Washington State
House of Representatives
Office of Program Research
BILL
ANALYSIS
Housing Committee
HB 1365
Brief Description: Providing rental assistance to manufactured/mobile home park tenants.
Sponsors: Representatives Orcutt, Rude, Klicker, Eslick, Jacobsen, Ley, Dufault, Schmick, Scott and Nance.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Creates a rental assistance program for eligible tenants of mobile or manufactured home lots.
Hearing Date: 2/4/25
Staff: Serena Dolly (786-7150).
Background:

The Office of Mobile/Manufactured Home Relocation Assistance (Office), located in the Department of Commerce (Commerce), provides general assistance to mobile and manufactured home resident organizations, tenant organizations, and community owners.? Among its duties, the Office provides technical assistance to tenants who are participating in the conversion of a mobile home park to resident ownership and provides financial assistance to homeowners under the Manufactured/Mobile Home Relocation Assistance Program (Relocation Assistance Program) when mobile or manufactured home communities close.
Summary of Bill:

A manufactured/mobile home rental assistance program (Rental Assistance Program)?is created within the Office to provide monetary rental assistance to eligible tenants.

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To be eligible for rental assistance, a tenant must:

  • own a mobile or manufactured home located on a rented lot in a mobile or manufactured housing community;
  • have a household income that is less than 80 percent of adjusted median family income;
  • be over the age of 55; and
  • have experienced a rent increase that exceeds inflation.

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Rental assistance may not exceed the lesser of $200 or 50 percent of the monthly lot rental.? A tenant must apply to Commerce for the assistance.? If approved, the tenant may receive monthly rental assistance for one year. ?A tenant approved for assistance must notify Commerce of any change in circumstance, including any changes to household income or monthly lot rent, and Commerce must adjust or terminate the amount of a tenant's monthly rental assistance, as appropriate.? A tenant must reapply annually to continue receiving rental assistance. ???

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Commerce may not use funds from the Relocation Assistance Program for the Rental Assistance Program.
Appropriation: The sum of $2,000,000.
Fiscal Note: Requested on January 30, 2025.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed. However, the bill is null and void unless funded in the budget.