Florida Mobile Home Park Closure: Residents Rights Guide

October 8, 202610 min readBy Barrett Henry, REALTOR®Last updated: October 8, 2026

Thousands of Florida residents live in mobile home parks where they own their home unit but rent the lot. When a park owner decides to close the park -- to sell the land, redevelop the site, or change its use -- residents face the loss of their housing and the potential loss of their home's value. Florida law provides significant protections for these residents, but those protections only work if residents understand them and act quickly.

This guide explains the Florida Mobile Home Act protections that apply when a park closes, how the closure process intersects with home unit mortgages and mobile home foreclosure, and what options residents have during the 127-day notice period.

Barrett Henry is a Broker Associate at REMAX Collective with 23+ years of Florida real estate experience helping homeowners across all 67 counties navigate distressed property situations, including manufactured housing and mobile home communities.

The 127-Day Notice Requirement Under F.S. 723.083

Florida Statute 723.083 requires a mobile home park owner to give each affected resident a minimum of 127 days written notice before the park closes or changes use. This notice requirement cannot be shortened by a lease agreement, arbitration clause, or any other contractual provision.

The written notice must:

State the specific date on which the park will close or the change will occur
Identify the reason for the closure or change of use
Describe the relocation assistance that will be provided under F.S. 723.0612
Notify residents of their right to purchase the park under F.S. 723.071 if applicable

The 127 days begins from the date the notice is properly delivered to the resident, not the date it is mailed. If the notice was not properly delivered or does not contain the required information, residents can challenge its validity and the 127-day clock may not have started.

Residents Right to Purchase the Park (F.S. 723.071)

Under Florida Statute 723.071, when a mobile home park owner decides to sell the park or change its use, the mobile home park homeowners association (or qualified residents organization) has a right of first refusal to purchase the park. The owner must give the association written notice of the intended sale price and terms. The association then has 45 days to match that offer.

Several Florida mobile home parks have been successfully converted to resident-owned cooperatives (ROCs) through this process. Organizations including the Florida Housing Finance Corporation (FHFC) and national networks like ROC USA provide technical assistance and financing to help residents organize and purchase their parks. If your park is facing closure, immediately contact your residents association or help organize one -- this is the first step toward exercising the right-of-first-refusal.

The right of first refusal is triggered by a sale to a third party or a change of use -- it does not apply in all closure scenarios. Consult a Florida attorney to determine whether your specific situation triggers this right.

Relocation Assistance Under F.S. 723.0612

The Florida Mobile Home Relocation Trust Fund, administered by the Florida Mobile Home Relocation Corporation, provides relocation assistance to displaced residents. The mandatory minimum payments (subject to annual adjustment) are typically:

Single-wide home: $1,375 or the actual cost of moving the home within 50 miles, whichever is less
Double-wide home: $2,750 or the actual cost of moving the home within 50 miles, whichever is less
Home that cannot be relocated: The appraised value of the home if it cannot be moved due to age, condition, or configuration

These statutory minimums are often far below the actual cost of moving a home and the financial disruption caused by a park closure. Residents should negotiate additional relocation assistance during the 127-day notice period -- some park owners offer enhanced packages to facilitate smoother closures. The park owner is required to pay the relocation assistance directly to the resident or to the Florida Mobile Home Relocation Corporation's trust fund.

How Park Closure Affects Your Home Mortgage

The impact of a park closure on your mortgage depends on how your home is titled and financed:

Chattel loan (personal property):If your mobile home is titled as a vehicle (not affixed to real property), the mortgage is a chattel loan secured by the home unit. The lender's collateral is the home itself. If you relocate the home to a new park, the chattel loan continues on the same terms -- the lender holds a lien on the home unit wherever it is located. If the home cannot be moved and is abandoned, this is a total loss situation and the lender can repossess the unit.
Real property mortgage:If your home was affixed to the lot and converted to real property under Florida law (with a mortgage on the combined home and lot), a park closure that requires the home to be removed creates a complex situation. The land (lot) is being taken away; the home's value as real property depends on its connection to the land. You need to contact your servicer immediately and consult a Florida attorney about how to handle this scenario.

In either case, if you stop paying your loan because of the park closure, the lender can file a foreclosure action independently of the park closure. The park closure may support a hardship letter for a loan modification, but it does not automatically pause the lender's rights.

Options for Mobile Home Residents Facing Park Closure

Organize the homeowners association: If no association exists, form one immediately. The right to purchase the park and the right to negotiate collectively are association-based.
Explore ROC conversion: Contact the Florida Housing Finance Corporation or ROC USA about financing a resident purchase of the park.
Find alternative park placement: Begin researching available lots in nearby parks during the 127-day window. Moving costs are lower when planned in advance.
Contact your servicer: If you hold a chattel or real property mortgage on your home, notify your servicer of the park closure and ask about loan modification or forbearance options.
Claim relocation assistance: Register your claim with the Florida Mobile Home Relocation Corporation early in the notice period.
Consult an attorney: If the notice was defective, the park owner is not complying with F.S. 723.083, or you believe a violation has occurred, a Florida attorney can help enforce your rights.

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Barrett Henry

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Barrett Henry has 23+ years of real estate experience helping Florida homeowners navigate foreclosure, short sales, and distressed property situations. He serves all 67 Florida counties with offices in Tampa, Largo, and Brandon.

