DOUGLASSVILLE, PA — Governor Josh Shapiro on Thursday called on Pennsylvania lawmakers to pass legislation limiting rent increases in manufactured home communities, saying new protections are needed for residents facing rising lot rents from out-of-state property management companies.
What This Means for You
- Pennsylvania could limit annual lot rent increases for residents of manufactured home communities.
- New housing policies proposed in the governor’s budget aim to stabilize housing costs and protect renters and homeowners.
- Residents may gain stronger rights when manufactured home communities are sold or redeveloped.
Shapiro visited the Douglass Village manufactured housing community in Berks County to highlight the proposal and meet with residents who say rent increases have made it harder to remain in their homes.
Manufactured home communities are neighborhoods where residents own their factory-built homes but lease the land beneath them from a property owner. In Pennsylvania, about 56,000 households live in these communities, which are often considered one of the more affordable paths to homeownership.
However, some residents have reported significant increases in monthly lot rent in recent years after out-of-state companies purchased their communities.
“Owning your own home is the American dream, but in recent years, we’ve seen greedy out-of-state corporations buy up our communities, increase costs to unaffordable levels, and take advantage of Pennsylvanians, especially our seniors,” Shapiro said during the visit.
Proposed Legislation and Housing Plan
Shapiro urged the Pennsylvania General Assembly to approve legislation that would limit annual lot rent increases for manufactured housing communities.
The proposal is part of the governor’s broader Housing Action Plan and his 2026-27 proposed state budget, which include several housing policy changes intended to address rising housing costs statewide.
A related bill, House Bill 1250 sponsored by state Reps. Liz Hanbidge, Melissa Cerrato, and Joe Webster, has already passed the Pennsylvania House. Sen. Judy Schwank has introduced similar legislation in the Pennsylvania Senate.
The governor’s housing agenda also includes proposals to:
- Cap rental application fees based on the actual cost of background checks.
- Allow tenants experiencing domestic violence to end leases without penalty.
- Seal eviction records for tenants who were not ultimately evicted.
- Update state planning rules to reduce barriers to housing development.
Officials say the policies are designed to make housing more stable and affordable across Pennsylvania.
Residents Describe Impact of Rent Increases
Douglass Village, a 55-and-older manufactured housing community with more than 300 homes, was purchased in 2022 by Kingsley Management, a Utah-based property management company that owns similar communities nationwide.
Residents say rent increases since the purchase have strained household budgets, particularly for retirees living on fixed incomes.
“I have been trying to stay in my home on a single, fixed income since my husband passed away, but as my lot rent continues to increase, it’s been hard,” resident Christine Ziemer said.
Ziemer said residents hope new legislation will prevent steep rent increases in manufactured housing communities across Pennsylvania.
Next Steps
Shapiro’s proposed Housing Action Plan also calls for additional reforms, including giving residents the right of first refusal if their community is sold and requiring property owners to notify residents and local governments of pending sales or redevelopment plans.
The proposals are now under consideration by the Pennsylvania General Assembly as lawmakers review the governor’s 2026-27 budget and related housing legislation.
For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN.