What city dept would likely handle this issue? (San Antonio, Alamo: lease, attorney)

[loves2read]

My sister in law has a mobile home in town south of San Antonio...she rents a lot in mobile home park inside city limits. She was one of the first homes in there, been there for 10 yrs or so. The guy who owns the park is not easy to deal with. He owns homes in the park and has rented them to some tenants that are problamatic--but the biggest problem she is having is water pooling on her lot at the back of the park.

Initially there were few homes between her and the front...as those homes have been added, dirt has been brought in to level their lots.
That added dirt has caused her lot to be lower than those around it and she gets runoff water as well as just retention from rain. This town is close to the coast and gets more rain than we do here. Right now she says she has standing water in her front yard and water pooling/stagnant under the skirting of her mobile home.
That won't dry out since it gets little air circulation and no sun.
She has asthma and the damp adds to her problems.
He won't do anything to remedy the situation--he expects her to pay if she needs dirt brought in to raise her area and also to deal with problem under the home. She did that once before--had the skirting taken off and tried to dry out the underneath but the people who did it told her that her lot was going to catch the runoff because of the topography---

She can't really afford to move her double wide to another park (she is in her 80s and has limited resources) and the park she would want to move to doesn't have place to take her anyway...

This place is likely breeding mosquitos under the mobile home as well as creating an unhealthy environment...
I thought maybe the City could inspect and require the park owner to bring in dirt and amend the problem...
but what dept would cover something like that--

[sapphire]

I'm not sure what city you're talking about but say for instance, Devine...they have a website and a code compliance division even though to me, it is a pretty small town. I would start with whichever city it is--see if they have a website, and then code compliance would probably be able to help. Good luck, man the Golden Years are anything but anymore. Poor thing.

City of Devine

[Azure110]

Originally Posted by loves2read

My sister in law has a mobile home in town south of San Antonio...she rents a lot in mobile home park inside city limits. She was one of the first homes in there, been there for 10 yrs or so. The guy who owns the park is not easy to deal with. He owns homes in the park and has rented them to some tenants that are problamatic--but the biggest problem she is having is water pooling on her lot at the back of the park.

Initially there were few homes between her and the front...as those homes have been added, dirt has been brought in to level their lots.
That added dirt has caused her lot to be lower than those around it and she gets runoff water as well as just retention from rain. This town is close to the coast and gets more rain than we do here. Right now she says she has standing water in her front yard and water pooling/stagnant under the skirting of her mobile home.
That won't dry out since it gets little air circulation and no sun.
She has asthma and the damp adds to her problems.
He won't do anything to remedy the situation--he expects her to pay if she needs dirt brought in to raise her area and also to deal with problem under the home. She did that once before--had the skirting taken off and tried to dry out the underneath but the people who did it told her that her lot was going to catch the runoff because of the topography---

She can't really afford to move her double wide to another park (she is in her 80s and has limited resources) and the park she would want to move to doesn't have place to take her anyway...

This place is likely breeding mosquitos under the mobile home as well as creating an unhealthy environment...
I thought maybe the City could inspect and require the park owner to bring in dirt and amend the problem...
but what dept would cover something like that--

Here is a good place to start: https://www.municode.com/library/tx

Look there and see if your city is listed. If so, then you can search for the city code and possibly find what department handles your issue as described by you above.

[need4speed2012]

VECTOR CONTROL

Vector Control

[Azure110]

Originally Posted by need4speed2012

VECTOR CONTROL

Vector Control

Vector Control is only good for inside San Antonio city limits. OP's relative's home is not in San Antonio. It is "close to the coast", wherever that may be.

[loves2read]

I already found the city's municiple code online but couldn't find what I thought was dept responsible--
guess will have to call say planning/zoning and see if I can get some more specific info

[TexasRedneck]

Try the City's engineering department......

[justiciability]

A landlord has a duty to to repair or remedy a condition that materially affects the physical health or safety of the tenant. In order to prevail in court, the tenant would need to prove:

(1) there is a landlord-tenant relationship;
(2) there is a condition on the leased property that materially affects the physical health or safety of the ordinary tenant;
(3) the condition was either caused by (1) ordinary wear and tear or (2) not caused by the tenant, a lawful occupant, a member of the tenant's family, or the tenant's guest or invitee;
(4) the tenant gave the landlord notice to repair or remedy the condition;
(5) the tenant was not delinquent in paying rent when notice of the condition was given; and
(6) the landlord had a reasonable time to repair or remedy the condition but but did not make a diligent effort to do so.

Further, attorney's fees are recoverable against the landlord. She should hire an attorney.

[loves2read]

Thanks for very specific info

[ashbeeigh]

Since she is older try calling the Alamo Service Connection with AACOG. They may be able to help get things taken care of as well: https://www.aacog.com/index.aspx?nid=107