(813) 761-0133

Frequently Asked Questions

How much notice does a Florida mobile home park have to give before closing?

Florida law requires mobile home park owners to give residents a minimum of 127 days written notice before closing a park, changing its use (such as converting to apartments or a commercial development), or substantially altering the park so that mobile homes must be removed. The notice must specify the date of closure or change, the reason, and the relocation assistance available. This 127-day requirement is set by Florida Statute 723.083 and applies regardless of lease terms. Individual lot leases cannot waive this protection. The 127-day period gives residents time to find alternative placement, attempt to purchase the park, and arrange financing for relocation.

Do Florida mobile home park residents have a right to purchase the park before it closes?

Yes, with qualifications. Florida Statute 723.071 gives mobile home park residents -- organized as a homeowners association or cooperative -- a right of first refusal to purchase the park when the owner receives a bona fide offer to sell or intends to change the use. The owner must notify the residents association in writing, and the association has 45 days to match the offered price and terms. Many residents associations have used this right to form resident-owned cooperatives (ROCs) through programs like the Resident Owned Communities (ROC) USA network or Florida-specific programs. However, this right does not apply to all closure scenarios -- only when the closure results from a sale triggering the use change.

What relocation assistance is available when a Florida mobile home park closes?

Florida Statute 723.0612 requires mobile home park owners to pay relocation benefits to displaced residents. The current minimums (as periodically adjusted by the Florida Mobile Home Relocation Trust Fund) are typically $1,375 for a single-wide home and $2,750 for a double-wide home, or the actual cost of moving the home within 50 miles -- whichever is less. If the home cannot be moved (too old, structurally compromised, or immovable), the owner must pay the appraised value of the home. The Florida Mobile Home Relocation Corporation administers the program. Note that these statutory minimums are often far below actual relocation costs, and residents should negotiate additional compensation through the notice period.

What happens to my mortgage if my Florida mobile home park closes and I have to move my home?

This depends on how your mortgage is structured. If your mobile home is personal property (titled as a vehicle rather than real property), the mortgage is a chattel loan and the collateral is the home unit itself -- moving the home does not automatically affect the loan. However, if your home was affixed to the land and converted to real property (with a real property mortgage on the combined unit and lot), a park closure creates a complex title and collateral situation. You would need to separate the home from the land, retitle it as personal property, and potentially refinance. Contact your servicer immediately upon receiving a park closure notice to understand how your specific loan is affected.

Can I get a loan modification if my mobile home park is closing and I cannot afford to move?

The circumstances of a park closure affecting your ability to repay may qualify as a financial hardship for purposes of a loan modification. Write a hardship letter explaining that the park closure and relocation costs have created an unexpected financial burden. If the home is destroyed or becomes worthless after closure (for example, if it cannot be moved and is not relocated), you may be dealing with a total loss situation rather than a standard modification scenario. In that case, a short sale of the home before closure -- even if the sale proceeds are less than the loan balance -- may be a better outcome than waiting for the park to close. See our guide on short sales and mobile home foreclosure.

Does the Florida Mobile Home Act apply to RV parks and manufactured housing communities?

The Florida Mobile Home Act (Chapter 723, Florida Statutes) applies to mobile home parks -- communities where lots are rented for residential use by manufactured or mobile homes that are not affixed to real property under long-term deeds. It generally does not apply to RV parks (which are typically governed by a different statutory framework for transient accommodations) or to communities where homeowners own the underlying land. Manufactured housing communities where residents own their lots under deed or ground lease are governed by different rules. If you are unsure which category applies to your community, contact the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles or a Florida attorney familiar with mobile home law.

What should I do if I receive a park closure notice in Florida?

Act within the first two weeks. First, verify the notice was properly delivered in accordance with F.S. 723.083. Second, contact the mobile home park homeowners association (or help organize one if none exists) to explore the right to purchase the park under F.S. 723.071. Third, contact the Florida Mobile Home Relocation Corporation to register your claim for relocation benefits. Fourth, contact your mortgage servicer to explain the situation. Fifth, evaluate whether your home can be moved and what the actual cost would be. Finally, if you believe the park closure violates Florida law or was not properly noticed, consult a Florida attorney. The 127-day window is your leverage -- use it.

Can I stop my mobile home from being foreclosed if the park is closing?

A park closure and a mortgage foreclosure are separate legal proceedings. If you stop paying your chattel loan or real property mortgage because of the park closure, the lender can still initiate foreclosure independently of the park closure timeline. The park closure may create a hardship defense in the foreclosure or grounds to negotiate a forbearance or modification, but it does not automatically pause the lender's foreclosure rights. If your home is about to be foreclosed and the park is also closing, a voluntary surrender (deed in lieu for real property, or voluntary surrender for chattel) coordinated with both the park closure and the lender may minimize your overall exposure.

Florida Foreclosure Guides

Understanding your options is the first step. These guides break down every path available to Florida homeowners.

→How Foreclosure Works in Florida →Ways to Stop a Foreclosure →Loan Modification Options →Short Sale Guide →Foreclosure vs. Short Sale →Lis Pendens Explained →Get a Cash Offer →Sell Before Foreclosure

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