Washington State
House of Representatives
Office of Program Research
BILL
ANALYSIS
Housing Committee
HB 1204
Brief Description: Concerning senior shared housing in manufactured home communities.
Sponsors: Representatives Eslick, Walen, Jacobsen, Ryu, Leavitt, Macri, Obras, Doglio, Gregerson, Peterson, Paul, Wylie, Kloba, Duerr, Nance, Timmons and Bernbaum.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Allows a manufactured/mobile home tenant who is age 55 or older to have at least one roommate, as long as the roommate's residence in the community does not violate any applicable age restrictions.
Hearing Date: 1/23/25
Staff: Audrey Vasek (786-7383).
Background:

The Manufactured/Mobile Home Landlord-Tenant Act (MHLTA) governs the legal duties, rights, and remedies related to any rental agreement between a landlord and a tenant for a manufactured/mobile home lot within a manufactured/mobile home community where the tenant has no ownership interest in the property or in the association that owns the property.? Among other things, the MHLTA specifies landlord duties and prohibits certain actions by a landlord. The MHLTA also prohibits certain types of rental agreement provisions.
Summary of Bill:

Under the MHLTA, landlords and rental agreements may not prohibit a tenant who is age 55 or older from having at least one roommate, including a roommate who shares the home with the tenant as part of a homesharing arrangement that involves an exchange of services such as cooking, housework, or gardening for room and board or some financial consideration such as rent, as long as the roommate's residence in the community does not violate any age restrictions that apply to the community.?

?

A landlord has a duty to provide each tenant with written notice that tenants who are age 55 or older may have at least one roommate.? The notice must be provided by the landlord to each tenant when the lease or rental agreement is signed or renewed.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Not requested.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.