This bill establishes a manufactured/mobile home rental assistance program aimed at supporting low-income tenants of mobile homes or manufactured housing in maintaining affordable rental payments for their lots. The program will be administered by the Department of Commerce, which is authorized to create administrative rules for its implementation. The bill specifies that funds from the existing relocation assistance fund cannot be used for this rental assistance. It also outlines the eligibility criteria for tenants seeking assistance, which includes being low-income, over the age of 55, or having experienced a rent increase that exceeds inflation rates.

Additionally, the bill amends existing laws to incorporate definitions relevant to the new rental assistance program and to clarify the responsibilities of the Department of Commerce in administering both relocation and rental assistance. It includes provisions for tenants to apply for monetary assistance, which can be up to $200 or a percentage of their monthly rent, and requires annual reapplication for continued assistance. The bill appropriates $2,000,000 from the general fund for the program's implementation and stipulates that if specific funding is not provided by June 30, 2025, the act will become null and void.

Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 59.21.010, 59.22.050