Mobilehome, casa movil, casa rodante or traila. Regardless of how you say “mobilehome,” a new state program that has already helped nearly 1,000 mobilehome owners in California, is now making it easier for Spanish-speaking homeowners.

Mobilehome owners across the state are saving hundreds or even thousands of dollars in state fees, penalties, and local taxes through California’s Fee and Tax Waiver Program, developed by the California Department of Housing and Community Development. The program helps people who purchased a mobilehome or manufactured home but never received the necessary title or registration. The program waives many state and local taxes, fees, and penalties.

Because many mobilehome and manufactured homeowners are Spanish-only or Spanish-preferred speakers, HCD has launched a new Spanish-language option on its Fee and Tax Waiver Program website, www.RegisterYourMobilehomeCA.org. HCD also has Spanish-speaking customer service representatives available to assist mobilehome owners.

“California is a very diverse state, and we are focused on making sure this particular program is accessible for all owners who could benefit. We want to make sure our Spanish-speaking customers have no language barriers when taking advantage of this opportunity to protect their homes,” said HCD Director Ben Metcalf.

Mobilehome-living can be a great, affordable option for individuals and families, but as many as one of every three — or about 160,000 mobilehomes — do not have the proper title and registration, either because homeowners did not know they needed them, or tried to register but discovered liens from back due fees and taxes, often incurred by previous owners. For owners who face liens on their homes, this is a critical issue that can prevent them from legally selling their homes or transferring them to loved ones.

The Fee and Tax Waiver Program, passed as Assembly Bill 587 and signed by Governor Edmund G. Brown in 2016, went into effect in 2017.

Mobilehome and manufactured home owners who have never applied for registration and do not have title are eligible for the program. There are many reasons for mobilehome owners to receive proper registration and title. Without registration and title, in addition to liens preventing them from selling or transferring their mobilehomes, owners may also be unable to collect funds from fire or flood insurance claims, obtain building permits for major improvements, or access energy efficiency loans from utility providers.

HCD is committed to helping all mobilehome owners apply for the Fee and Tax Waiver Program, regardless of the language they speak. In addition to Spanish and English, the RegisterYourMobilehomeCA.org website offers the Google Translate tool, which allows users to view the information in 100 other languages, including Vietnamese, Chinese, Russian, and Arabic.

For more information, go to www.RegisterYourMobilehomeCA.org or call (800) 952-8356. Phone assistance is also available in all languages.