In the near future, I intend to introduce a Senate companion to House Bill 2098 to establish an Office of Manufactured Housing Ombudsman in Pennsylvania.
 
Manufactured home communities provide thousands of Pennsylvanians with an affordable path to homeownership. These communities are particularly important in Bucks County, including Buckingham Springs in my district, where residents have invested not only in their homes but also in close-knit neighborhoods. Because residents typically own their homes but lease the land beneath them, substantial lot-rent increases or disputes with community owners can leave homeowners with few practical options and place their housing stability at risk.
 
Pennsylvania currently lacks a neutral authority dedicated to helping manufactured home residents and community owners understand their rights and resolve these disputes. My legislation would establish an independent and impartial Office of Manufactured Housing Ombudsman empowered to:

• Educate current and prospective homeowners and lessees about their rights, responsibilities, and important considerations when purchasing a manufactured home or leasing a lot.
• Help resolve disputes involving lot rent, community rules, leases, residency approvals, and evictions.
• Review the reasonableness and validity of proposed rent increases, rule changes, and evictions, with the authority to stay those actions while a matter is under review.
• Address environmental, health, and safety concerns, including problems involving drinking water and sewage systems.

 
The legislation would also create a Manufactured Housing Hearing Board to review contested matters and hear appeals. Together, the ombudsman and hearing board would provide residents and community owners with an accessible process for resolving disputes while ensuring that decisions are fair, transparent, and subject to independent review.
 
Please join me in co-sponsoring this legislation to protect homeowners in manufactured housing communities and preserve an important source of affordable housing.