Bill would require sellers in resident‑owned manufactured‑housing communities to disclose bylaws, fees and budgets

Senator Tara Reardon introduced SB 166 to require that sellers of manufactured homes in resident‑owned communities provide prospective buyers with notice of the buyer's right to obtain the community's bylaws, fee schedules, and financial statements prior to sale. Reardon described resident‑owned communities as cooperatives where homeowners own their units but not underlying land and said the disclosure standard mirrors the condominium statute to give buyers equivalent information.

“Because you're asking a volunteer board to gather documents, it can be hard to access community financials,” Reardon said. “This bill is modeled on what exists for condominiums, so buyers can have the benefit of that same information.”

Bob Quinn of the New Hampshire Association of Realtors told the committee that the condominium statute already requires similar disclosures — reserve levels, anticipated capital expenditures, pending suits, insurance coverage, and fee history — and that extending that transparency to resident‑owned communities is consistent with existing practice and helps buyers and realtors complete informed transactions. Quinn said in many cases sellers are already provided the information when requested, but the bill would ensure clear statutory rights for buyers.

Ending: Supporters said the proposal strengthens buyer protections for residents in manufactured‑housing cooperatives without imposing new operational burdens beyond existing condominium practice. The committee received supportive testimony and no opposition during the hearing.