

The federal HUD Code (24 C.F.R. Parts 3280 and 3285) governs manufactured-home construction and installation. FEMA and the Kansas Division of Emergency Management administer disaster assistance, and a homeowner's insurance policy — not statute — usually governs storm-damage claims. Local building and floodplain rules may also apply.