Prior to the NY Housing Stability & Tenant Protection Act of 2019, New York’s manufactured home residents were vulnerable to arbitrary rent hikes and evictions. Manufactured home residents are now covered by regulations and protections, including:
- Lot rent protections: manufactured home park owners cannot increase rent (including all rent, fees, assessments, charges, and utilities) more than 3%, except if justified by an increase in operating expenses,
property taxes, or costs directly related to a major capital improvement. Residents can sue in court if a rent increase above 3% is not justified. Even if an increase above 3% is justified, the rent cannot increase above 6%, unless the court approves a temporary hardship exception. - Tenants’ rights against eviction if the owner wishes to change the use of the property: If the manufactured home park owner will be changing the use of the property and will no longer operate it as a manufactured home community, the owner cannot evict tenants for 2 years and can be ordered to pay each homeowner up to $15,000.
- Tenants’ right to purchase: If the manufactured home park owner receives an offer from a buyer and the buyer will be changing the use of the property, the homeowners and tenants must be given 140 days to put together their own offer and have the right to purchase the park.
See how Landlord/Tenant attorney Robert Friedman has protected the rights of manufactured home park tenants:
- https://www.wivb.com/news/investigates/akron-mobile-home-residents-fight-back-against-out-of-town-owner/1779504663/
- https://www.wny-lawyers.com/2019/02/friedman-offers-advice-to-unhappy-mobile-home-tenants/
- After withholding rents for one year, senior mobile home tenants in Newstead have reached a settlement with their landlord. Fifty tenants of the Quarry Hill Mobile Home Park began withholding their rents and water charges through their attorney, Robert Friedman in December, 2011. They alleged unsafe and unsanitary conditions in the park consisting of 120 homes. The owner, Lakeshore NY, LLC of Illinois, began eviction proceedings in Newstead Town Court for nonpayment of rent and water charges in September. 2012. The eviction action was vigorously defended by Mr. Friedman, an expert on landlord-tenant law. The settlement agreement, filed with the court, discontinues the evictions. It also discontinues the tenants’ claims for breach of the warranty of habitability. The owner is required to make repairs to the septic system and driveways and provide adequate lighting for the roadways and common areas.