Mobile Home Parks (An email dialog)
Message from constituent:
      I'm wondering what your opinions are on issues affecting manufactured home owners and the parks we live in.  I am guessing that seniors like me own the majority of them and live primarily in the parks designated for age 55+.
      I recently bought a home in Friendly Village in Olympia and find myself having a tough time affording the astronomical LOT RENT charged here.  I checked into costs in other states and they're more like $350 or $400--not $608 like mine!!!  It is unconscionable, I strongly believe, to let a park owner (and this one owns dozens of parks around the state) to jack up prices, to raise them every yr. as much as $30--on we elders who are often on very low and fixed incomes.  Yes, a Rent Control of some sort should be imposed considering these owners obviously do not have any regard for others--just wanting to fill their already overflowing pockets.  Thank you for considering my views.  I'm sure they are held by thousands of others in WA--most of whom don't bother to write.

Response from Jason:
      Thank you very much for contacting me.  We faced this issue a while back on Lacey Council.  The problem lies in you owning the home and someone else owning the land.  Your home depreciates while their land appreciates.     
       If elected, I would sponsor a bill that would help you buy the ground under you from your owner or sell your home to that owner, both at market prices but with financing help as needed so it would cash flow for you and/or the land owner. 
      After a period of time, say three years, owning land under a home owned by someone else would be illegal.  Another option would be for the home owners to co-op and buy the land together with shares.  I believe there are some laws now that encourage that but getting a large group together like that is always difficult.  The answer is ownership by one party, otherwise its not fair. 
      I would be very open to meeting your group in person if you would be willing to schedule a large enough meeting place, perhaps at a city hall or a library (has to be open to the public) and inviting me.  Thank you again for writing me regarding this issue.  Please follow-up with me and set up a large meeting with others concerned about this issue for a town meeting in the near future.