Who keeps an Oregon park lot and common areas safe?

The landlord. Under ORS 90.730, a park must 'maintain the rented space, vacant spaces in the facility and the facility common areas in a habitable condition,' which includes a working sewage and water system, a 'drainage system reasonably capable of disposing of storm water,' an electrical supply, 'a surface or ground capable of supporting a manufactured dwelling,' and grounds 'free from all accumulations of debris.' This is general information, not advice about a specific situation — consider consulting a licensed attorney in Oregon.

Can an Oregon park force my home out after storm damage because it's old?

No. A park may act on the home's physical condition only through ORS 90.632, with notice and a right to repair, and ORS 90.632(2) says a park 'may not require removal ... or consider a dwelling or home to be in disrepair or deteriorated, because of the age, size, style or original construction material of the dwelling or home.' The focus is the actual condition, which the resident can correct.

What construction standards govern an Oregon manufactured home?

The federal HUD code. A manufactured home is built to the federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards (24 C.F.R. Part 3280), which set the construction and anchoring requirements; Oregon has no statute requiring a park to provide a storm shelter, so disaster preparation runs through county and state emergency management.

Mobile home storm rules in Oregon

Oregon addresses storm and disaster safety through the park's duty to keep the space and common areas habitable — including drainage and the ground under the home — the limits on condition-based eviction, and 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 Oregon.

What the statute says

ORS 90.730(2) requires a park to "maintain the rented space, vacant spaces in the facility and the facility common areas in a habitable condition." A space is "unhabitable" if it substantially lacks a working sewage system, "a drainage system reasonably capable of disposing of storm water, ground water and subsurface water," a safe water supply, an electrical supply, "a surface or ground capable of supporting a manufactured dwelling ... maintained to support a dwelling in a safe manner," or grounds "kept ... safe for normal and reasonably foreseeable uses, clean, sanitary and free from all accumulations of debris." A space is also unhabitable if the landlord fails to maintain a hazard tree as required by ORS 90.727. The landlord, however, "does not have a duty to maintain a dwelling or home" itself.

If a storm leaves the home in disrepair, the park can act only through ORS 90.632 — with 60 days' notice (30 for an imminent hazard) and a right to repair — and ORS 90.632(2) bars treating a home as deteriorated or requiring its removal "because of the age, size, style or original construction material."

How it works in general

For the lot and the common areas, Oregon's habitability duty is detailed: the park must keep the drainage working (important in heavy rain and flooding), keep the ground able to safely support the home, maintain hazard trees, and keep the grounds clear and safe. The home itself is the owner's responsibility, but if storm damage leaves it in disrepair the park can't simply force it out — it must use the 60-day condition process, which lets the resident repair, and can't act based on the home's age or style. The home's construction and anchoring follow the federal HUD code's standards. Oregon doesn't require a park to provide a storm shelter, so disaster preparation and assistance run through county and state emergency management and the federal disaster programs.

Common scenarios

General examples Oregon park residents commonly encounter:

Heavy rain overwhelms the park's drainage or a hazard tree threatens a home. The park must keep drainage working and maintain hazard trees (ORS 90.730; ORS 90.727).
A storm damages a home and the park wants it gone. It must use the 60-day condition process with a right to repair, not act on the home's age or style (ORS 90.632).
Questions arise about how a home is built or anchored. The federal HUD code governs construction (24 C.F.R. Part 3280).

Other authorities that may apply

ORS 90.730 sets the habitability duty for the space and common areas; ORS 90.632 limits condition-based eviction; ORS 90.727 covers hazard trees. The federal HUD code governs home construction, and the Oregon Department of Emergency Management and FEMA administer disaster assistance. A homeowner's insurance policy — not statute — usually governs storm-damage claims.