SECTION 108. Manufactured homes commission; members; duties; compensation

There shall be a manufactured home commission, hereinafter called the commission, consisting of five members, not more than three of whom shall be of the same political party, to be appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the council. At least one of the appointees shall reside in a manufactured housing community and at least one shall be an owner of a manufactured housing community. There shall also be two ex-officio members consisting of the director of housing and community development or a designee and the attorney general or a designee. The commission shall identify issues pertaining to manufactured housing communities, the owners of such communities, and the owners of manufactured homes and shall develop recommendations for means of dealing with these issues. In conjunction with the department of housing and community development, the commission may develop proposals for specific zoning standards to be applicable to new manufactured housing communities in order to ensure that all such new communities are well designed, attractive, and suited to meeting the needs of manufactured home owners. In conjunction with the department of housing and community development, the commission may also formulate proposals for local taxation of manufactured homes and manufactured home sites so that municipal tax revenues meet the cost of a municipality's hosting a manufactured housing community. The commission may also receive complaints from manufactured home owners and owners of manufactured housing communities and if appropriate, may make recommendations for their resolution. The commission shall file a report annually with the governor, the general court, the director of housing and community development and the attorney general about its activities and recommendations if any, together with drafts of legislation necessary to carry such recommendations into effect. The members of the commission shall be appointed initially for terms of one, two, three, four, and five years respectively, as the governor may designate. Upon the expiration of the terms of a member, his or her successor shall be appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the council, for a term of five years. Members of the commission shall receive no compensation for their services, but shall be reimbursed for necessary travelling expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.