What's happening
This bill requires manufactured home park owners to justify and document rent increases over 3%, ensuring increases only cover actual, necessary costs.
Why it matters
Increases Transparency and Accountability. Manufactured home park owners must now provide written explanations and, upon request, documentation justifying any rent or fee hikes above 3%, giving residents insight into the reasons behind higher costs.
Limits Rent Increases to Actual Costs. Owners can only raise rents above 3% to cover necessary and reasonable expenses, such as required maintenance or repairs, preventing arbitrary or excessive increases.
Protects Residents from Unjustified Charges. By requiring owners to demonstrate that increases are tied to essential work needed to meet habitability standards, the bill helps shield residents from rent hikes used for profit rather than genuine community needs.
Empowers Tenants in Disputes. With access to justifications and documentation, residents are better equipped to challenge or question rent increases, potentially leading to improved landlord-tenant relations and fewer disputes.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Explain Big Rent Hikes
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 42
History
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading cal.10
- Substituted for A340A
- Referred to housing
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 43–19
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.325
- Referred to housing, construction and community development
- Returned to senate
Show 17 earlier actions
- Died in assembly
- Ordered to third reading cal.82
- Substituted for A340A
- Referred to housing
- Returned to assembly
- Repassed senate
- Amended on third reading 228a
- Vote reconsidered - restored to third reading
- Returned to senate
- Recalled from assembly
- Referred to housing
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 42–19
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.166
- Referred to housing, construction and community development
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Require Justification for Rent Hikes
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Didi Barrett
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
228--A Cal. No. 166
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by Sens. SKOUFIS, BROUK, HINCHEY, JACKSON, MAY, ROLISON, WEBB, WEBER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Housing, Construction and Community Development -- reported favorably from said committee, ordered to first and second report, ordered to a third reading, passed by Senate and delivered to the Assembly, recalled, vote reconsidered, restored to third reading, amended and ordered reprinted, retaining its place in the order of third reading
AN ACT to amend the real property law, in relation to increases of rent in manufactured home parks
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 233-b of the real property law, as added by section 12 of part O of chapter 36 of the laws of 2019, is amended by adding two new subdivisions 9 and 10 to read as follows:
9. When a manufactured home park owner notifies the manufactured homeowners in the park of a rent or fee increase and the increase is in excess of three percent above the current rent, the manufactured home park owner shall provide a written justification for the increase that complies with this section and make available to any resident, by request, documentation that show the costs and commencement of work that justify the rent increase pursuant to this section, as applicable.
10. In order for an increase in costs to justify a rent increase above three percent pursuant to paragraph (a) or (c) of subdivision two of this section for costs incurred for ordinary maintenance, including preventive maintenance, or repair of the roads, infrastructure, or other community property or services, the community owner must demonstrate that the work performed was necessary to meet the community owner's warranty of habitability obligations under subdivision m of section two hundred thirty-three of this article, and demonstrate that the rent
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00177-03-5
increase imposed was no more than was necessary to cover the actual and reasonable cost of the work performed.
§ 2. Section 233-b of the real property law, as added by chapter 654 of the laws of 2019, is renumbered section 233-d.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the real property law, in relation to increases of rent in manufactured home parks
Purpose
Clarify existing requirements of manufactured home park owners to justi- fy rent increases in excess of 3% of the current rent.
Summary of provisions
Section 1: Amends § 233-b of the Real Property Law to add a new subdivi- sion 9 and subdivision 10.
Read the full memo (735 words)
The new subdivision nine would require when a manufactured home park owner notifies the manufactured homeowners in the park of rent or fee increases. Suppose the increase is in excess of 3% above the current rent. In that case, the manufactured home park owner shall provide a written justification for the increase and make documentation supporting the justification available to any resident, by request, that shows the costs and commencement of work that justifies the rent or fee increase.
The new subdivision ten details that for an increase in costs to justify a rent increase above 3%, the community owner must demonstrate that the costs incurred for ordinary maintenance, including preventive mainte- nance or repair of the roads, infrastructure, or other community proper- ty of services were necessary to meet the community owner's warranty of habitability obligations and demonstrate that the rent increase imposed was no more than was necessary to cover the actual and reasonable cost of the work performed.
Section 2: Renumbers the other Section 233-b of the Real Property Law entitled "Campgrounds" to § 233-d.
Section 3: Sets effective date.
Justification
New York State is home to approximately 84,956 manufactured home house- holds situated across nearly 1,818 manufactured home parks. These communities serve as a vital source of affordable housing, offering tight-knit neighborhoods for seniors on fixed incomes, veterans, low-in- come families, immigrants, individuals with disabilities, and those displaced from higher-cost areas. Recognizing their importance, the legislature in 2019 identified threats to these communities stemming from the increasing involvement of large, corporate, multistate inves- tors. These entities have been acquiring manufactured home parks, significantly raising lot rents-the fees residents pay for the land beneath their homes-and imposing excessive fees for profit.
To address these concerns, the legislature enacted rent justification provisions under the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019. Codified in § 233-b of the Real Property Law, the rent justifica- tion law limits annual rent increases in manufactured home communities (excluding those under regulatory agreements with government entities) to 3% above the current rent. Any rent increase exceeding 3% must be substantiated by increases in the park owner's operating expenses, prop- erty taxes, or costs directly related to capital improvements. Aggrieved residents may challenge rent increases exceeding 3% as unjustified with- in 90 days by filing an action in court. Rent increases are capped at 6%, except where the court determines that a temporary hardship exists for the park owner.
Since the law's enactment, residents of manufactured home parks have identified loopholes that undermine its effectiveness, necessitating legislative amendments. Residents have reported instances of park owners raising rents beyond 3% without providing notice or justification. Instead, residents, often with assistance from advocacy organizations, must calculate rent increases independently to determine compliance with the law. They are then required to seek legal counsel and initiate court actions to compel justification from park owners.
This bill addresses these issues by mandating that park owners provide residents with written justifications for any annual rent increase exceeding 3% and make supporting documentation readily available.
Additionally, the current law lacks clarity regarding what constitutes valid justification for increases exceeding 3%. This bill provides clear standards, requiring community owners to demonstrate that cost increases justifying rent hikes above 3% were incurred for necessary maintenance or repairs to roads, infrastructure, or other community properties. These costs must align with the owner's warranty of habitability obli- gations, and the rent increase must not exceed what is necessary to cover the actual and reasonable costs of the work performed.
Legislative history
Senate
2021: S6199C, Passed Senate
2022: S6199C, Advanced to Third Reading
2023: S5198, Advanced to Third Reading
2024: S5198, Advanced to Third Reading
Assembly
2021: A6755C, Referred to Housing
2022: A6755C, Passed Assembly
2023: A5704, Referred to Housing
2024: A5704, Ordered to Third Reading
Fiscal implications
Anticipated savings for local governments by consolidating various elections at different times of the year on election day in even-num- bered years.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.