Elderly renters need protection from rent increases
In an era marked by rising living costs, it is crucial to address the vulnerabilities of certain demographics, especially the elderly. One area of concern is rent hikes, which can have dire consequences for seniors on fixed incomes who rely on pensions, Social Security and savings to cover their expenses.
Rent increases can create a precarious situation, jeopardizing their ability to afford necessities such as health care, food and utilities.
States like New York, Delaware, California, Oregon and New Jersey have acknowledged the vulnerability of elderly renters. Their state-level initiatives offer models for other jurisdictions to consider when drafting their own legislation.
In the face of increasing rent prices and economic uncertainty, it is essential to advocate for the protection of the elderly against unjust rent increases. Federal legislation, complemented by state-level initiatives, can create a comprehensive framework that ensures the stability and security of our senior citizens.
It is a moral imperative to uphold the dignity and well-being of those who have contributed so much to our society.
The retirement dream often involves a cozy home and financial security, prompting many elderly citizens to invest their life savings in affordable homes within manufactured home villages. One such person, who had this dream, is Rod Faust, a disabled veteran who served as a military policeman in the Army. Faust and his wife, Linda, moved to Douglass Village, a manufactured home community in Berks County.
After about 10 years, Douglass Village was sold to Kingsley Management in Provo, Utah. The new owners began increasing the rent on the land where the homes sit, by approximately 15% (an additional $75 per month). While rent rose 13%-15% in 2022 and again in 2023, Social Security increases were significantly less.
Now Faust, who spends his golden years in a wheelchair, is concerned about keeping up with the rent increases and being forced to move once the money runs out, which often happens in these environments when one’s spouse passes and leaves the other with a loss of income and little ability to manage health care, food, heat, etc.
Unfortunately, a disheartening trend is emerging as these villages are increasingly sold to profit-driven companies, resulting in soaring rents that leave elderly residents grappling with financial uncertainty and housing instability.
Manufactured home villages have long been seen as an affordable housing option, providing an opportunity for seniors to stretch their retirement savings. Many elderly citizens have invested their life savings in these communities, seeking a peaceful and cost-effective place to spend their golden years.
However, the idyllic picture often crumbles when these villages change hands, and the focus shifts from community well-being to corporate profits.
Adding to the predicament is the lack of control that elderly residents typically have over the fate of their homes. Unlike traditional homeowners, those living in manufactured homes often do not own the land beneath their houses, making them vulnerable to decisions made by the property owners. When these villages are sold to profit-driven companies, the residents find themselves at the mercy of decisions made without regard for their well-being.
For elderly citizens who have invested their life savings in manufactured homes, the consequences of unaffordable rents are deeply personal. Many are forced to sacrifice in other areas of their lives, cutting back on essential expenses like health care and nutrition. Some face the heart-wrenching decision of selling their homes.
The Fausts joined their Village Rent Issues Committee, a group formed in Douglass Village, hoping to persuade lawmakers to pass legislation to protect their village and similar villages across the commonwealth from rent increases. The Village Rent Issues Committee realizes the only protection for residents would be through a change in Act 261, which governs the relationship between the operators and residents in manufactured home communities.
Committees, like the one the Fausts belong to, have formed a coalition across the commonwealth working to protect the elderly from becoming victims of unfair rent increases.
Bills have been introduced in both the Pennsylvania House and Senate: House Bill 805 and Senate Bill 861. Either of the bills would place limits on the amount of lot rent increases an operator could impose on residents on a yearly/ monthly basis. The coalition of communities is pushing hard for hearings. Faust says elderly residents are now living in unsubsidized, affordable housing, but if operators make their housing unaffordable, they may become a burden on taxpayers.
Passage of proposed legislation would prevent that from happening.
For more information on this topic in Pennsylvania, contact MHRentIssues@gmail.com.