Manufactured homeowners, where they own the house but not the land, welcome Shapiro support

Manufactured homeowners got a visit from a heavyweight legislative ally this week.

And they told The Center Square it brings hope – not politics – into the conversation.

Gov. Josh Shapiro visited a community in Berks County on Wednesday to renew his push for legislation aimed at protecting nearly 360,000 of the commonwealth’s most vulnerable residents from exploitation by private equity firms.

During his February budget address, Shapiro called on lawmakers to pass legislation designed to stabilize lot rent increases, framing it as part of his broader plan to address Pennsylvania’s affordable housing issues. On Wednesday, he again called out Senate leadership for failing to act.

In the more than 2,200 manufactured housing communities across the state, residents typically own their homes, but not the land beneath them. As private equity firms acquire these communities, many have seen steep increases in lot rents – in some cases, as much as 50% in a single year.

Bills passed by the House and introduced in the Senate were all referred to the Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee, where they have been waiting since June 2025.

The proposals would stabilize annual lot rent increases by tying them to the consumer price index, while allowing additional increases for extraordinary operating expenses or major repairs. They would also expand consumer protections, including required fee disclosures and longer notification timelines.

Shapiro argued that lot rents in many communities are rising far beyond reasonable maintenance costs while, in some cases, services are being reduced. He said the consequences are especially severe for residents on fixed incomes, whose home value diminishes with each increase and who face uncertainty over whether their community could eventually be sold.

“So far, the Republican leadership has refused to bring it up for a vote,” Shapiro said. “My view is, if they bring it up for a vote, probably at least 40 of the 50 senators will be prepared to vote for it.”

He vowed to keep fighting to get the bill across the finish line and said he would gladly sign the legislation once it reaches his desk — even joking that he would do so at Christine Ziemer’s kitchen table.

Ziemer, a resident of Douglass Village, said that when she and her husband moved into the community in 2019, the lot rent was $495 a month and annual increases were expected to be limited to 2%. Today, she said, her lot rent has climbed to $900.

Living on a fixed income, Zeimer said she is now facing the reality of struggling to remain in her home following the death of her husband, a U.S. Navy veteran who suffered from multiple health challenges and died in October 2025.

She stressed that her story is only one of many and said residents are looking forward to the day the governor can sign the legislation.

“If we all come together, Republican and Democrat alike, we can protect wonderful people like Christine and others from seeing private equity and outside financial interests come in and take advantage of these good people,” said Shapiro.

Before the press conference, Shapiro also met with six members of the Coalition of Manufactured Home Communities of Pennsylvania.

The coalition was founded in 2022 by Bob Besecker, who told The Center Square the group had a productive dialogue with the governor.

Besecker also offered his own view on why the protections have been delayed.

He said private equity property owners are funneling money from homeowners’ lot fees to lobbyists to help block what he called “lifesaving legislation.” He said it’s “so twisted” that homeowners are, in effect, funding efforts to stop senators from passing protections meant to help them.

“Two or three years ago residents in Manufactured Home Communities were largely uninformed about how they could protect themselves,” Besecker said. “Now they know. They are watching the Senate closely and evaluating their actions.”

The coalition has grown to 139 member communities statewide, and Besecker noted those communities include equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans who are united on the issue.

“As we move forward,” he said, “it’s not going to be political, we’re simply going to support those who support us.”