The Wisconsin Mfd Home Owners Association  encourages you NOT to BUY a manufactured home. The building process, both on-site and in the factories, is about cutting corners—using inferior quality sheathing, cutting boards too short to meet in the center of studs—problems that promote irregular air exchange within a house and which eventually produce growth of mold and excessive heating bills. 

Additional problems:  fraud, misdealing, false statement, improper assembly, illegally based seizure of homes, defective set up, worthless warranties, and suspect consumer protection.  

If you are unfortunate enough to get caught in this malignant Pandora's Box as an unsuspecting consumer, you will find yourself immersed in an endless war that will consume the rest of your life and your life's income. You will get no satisfaction from HUD or even some legislators and state agencies because many have been corrupted by the MH industry—they have been bought off with big money and the heady power of control over millions of victims.

WIMHOA has a contractual legal agreement with Attorney David Sparer of Herrick Law in Madison for representation; he has expertise in landlord-tenant issues.  We require 30 days status as a member for participation in  WIMHOA's membership benefits (reduced legal costs).   We believe this is fair to both our current  and new members, since as volunteers, we invest our own money and time in keeping WIMHOA viable and effective.   But our goal is to establish a Legal Fund, since group purchase of legal services is more cost effective and available to people who might otherwise not have access to any.

Contact us if you need information about how, where, and what you can do to curb intimidation tactics, thwart an illegal eviction, evade or nullify an illegal lease, etc., and get media exposure.  Using the Media is our best weapon, since money and people are in limited supply.   Keep a camcorder or any simple camera ready at all times.  Invest in a good Tenant Rights reference book.  Wisconsin DATCP published one recently; Nolo Press also has excellent books on this subject.

AARP also has an excellent book called Manufactured Housing Community Tenants:  Shifting the Balance of Power.  See their website under Public Policy Institute for the full text; this text recommends legal language on MHP tenancy issues for adoption by states, including laws in effect in every state.

We know of a reasonably priced attorney you can contact if you need a letter or legal advice for the following:  Immigration services ($300-2500); Landlord-Tenant issues ($50-125); Estate planning ($75-250); Other hourly consultations ($75).  See the following website <www.JHBondLaw.com>for an email address; phone 608/204-9572.

Another source of good information is the Tenant Resource Center in Madison www.tenantresourcecenter.org.   See their website for timely tenant advice and counsel.  The TRC presents seminars around the state annually for anyone who works or lives in this environment.

To truly help yourself, read everything you can find on state law, tenancy law, and your rights.   Knowledge is power!