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Program History

The Occupational Licensing (OL) Program was transferred from the Department of Motor Vehicles to the Department of Housing and Community Development in 1980. The Governor's Reorganization Plan Number 1 of 1980, temporarily transferred the Vehicle Code statutes applicable to manufacturers, representatives (manufacturer's salespersons), dealers, distributors, salespersons and transporters to the Health and Safety Code. A "temporary transfer" was possible because the Government Code permits the Governor to authorize such reorganizations as long as the present legislative session, or the next session if the Legislature is not in session, codifies the reorganization by the passage of a bill.

The reorganization was codified in the 1981 legislative session by Senate Bill 1193, Chapter 975. Chapter 975 completed the transfer and reorganized the Health and Safety Code, Division 13, Part 2, and entitled it the "Mobilehomes-Manufactured Housing Act of 1980."

The transfer from DMV was urged and supported by the Department, a consumer association, and industry so that all manufactured housing issues could be handled by one state government department. The same effort transferred the registration and titling for manufactured homes, mobilehomes, and commercial modulars from DMV to this Department a year later, effective July 1, 1981.

Since the OL transfer in 1980, the Department, industry, and consumer interest groups have sponsored legislation to improve the code, enhance enforcement, and strengthen consumer protection. Significant enactment's include: requirements for a receipt for deposit with specific contents and disclosures; disclosure of all purchase offers to sellers; preliminary and continuing education for dealers and salespersons of manufactured homes and mobilehomes; creation of the Manufactured Home Recovery Fund in place of dealer bonds; creation of the Mobilehome Ombudsman; and occupational experience prerequisites for dealer license applicants.

The Department has promulgated regulations to ensure that the program is able to enforce specific requirements relating to sales, advertising, applying for license renewals, continuing education, etc.