After Sylmar fire, officials rethink safety standards for mobile home parks

The firestorm that destroyed most of Oakridge Mobile Home Park in Sylmar has prompted investigations into whether tougher standards are needed to protect residents of manufactured housing in fire-prone areas.

Because many elderly people live in mobile home parks, state regulators and elected officials plan to explore the adequacy of evacuation plans and emergency procedures, which have been lacking at parks throughout the state.

State and county officials say they also will research policies on the spacing of mobile homes, the number of dwellings per acre, the removal of brush and flammable debris and the amount of flame- retardant building materials required in a mobile home.

Advocates for mobile home owners say that much needs to be done, from improving fire hydrants to better code enforcement by the state Department of Housing and Community Development, which regulates manufactured dwellings.

"This fire has brought a bright spotlight on manufactured housing because the state has put no care into the inspection and enforcement of health and safety measures," said Glenn Bell, president of Neighborhood Friends, a nonprofit advocate for mobile home owners.

Bell contends that the state has been slow to address complaints and inspect potential violations of health and safety codes. He said it took two years to get the state to investigate complaints of illegal wiring at the Blue Star mobile home park in Sylmar. The state eventually found problems throughout the 189-unit park.

Chris Anderson, a chief of field operations for the state housing department, disagreed with Bell. He said complicated cases can take time, that less serious violations don't require immediate correction, and that the department has been willing to grant extensions to park owners who are trying to make corrections.