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Building department seeks options to clear amnesty backlog of mobile-home violations
Summary
Staff reported 88 amnesty applicants in 2022; 34 completed and received about $15,700 in refunds while 54 cases remain because residents lack funds or certified plans. The commission asked staff to propose how to use remaining ARPA/amnesty funds and to explore procurement or in-house professional options to clear outstanding cases.
Building officials told the commission that the 2022 amnesty program generated 88 applicants seeking relief from legacy code violations tied to additions and other work on mobile homes. Of those applicants, 34 completed the program and received roughly $15,700 in refunds; 54 remain unresolved because many residents cannot afford the architect or engineer certifications required to document code compliance for older additions.
Building Manager Jeffrey Lewis described why the work is stuck: Florida building code requires a certified engineer or architect to validate additions or to prepare corrective plans, and the town has found a limited market of designers willing to prepare that type of mobile-home certification. Staff proposed two near-term options: (1) use the remaining ARPA amnesty allocation (about $78,000) on a first-come/first-serve basis to contract with architects/expediters that specialize in manufactured-home or small-addition certifications; or (2) explore hiring a part-time, contract architect/engineer to perform batch certifications at lower per-unit cost and to support the backlog.
Commissioners asked staff to analyze procurement thresholds (the CCNA statute noted a $35,000 threshold for architect/engineer procurements), estimate per-property costs (staff cited typical architect/engineer fees of $3,000'$5,000 for certifications depending on complexity) and return with a recommended approach and budget. Several commissioners also asked staff to re-check whether building fund reserves could legally support a broader remediation program.
What's next: staff will prepare a cost estimate and procurement path for (a) contracting local specialized consultants and (b) a part-time contract professional; the commission asked for this analysis to appear on the next meeting agenda so it can decide how to use the roughly $78,000 ARPA/amnesty allocation.
