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Senate housing committee advances eviction-protection bill for manufactured-home residents after contested testimony
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Summary
After resident testimony about seven-day eviction orders and opposition from a local owner-attorney citing constitutional and public-safety concerns, the committee voted to send Senate File 4909 without recommendation to the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee.
The Minnesota Senate Committee on Housing and Homelessness Prevention voted to send Senate File 4909, a bill intended to extend post-eviction protections for manufactured-home residents, to the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee without recommendation after a hearing that featured emotional resident testimony and legal objections from an owner-attorney.
Jolene Christiansen, who said she lives in the North Creek mobile-home community in Lakeville, testified in support and described helping residents through six eviction cases. "If you're evicted, you have 7 days to pack up your entire home," she said, recounting one resident ordered to move in seven days who was later living in his car. Christiansen told senators that shelters and county funds were exhausted and urged members to vote for the bill.
Erin Lambert, a local manufactured-home community owner and an attorney who represents more than a dozen communities, urged the committee to oppose the bill. Lambert argued the proposal removes judicial discretion by mandating a 90-day stay of a writ of recovery and a 10-day post-writ occupancy period, which she said could create constitutional issues and public-safety risks. "This bill replaces crucial judicial decision-making with a rigid, one-size-fits-all mandate," Lambert said, adding it could force owners to absorb unpaid occupancy without safeguards.
Senator Abler framed the bill as an attempt to correct a power imbalance that can leave homeowners suddenly without housing or equity. Committee members debated trade-offs between giving residents time to preserve housing and protecting owners' ability to address safety issues and operational costs. Several members acknowledged the bill needs further work to address owners' concerns.
Senator Abler moved that Senate File 4909 be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety without recommendation. The committee approved the motion by voice vote; the chair recorded the motion as passed and the bill was sent on to Judiciary.
