Who's responsible for what
In a mobilehome park the electrical system has two owners. The park is responsible for the lot's electrical service equipment, usually the pedestal at your space, along with the park's own wiring and lighting. You're responsible for the feeder or power cord that connects your home to the lot service, and for everything inside the home. If the problem is at the pedestal or in the park's lines, report it to park management in writing; it's normally theirs to fix, or the utility's in parks converted to direct utility service. If it's in the feeder or inside the home, we can help.
Permits come from the state, not the city
Electrical work on a mobilehome or manufactured home is permitted and inspected by California's Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), which requires an alteration permit before the work starts. HCD's guidelines spell out what needs one:
- Adding a dedicated circuit or air conditioning: permit and a load calculation.
- Adding or replacing a circuit, replacing the panel, or replacing aluminum branch circuits with copper: permit.
- Upgrading the home's electrical system, or adding an EV charger or its outlet: permit and a load calculation.
- Installing a meter base: permit and plan review.
- Adding a ceiling fan: permit.
- Replacing an air conditioner, even like for like: permit (a load calculation only if the load increases).
- No permit: replacing a breaker or fuse with one of the same type and amperage, replacing an outlet or switch, or replacing a built-in appliance like for like.
Work on the park's own system is permitted by the park's enforcement agency. For most parks that's HCD, which enforces the Mobilehome Parks Act in about four of every five parks in the state; elsewhere it's a city or county that has taken over the job. HCD's park search shows which agency covers yours.
What inspectors find most
In its 2025 park maintenance inspections, HCD's most common electrical findings on residents' spaces were service equipment padlocked so it couldn't be reached, extension cords used as permanent wiring, outlets and equipment not suited to wet locations, and exposed plastic-sheathed cable. On the park side the top two electrical findings were exposed live parts and equipment not approved for wet locations. Each one is a real hazard, and most are straightforward to fix properly.
What we do for residents
- Troubleshooting dead outlets, flickering lights and breakers that trip.
- New circuits for a microwave, a window or wall air conditioner, a freezer or a workshop, with the load calculation HCD requires.
- Panel replacements and upgrades to the home's electrical system.
- Replacing aluminum branch wiring with copper.
- Repairing or replacing the feeder between the lot service and the home.
- Outdoor outlets in weatherproof boxes, ceiling fans, lighting, and EV charging circuits where the lot service allows.
For park owners and managers
We also work for park owners on repairs to the park's electrical system, lot service equipment, park lighting and common-area buildings, including corrections after an inspection notice. If your park has been selected by the CPUC for conversion to direct utility service under the Mobilehome Park Utility Upgrade Program, the utility builds the new system up to the resident meters, and in SCE territory the park owner chooses the contractor for the work from those meters to the homes. Call us to talk through that scope.
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