Accomplishments
It's one thing to recognize a problem exists; it's quite another  to take action to solve it. Every year, FMO members submit suggestions for legislative action; the Board of Directors reviews these suggestions and decides what FMO's legislative priorities will be for the next year. Then we marshal our resources to push for the suggestion to become law.

FMO's accomplishments for manufactured home owners span its extensive history. In fact, FMO was founded specifically to organize manufactured home owners to defeat, ironically, a mandatory tie-down ordinance that the St. Petersburg City Counsel had planned. Years later, FMO fought for and won legislation to secure funds to assist homeowners in retrofitting their homes with tie-downs.

In 2001 we celebrated the passage of legislation that creates a trust fund to compensate manufactured home owners displaced because of a change in land use, a well-deserved victory after a hard-fought battle.  
For a full list of accomplishments click here!

• Legislation

Survey results reveal that 71 percent of FMO members joined FMO because of the clout it gives them in the Florida legislature.

Every year, the FMO Board of Directors identifies areas that may make manufactured home owners vulnerable and then formulates a legislative agenda that is aggressively pursued by our legislative counsel, lobbyist, and members.

• Litigation

When the situation demands it, the FMO Board of Directors will direct our legislative and/or corporate counsel to jealously defend and protect the rights and well-being of FMO's members.

• Legal Counsel

FMO's Legal Counsel, Diana Davis Basta, litigates specific cases and provides advice to the Board, the Largo staff, and to members through the LegalEase column in FMO News.

• Lobbying

FMO's lobbyist works diligently to progress legislation that affects seniors, families, and the other mix of people who comprise our membership.

Count on FMO to look out for your best interests in Tallahassee.

• Research

Board members, officers, staff, and legal counsel work behind the scenes to help you find the information you need to set up a homeowners' association, run an effective meeting, set up acquisition committees or file an official complaint. Members have the collective resources of the FMO at their disposal when they need assistance.

• Education

Another popular benefit of joining the FMO is the many workshops held throughout the year. Workshops for those living in rental communities cover topics like negotiating with your park owner, organizing a successful homeowners' association, and purchasing your park.

For those in resident owned communities, workshops cover topics like managing your community.

• Public Service

"People Helping People" is one of the founding principles of FMO, and our members prove it every day. In addition to the volunteer work they do assisting other manufactured home owners, many of them band together to organize collection and recycling events and then donate the proceeds to area schools. Other FMO members brush off the skills they honed for years before their retirement and volunteer as consultants and tutors.

• Rental Communities

Residents of rental manufactured home communities own their homes and rent the lot  on which the home sets. The FMO helps residents of rental manufactured/mobile home communities prepare for negotiating with their park owners regarding rent increases.

The FMO also provides information about Chapter 723, Florida Statutes (FS), which governs unique park owner/lot renter issues.

In addition, the FMO offers workshops on negotiating with a park owner and resident purchase of a community.

• Resident Owned Communities

The FMO has pushed for and won many rights for resident owned communities (cooperative and condominium forms of ownership),  including clarification of homestead exemption requirements so cooperative manufactured home residents could claim the $25,000 exemption from taxation enjoyed by other Florida residents.

Working with other organizations, the FMO has also succeeded in getting the Florida legislature to lower the annual fees for registering a not-for-profit corporation with the state.

• Family Communities

The FMO is aware of the unique challenges faced by families. As working parents with small children or working adults without children, those who live in family communities are consumed with many activities during the day and don't have time to worry about new local or state laws that could affect their lives. The FMO monitors these issues for them.

• Subdivisions

In the early 1990s, FMO members who lived in subdivisions began  asking the FMO for assistance with some problems they were having with community developers. In 1995, the FMO successfully pushed legislation specifically for mandatory homeowners' associations, which include subdivisions.