Michigan MHC residents stage action to spur state policy reforms
October 30, 2024
On September 25, 2024, resident leaders with the national manufactured housing advocacy organization and PESP partner MHAction gathered at the Michigan state capitol to advocate for a series of bills that would improve protections for manufactured housing residents.
Nine residents from across the state traveled to Lansing to raise awareness of poor conditions in their parks and push politicians to take action. Residents passed out bottles of dirty water collected from their own taps to elected officials, exposing the grim state of many water systems in Michigan’s manufactured housing communities. Dirty, discolored water is a visible and dramatic symbol of the impact of a dirty business model that leads not only to neglected water systems, but also to neglected sewers, roads, lighting, and more while residents are gouged with rent increases and endless fees. As it stands, many residents are forced to purchase their own bottled water for drinking and bathing.
As private equity and related corporate landlords rapidly acquire mobile home parks across the state, MHAction is pushing a bill package that would improve the state’s outdated manufactured housing laws.
Senate Bills 486 through 492 would ban unjustifiable rent increases, require landlords to provide written leases, and update licensing standards, among a comprehensive list of other changes. Crucially, the legislation would also close a loophole in oversight of drinking water.[1]
PESP’s research has shown that private equity owns about 1 in 7 manufactured housing lots in Michigan. Over 34,000 Michigan manufactured home lots are owned by private equity landlords, the second highest rate among the states.[2]
As of October 17, the bill package has passed out of committee in the state senate and is awaiting a floor vote before proceeding to the house.
This comes as the Michigan Manufactured Housing Association opposes the reform package despite collaborating on its creation and introduction in the 2021 legislative session.
The water quality action worked. Shortly afterwards, the Senate Housing and Human Services Committee held a hearing on SB920, a “trailer bill” that would amend the Michigan Safe Drinking Water Act to align with the new language in the manufactured housing bill package.
PESP is proud to have built a partnership with MHAction staff and resident leaders. A recent report titled Vulture Wars: Alden Global Capital’s Assault on Manufactured Housing Residents showcases the stories of Michigan resident leaders, outlining the residents’ demands for policy intervention against their private equity landlord.
The water quality action exemplifies the tenacity of MHAction resident leaders around the country in pushing for changes in their home communities. This falls in line with a powerful wave of tenant organizing that has been unprecedented in recent history.
[1] https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2024/06/as-private-equity-buys-up-mobile-home-parks-michigan-ranks-second-highest.html?outputType=amp
[2]https://pestakeholder.org/pesp-private-equity-manufactured-housing-tracker/
