Senate approves program to let municipalities and nonprofits buy development rights to protect mobile‑home parks

The Senate on April 20 approved legislation to enable municipalities, community land banks and qualified nonprofits to acquire development rights — or buy land outright — to preserve manufactured and mobile‑home parks as long‑term affordable housing.

Sponsor explained the program is intended to keep park land in its current use in perpetuity, preventing developers from converting sites to other uses and shielding vulnerable homeowners from displacement. Senators asked detailed financial questions: whether the state loan would be repaid, whether the assistance is a grant, how a nonprofit or municipality would recover funds if they purchased development rights but did not own the underlying land, and what mechanisms would ensure property owners invest sale proceeds into park maintenance. The sponsor confirmed the statute permits grants and other forms of assistance and said the program contemplates both outright purchases and purchase of development rights, with further rulemaking and program details to be developed by the administering agency.

Several senators expressed concern about unintended consequences. Senator White warned that if municipalities or nonprofits acquire park land and become tax‑exempt owners, local property tax revenues (for schools, towns and counties) could decline. Senator Martins and others pressed the sponsor for clarity on repayment and revenue flows; the sponsor acknowledged some grant options were contemplated and that additional implementing regulations would be needed.

Despite the questions, proponents said the bill fills an urgent need to protect a major source of affordable housing in some upstate and Long Island communities. The bill was restored to the noncontroversial calendar and passed on the roll call.