Rep. Matt Norris, DFL-Blaine, speaks at a press conference on March 18, 2025, about a bill he co-authored, the Manufactured Home Park Resident Bill of Rights. Photo by Madison McVan/Minnesota Reformer.
Ever since a private equity firm purchased a Blaine manufactured home park five years ago, residents have faced increasing fees and worse service.
The new owners raised rents by $50 to $65 every year and created a new $200 per month landscaping fee, straining the finances of the residents on a fixed income, said Tami Fry, a resident of the park, at a news conference on Tuesday.
DFL lawmakers are backing a bill (HF2381/SF2691) that seeks to rein in bad behavior from manufactured home park owners.
Of the approximately 80,000 manufactured homes in Minnesota, around half are located in parks, where residents own the home but rent the land it sits on.
“This halfway homeownership structure creates an especially risky situation and an unstable environment for low-income homeowners across the state,” said Rep. Matt Norris, DFL-Blaine, one of the bill’s authors.
The bill would:
- Cap rent increases at 3% per year unless the owner can prove a larger increase is necessary for the health and safety of the residents.
- Require park owners to provide an itemized list of current fees and charges, a log of communications between the resident and owner and a phone number to contact if there are issues with an online platform.
- Give residents of a park the opportunity to purchase the park before it is sold to an outside buyer.
- Prohibit park owners from charging residents for costs related to utility repairs.
The bill is co-authored by a number of Democrats, including the DFL housing committee chairs in both chambers, but bills will require bipartisan support to pass the tied House.