The Michigan Senate approved a bipartisan package of bills Tuesday that legislators say is designed to protect the state’s 474,000 mobile home park residents and update laws that have not changed in decades.
The six-bill package includes legislation sponsored by 16th District State Senator Joseph Bellino.
He said the bills aim to increase state oversight while keeping manufactured housing affordable. Manufactured homes are built in factories and transported to communities, allowing them to cost significantly less than traditional houses.
Bellino’s specific measure, Senate Bill 935, would require the state to inspect mobile home parks every year. It also sets new rules for home installers, updates lease agreement requirements, and defines unfair business practices by park owners.
The rest of the legislative package would create a public database of park owners and set stricter rules for water and sewage systems. It would also create several funds to help park residents, offer more legal options to families facing eviction, and require owners to notify residents if a park is being sold.
Additionally, the plan establishes penalties for unlicensed owners and gives tax credits to owners who sell their properties directly to the residents.
The bills now move to the Michigan House of Representatives for consideration.
