Meeting Public Comments

Sara Barron [Affordable Housing Coalition]

Residents of manufactured housing deserve the same rights as other Iowa homeowners and renters. The Iowa Legislature can pass legislation this session to preserve manufactured housing as a safe and affordable option for hardworking Iowans and those on fixed incomes. It's the right and fair thing to do. Thank you for your attention to this important issue that impacts the stability of families, the vitality of Iowa communities, and economic prosperity for us all. We are counting on you!

Candance Evans

Manufactured home residents desperately need some protections. Since our park was purchased in spring of 2019 our rent has increased 74%! There is absolutely no way that our handicapped residents, our seniors living on a SS income or for that matter anyone on a fixed income for a variety of reasons can continue to absorb these increases. We chose to select affordable housing because that is what we could afford and not be a burden to family or society. My life investment is in my home. And my home is not mobile. Besides the rent increases I have no protections from being evicted without cause. When I cannot afford the increases anymore, I will lose my life investment. I will lose my home. If park owners decide they want any of us out, we are at their mercy. Those of us that live in MHP's are not asking for legislation to give us a handout. We are not asking for a pat on the back. We are asking for the very people we elect to office to have our back. I always thought my home would preserve my memories and secure my future. The private equity groups that continue to buy up Iowa's affordable housing have no concern for the security of my future. Just the fact that they prey on society's most vulnerable and take advantage of an existing affordable housing crisis should be enough to upset Iowa Legislators. We need Iowa Legislators to bring to fruition the promise they made for the last couple of years. That the rights of homeowners would be more balanced by protecting them, not just the park owners. The three past legislative sessions have left us with no protections. Please, do not ignore our rights this year. Stand with and for Iowans that are hardworking and productive members of Iowa communities and people that contribute to Iowas economy.

Lisa Nissen

Iowa manufactured homeowners need stronger protections against rent gouging, unjust evections, and other abuses from outofstate corporate park owners. Pass the Iowa Manufactured Home Residents Bill of Rights this year!

Kathryn Morning

Please pass this bill for residents of Manufactured housing. As a retired resident myself, the rent increases are becoming difficult to handle. There are many retired and low income residents living here and need your help. Other rules on eviction should also be changed as well as fees which are high. Thank you for your consideration.

Kimberly Carter-plank

MHP residents need protections in place now. We purchased our home new in 2001. Affordable was important but even more so as we have aged. It was a smart decision based on our occupations and wanting to stay in the county we have lived our entire lives.We are your constituents, we vote and we as contributors to society having done our part, would like what WE worked and planned for to keep us in OUR Home. Affordable housing needs to be protected for Iowans by Iowans. Please stop the Predator corporate out of staters from stealing what dignity those of us have left.

Mollie Oakes

Hello,I understand a bill for rental agreements for manufactured homes is coming up for discussion and a vote perhaps. I would like you to know how ai feel about these things.I have been living in Golfview MHP since 1994. Been happy here. The lot rent has always been very cooperative with the rest of my bills and my mortgage. My mortgage is now paid off and made it very reasonable for me to live here. So, I felt like I could retire easily.A few short years ago, when a corporation called Havenpark offered the owners of Golfview an outrageous amount of money to buy Golfview, the old owners would have been crazy not to accept and approve the sale to Havenpark. So it was that Havenpark was our new land owners. At that time, I was paying 315 dollars per month for lot rent as I live in a double wide on a corner lot and I have a small dog which is a charge of 10 extra dollars. In April, I will be paying 520/mo for lot rent. They do provide snow removal but only on the streetsnot our driveways. That is all they include.nothing else. The lighting in the park is terrible, the streets arent marked properly and when people really need work on their mobiles they do not provide any service unless they charge for it. We pay all utilities and we still have to pay personal property tax on our mobile homes every year per the state of Iowa. I see they have bought or made some kind of a deal with the manufacturers and placed several new homes in the park and are trying to get them sold. In conclusion.I am really glad my home is paid for because I cant imagine making a mortgage payment along with lot rent.why not move into an apartment where some utilities are covered and as a apt renter, you arent responsible for all costs. I would really like to see some regulations on mobile home park owners to help mobile home owners regarding the unfair increases on lot rent amounts and more fair decisions on evictions. We need to see something on paper that is documented to protect the good folks that have chosen for one reason or another to live in our mobile home parks. Thank you for your time,Respectfully, Mollie Oakes