Pennsylvania lawmakers are renewing efforts to protect residents of manufactured home communities from rising land rents, with one bill advancing in the House and two others introduced in the Senate.
House Bill 1250 passed the House with bipartisan support, 144-59, and now moves to the Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Liz Hanbidge (D-Blue Bell), would tie lot rent increases to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and allow additional increases for extraordinary expenses, provided they are disclosed.
The legislation includes consumer protections such as required fee disclosures, recognition of resident associations, and extended notification deadlines.
Rep. Dan Moul (R-Gettysburg), who owns a manufactured home community, also supported the bill, noting its importance in protecting residents—particularly seniors—on fixed incomes.
The Coalition of Manufactured Home Communities of Pennsylvania, led by founder Bob Besecker, supports the bill. The group, which includes 89 communities and over 750 members on Facebook, plans to focus advocacy on senators in districts with significant manufactured housing populations.
A companion bill package introduced by Sen. Judith Schwank (D-Reading) includes Senate Bill 745, mirroring the CPI-based rent increase provisions, and Senate Bill 746, which requires 90-day notice and gives residents the opportunity to purchase their community if it’s listed for sale or closure.
The bills aim to balance property owner rights with protections for homeowners, particularly from practices by larger private equity firms.
