The "Manufactured Housing Tenant's Bill of Rights Act of 2025" aims to safeguard residents of manufactured home communities by making federal financing for these communities conditional on the implementation of robust consumer protections. Specifically, it mandates that any borrower seeking federal loan insurance or purchase for the construction, rehabilitation, or acquisition of a manufactured home community must certify that all lease agreements across all their owned communities include a set of minimum consumer protections. These minimum consumer protections include rights such as 1-year renewable lease terms, a 60-day written notice for rent increases (with additional notice for larger increases) including justification, and a 5-day grace period for rent payments. Tenants are also granted a right to cure defaults within 15 days and the right to sell their manufactured home in place, even after eviction, within a reasonable timeframe. Furthermore, the bill ensures tenants can sublease or assign their pad site lease to a new buyer unless the buyer fails reasonable application criteria, and they have the right to post "For Sale" signs. The legislation also requires a 60-day advance written notice of a community's planned sale or closure, including the price and terms, and mandates good faith negotiation with tenants if they wish to purchase the community. Tenancy termination is restricted to material noncompliance or legitimate business reasons, with tenants receiving written notice of the specific reasons. Importantly, these federal protections do not supersede any state or local laws offering greater tenant rights. To ensure compliance, borrowers must submit documentation, including a copy of their standard lease agreement, to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development or the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Non-compliance carries significant penalties, including a prohibition from securing future federally backed financing or housing-related federal assistance for at least two years for willful and material violations. Additional penalties include monetary compensation to injured tenants, such as six months' rent for wrongful termination or repayment of increased rent with interest and a 25% penalty for improper rent increases. The Act also introduces covered pricing incentives for federal loans, which will reward borrowers who implement resident protections that exceed the minimum standards. It requires the public availability of a list of properties covered by these protections. Finally, the bill establishes a 16-member Manufactured Home Community Lending Standards Commission to propose additional consumer protection standards and directs the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency to develop a standard site-lease agreement to ensure mortgage loan eligibility for homes in communities utilizing it.
Manufactured Housing Tenant’s Bill of Rights Act of 2025
USA119th CongressHR-2461| House
| Updated: 3/27/2025
The "Manufactured Housing Tenant's Bill of Rights Act of 2025" aims to safeguard residents of manufactured home communities by making federal financing for these communities conditional on the implementation of robust consumer protections. Specifically, it mandates that any borrower seeking federal loan insurance or purchase for the construction, rehabilitation, or acquisition of a manufactured home community must certify that all lease agreements across all their owned communities include a set of minimum consumer protections. These minimum consumer protections include rights such as 1-year renewable lease terms, a 60-day written notice for rent increases (with additional notice for larger increases) including justification, and a 5-day grace period for rent payments. Tenants are also granted a right to cure defaults within 15 days and the right to sell their manufactured home in place, even after eviction, within a reasonable timeframe. Furthermore, the bill ensures tenants can sublease or assign their pad site lease to a new buyer unless the buyer fails reasonable application criteria, and they have the right to post "For Sale" signs. The legislation also requires a 60-day advance written notice of a community's planned sale or closure, including the price and terms, and mandates good faith negotiation with tenants if they wish to purchase the community. Tenancy termination is restricted to material noncompliance or legitimate business reasons, with tenants receiving written notice of the specific reasons. Importantly, these federal protections do not supersede any state or local laws offering greater tenant rights. To ensure compliance, borrowers must submit documentation, including a copy of their standard lease agreement, to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development or the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Non-compliance carries significant penalties, including a prohibition from securing future federally backed financing or housing-related federal assistance for at least two years for willful and material violations. Additional penalties include monetary compensation to injured tenants, such as six months' rent for wrongful termination or repayment of increased rent with interest and a 25% penalty for improper rent increases. The Act also introduces covered pricing incentives for federal loans, which will reward borrowers who implement resident protections that exceed the minimum standards. It requires the public availability of a list of properties covered by these protections. Finally, the bill establishes a 16-member Manufactured Home Community Lending Standards Commission to propose additional consumer protection standards and directs the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency to develop a standard site-lease agreement to ensure mortgage loan eligibility for homes in communities utilizing it.