CoNorth urges more state support to preserve manufactured-home communities in Minnesota
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Summary
CoNorth told the Senate Housing Committee that manufactured housing is Minnesota’s largest source of affordable homeownership and urged expanded funding, title reform, and fast-acting loans to protect residents from investor-driven rent spikes and displacement.
Emily Stewart, associate director of Co North, told the Minnesota Senate Committee on Housing and Homelessness Prevention that manufactured-home communities are a critical, but vulnerable, source of affordable homeownership in the state.
"Manufactured housing is Minnesota's largest source of naturally occurring affordable housing," Stewart said, noting that the sector serves roughly 180,000 residents and that about 87% of community residents own their homes while renting the land beneath them. She described resident-owned cooperatives as a tool for stabilizing communities and preserving homeowner equity.
Stewart said preserving parks is cost-effective: infrastructure and rehabilitation average about $10,000 to $50,000 per unit, far below other affordable-housing solutions. She also described the role of the state-established Manufactured Home Community Redevelopment (MHCR) program, saying that since 2020 roughly $44,000,000 has flowed through MHCR for grants to both privately owned and resident-owned communities.
Using Summer Ridge Estates (Rochester) as an example, Stewart outlined recent public investments in road, drainage and sewer upgrades completed in 2024. She told members that Senate File 1775 seeks a $15,000,000 appropriation to support upcoming MHCR work.
Stewart warned that investor activity has increased pressure on residents: she said out-of-state buyers acquired nearly 30% of Minnesota's manufactured-housing stock since 2015 (142 communities, about 13,533 homes) and cited recent park sales where new owners raised lot rents sharply. "That 478% appreciation is on the back of the homeowners that are paying that lot rent," she said, referencing a Bloomberg analysis of manufactured-home community appreciation.
On finance, Stewart described structural barriers: homes on leased land are often treated as personal property and therefore do not qualify for standard 30-year mortgage products. She described a 2023 state appropriation of $10,000,000 to develop a manufactured-home loan product designed to offer a 30-year term and competitive rates, paired with buyer education. Co North also used state funds to create a revolving loan fund; Stewart said the organization has deployed $6.8 million to preserve 448 home sites and anticipates further deployment.
Stewart recommended policy changes including title reform—so manufactured homes more closely align with permanent housing for mortgage purposes—and urged quick, mission-driven capital to enable timely purchases by preservation buyers. She also called for improved enforcement and awareness of the 2023 notice-of-sale law and cited a 5% tax credit intended to encourage sales to cooperatives and nonprofits.
Stewart closed by inviting legislators to join a working group on title reform and preservation strategies. The committee did not pose questions following the presentation and proceeded to the next agenda item.
