Content area of Guidelines for Living: Number of Residents to Recreational Vehicles

by Chrissy Jackson

  In November, we covered Guidelines for Living topics, Laws through Noise. Let's get started with our new topics for December!

Number of Residents per Home. This is a really touchy area for Community

Managers to address when writing Guidelines. Until HUD has appropriately defined a

“bedroom” the Community Manager cannot legally restrict the number of residents or

occupants based on the number of bedrooms in the home. If the Community provides

water and sewer as part of the base rent, and if there is a history of the community

restricting the number of Residents per home based on that fact, it may be something

that can be done. If there are septic tanks in the Community, and the Community

Manager has historically limited the number of Residents due to this reason, it may be

another case where it could be continued. The key is consistency and wording. Do not

disallow any applicant because they have too many children. Do not disallow any

applicant because they have too many people per bedroom. Does the Community

Manager want to limit the homes to a single family? Or does the Community Manager

want two or more families to live together? Do the Residents who share a home have

to be related by blood or marriage? Will the Community allow two single persons to

share a home? What happens when the third one moves in? Another area to consider

is the number of vehicles that Residents will bring with them, and the type of parking

arrangements which are available.

Occupancy. Will the Community limit occupancy of any home to only those

people who are on an approved Application for Residency? Must all occupants register

at the Community Manager’s office and be approved prior to moving into the

Community?

Parking. Where does the Community want Residents to park their vehicles? On

driveways? On the grass? On the street? Is parking limited to cars and pick-up trucks

and vans? Are big tractor-trailer rigs permitted? What about recreational vehicles? Is

there a different area for guests to use to park their vehicles? Does the Community

Manager want to tow illegally parked vehicles? If so, check out the state and local

requirements for posting of signs, giving of notices, and time limits that may be imposed

on a Community prior to towing.

Pool. If the Community has a swimming pool, there should be a separate set of

User Guidelines specifically developed for the use and operation of the pool and posted

at the facility. Check the state and local laws. Sometimes the age of Residents and/or

guests using the pool is restricted by law. Will guests be permitted to use the pool

without their host Resident in attendance? Will diving be permitted? Will glass bottles

or glass of any type be permitted? May Residents bring in alcoholic beverages? May

they bring in food or beverages? Is there pool furniture provided by the Community?

May it be removed from the pool area or thrown into the water? Should all bathers

(people who want to use the pool) shower before entering the pool? Who is responsible

for cleaning up the pool area? Is there smoking permitted at the pool? Who cleans up

the cigarette butts that miss the ashtrays? Who empties the ashtrays? Are animals

permitted in the pool area (be careful not to restrict help animals)? Are wheeled

vehicles (bicycles, strollers) permitted in the pool area (be careful not to restrict

wheelchairs)? What is the proper dress for the pool? Are there Pool Pass Tags that

must be worn or carried for identification and entry purposes? Is there to be an

attendant? A Pool Monitor? A Lifeguard? What is the procedure in case of medical

emergency? Is there a pay phone near the pool? Is it clearly marked? Will the

Community Manager permit the use of rafts, floats, inner tubes, or water games? Is the

pool available to Residents to use for private parties?

Recreational Vehicles. Will the Community permit recreational vehicles to be

brought in or stored? Is there a storage area where they are required to be parked? May a recreational vehicle be parked at the Resident’s homesite for a 24 hour period for

the purposes of loading or unloading? Who will be responsible for damage that occurs

to a recreational vehicle if it is parked anywhere other than the Resident’s homesite?

May a truck camper which is driven as a vehicle to and from work be parked in the

driveway of a homesite? Will Residents be permitted to plug recreational vehicles into

the outside electrical outlets at their home? Or to hook into the sewer clean out? Or to

dump the holding tanks into the sewer line via the clean out?

I hope you are enjoying and benefiting from this monthly series. Go to the search engine tool at the top of the page and plug in my name to see more articles on the Guidelines for Living topic. Call me with questions or needs and enjoy the holidays! See you with more in the new year, 2012. # #

Chrissy Jackson is Vice President, Florida Writers Foundation, Inc. Contact her at her website or via This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or by writing P.O. Box 66069, St. Pete Beach, FL 33736-6069.

For Chrissy Jackson's bio, please click here.