An interesting topic. There are different answers depending on the situation. If the owner is alive, but has abandoned the home, and there is no lien, then you sue the owner under the lease and you can acquire the home at the sheriff’s sale. That would take a good 90 days, I think. The bigger problem is if the owner is deceased - suing doesn’t work. At present, we think your only relief is under the abandoned manufactured homes section of the Landlord Tenant Act, and that only gives you the right to move the vehicle from its pad and store it elsewhere on site. The Act does give you protection if the home is damaged in the course of removal, leading some commentators to suggest that you can safely “remove and inadvertantly destroy” an old mobile home. However, this answer is unsatisfactory if the home is newer or in a salvageable condition. By coincidence I am investigating whether the park owner can avail itself of the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Code to salvage the abandoned home and then get it retitled, but I think that would still involve notices, at the very least published notices and a salvage company (salvor) being involved.
I’l like to hear more about how Steve solved these difficult issues. Thanks and great forum!