Promoting Resident Ownership of Manufactured Home Communities Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8047
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Housing and Community Development
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-03-24: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-20T08:08:37Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Promoting Resident Ownership of Manufactured Home Communities Act (H.R. 8047) aims to encourage states, Indian tribes, and insular areas to adopt laws or policies that give residents of manufactured housing communities (parks where people own manufactured homes but rent the land underneath) the first chance to buy the community when it is up for sale, lease, or transfer. It does this by creating a new competitive grant program under the existing Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Key Provisions
- Grant Program Establishment: HUD must create a competitive grant program within 1 year of enactment, awarding funds to eligible recipients of CDBG assistance.
- Eligibility Requirements:
- Entities must be in a state, Indian tribe, or insular area that either:
- Adopts "model laws" (detailed criteria for resident purchase rights, outlined below), or
- Submits data showing "effective purchase opportunity" (e.g., residents notified in 80% of sales and successfully bought at least 1 in 20 sales over 1-5 years).
- Eligibility lasts 3 years after HUD approval.
- Model Law Criteria (key resident protections):
- Owners must give 60 days' written notice before accepting a sale/lease/transfer offer, including price/terms and resident purchase rights.
- If >50% of resident homeowners support it, their group gets matching price/terms or good-faith negotiation.
- 120 days to form a corporation/co-op and finance; no rejection solely for financing contingencies.
- Rights to meet, form associations, and avoid retaliation.
- Applies to all transfers except exemptions (e.g., family sales, eminent domain).
- Grant Usage:
- At least 25% for land/site acquisition and infrastructure in communities owned by "eligible owners" (e.g., local governments, nonprofits, resident co-ops).
- Remainder for standard CDBG activities (e.g., housing/community development).
- Waivers: HUD can waive non-core rules (e.g., not fair housing or environmental standards) to facilitate grants.
- Funding: Authorizes necessary appropriations, without reducing regular CDBG formula funds.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Adds a new Section 123 to Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.).
- Introduces the first federal incentive program specifically for resident ownership of manufactured housing communities, tying CDBG grants to state-level adoption of resident "right-of-first-offer" laws.
- Defines key terms like "manufactured housing community" and "effective purchase opportunity" for consistency.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: HUD gains new grant administration duties; states/local governments, Indian tribes, and insular areas may pursue policy changes for extra funding.
- Citizens: Residents (often low- and moderate-income families) gain tools to buy/own their communities, potentially stabilizing rents, preventing closures, and preserving affordable housing.
- No direct international relations impact.
- Could increase resident-owned communities, reducing investor-driven sales and improving long-term housing security.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Residents/homeowners in manufactured housing communities (primary beneficiaries).
- Community owners/investors (must provide notice and negotiate).
- States, Indian tribes, insular areas, and local governments (must adopt policies for eligibility).
- Eligible owners (e.g., nonprofits, housing authorities, community development financial institutions) receiving grants.
- HUD (implements program).
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Creates enforceable notice/negotiations standards but allows state exemptions; HUD waivers preserve core protections like fair housing and environmental rules.
- Constitutional: No direct challenges anticipated, as it incentivizes (not mandates) state laws and avoids forced sales (focuses on matching offers/good-faith talks).
- Political: Promotes affordable housing ownership amid rising costs; may spark debate on property rights vs. resident protections, potentially influencing state housing policies.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
Recent Actions
- 2026-03-24: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
- 2026-03-24: Introduced in House
- 2026-03-24: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Promoting Resident Ownership of Manufactured Home Communities Act — issued 2026-03-24 — PDF (11 pages)