Tompkins County Government Operations Committee members discussed proposed New York State legislation on Aug. 7 that would establish a process for surrendering the certificate of title for a manufactured home and converting the dwelling to real property.

Potential local impact and process concerns

Jay Franklin outlined the proposal and said the change could have “major impacts” for affordability: owners of manufactured homes could relinquish a vehicle title and have the home treated as real property, which would make conventional mortgages available where only personal loans are commonly used now. Committee members noted this could open access to better loan products but raised technical and administrative questions about lost titles, older pre‑1976 homes and the statutory process for affixing VINs and establishing permanent foundations.

Next steps

Franklin said he alerted local stakeholders, including mobile‑home advocates, and would notify the committee and the legislature’s Housing and Economic Development (HED) committee if the bill advances or is signed. Committee members asked that staff track any enacted changes and bring related items to HED for analysis.

Ending

No local action was taken; committee members expressed interest in monitoring the bill and understanding the implementing regulations once the state finalizes language.