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Witnesses split on two-year minimum lease for manufactured-home lots; landlords warn of unintended consequences
Summary
Sponsor said HB 277 would stabilize manufactured-home communities with a two-year minimum lease to support mortgage access; NeighborWorks and resident advocates supported it, while landlord and realtor groups warned it could be structurally flawed under current code and could hinder park sales or tax-driven rent adjustments.
Representative Brian Close opened the hearing on House Bill 277, saying the state faces an affordable-housing crisis and that manufactured homes and communities are an efficient way to add low-cost units. He said a two-year minimum lease for lots would give homeowners stability, help lenders offer mortgages and reduce turnover costs for landlords.
Maggie Hodges with NeighborWorks Montana testified in support, saying extended leases let residents access mortgages and make the investment of a manufactured home more secure. John Rhodes (online) also…
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