Residents living in Pennsylvania’s manufactured home communities are awaiting legislative action to offer transparency and curb unpredictable price increases, according to lawmakers.
House Bill 1250, which passed the Pennsylvania House with bipartisan support last year, remains in the Senate. State Senate Bills 745 and 746 have stalled in Harrisburg.
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Residents in manufactured home communities own their factory-built homes but rent the land beneath them.
Proponents said the 56,000 homes in Pennsylvania represent one of the most accessible paths to homeownership in a busy and costly real estate market.
In recent years, many households have faced broad monthly lot rent increases.
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The hikes force residents to pay out-of-state corporations higher rents while remaining responsible for local real estate and school taxes, as well as additional utility fees in some cases, according to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s office.
Shapiro called for legislative action in March to limit annual lot rent increases.
The Senate measures propose capping lot rent increases to the Consumer Price Index, and allow the property owners to add fee increases to cover large repairs or unexpected expenses.
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Opponents argue the legislation acts as rent control and creates a difficult process for owners seeking increases that are above the rate of inflation, according to a June article in The Center Square.
The news outlet reported that the Pennsylvania Manufactured Housing Association opposes the bills.
In addition to rate restrictions, State Sen. Steve Santarsiero, a Democrat, introduced Senate Bill 1446 to establish an Office of Manufactured Housing Ombudsman. The bill serves as a companion to House Bill 2098, sponsored by Democratic State Rep. Joe Ciresi and co-sponsored by Democratic State Rep. Tim Brennan.
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The legislation would create both an ombudsman office and a Manufactured Home Hearing Board to resolve disputes involving lot rent, leases, community rules, evictions, and residency approvals. The office would also educate residents on their rights and handle health, safety, and environmental concerns.
“Manufactured home communities provide an important path to affordable homeownership for Pennsylvanians, but residents can face difficult disputes with community owners while having few places to turn for help,” Santarsiero said. “Many manufactured homeowners own their home but lease the land it sits on, leaving them with nowhere to turn when landowners hike their rent unfairly. Our legislation would give manufactured homeowners a dedicated resource to understand their rights, resolve disputes and ensure that their concerns receive a fair and impartial review. We need to make sure that people who have invested their savings in their homes have meaningful protections and a voice when decisions affecting their communities are made.”
In August, Santarsiero and Brennan met with roughly 200 residents of the Buckingham Springs community in Buckingham Township to discuss their experiences with rising rents and landlord disputes.
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“Too many residents are struggling to keep up with steep and repeated lot rent increases, and the General Assembly needs to step up and make sure people who have worked hard to own their homes are not priced out of them,” said Bob Besecker of the Coalition of Manufactured Home Communities of Pennsylvania.
Besecker said that the coalition views SB 1446 favorably, but warned that action is needed.
“The Senate must act on House Bill 1250, which is currently awaiting action in the Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee, and continue advancing the comprehensive protections manufactured home residents deserve,” Besecker said.
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Brennan pointed out that many residents at Buckingham Springs are seniors living on fixed incomes who chose the community for its long-term affordability.
“What also stands out is how much these neighbors look out for one another, supporting each other through the stress of not knowing whether they’ll be able to remain in their own homes,” Brennan said.
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Santarsiero and Brennan sent a letter to McKee Villages, the owner of Buckingham Springs, outlining HB 1250 and asking the company to voluntarily comply with its provisions before official passage.
