The Ledger tells MHProNews residents of MHCs around Fla. are organizing to pressure the Florida Legislature into enacting legislation that would link rent hikes to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in their communities when a home changes hands. Ed Green says the current system is a deterrent to people interested in buying an existing home. In extreme situations, some residents simply move out and leave the home because they are unable to sell it. He proposes the new rent should increase to the lowest monthly rate in the community. Jim Ayotte, executive director of the Florida Manufactured Housing Association (FNHA), says the proposal is a form of rent control, which court rulings have forbidden, and that financial terms are spelled out in the contracts residents sign. He says the method of setting site rents is well defined, and to try and control that when a resident sells their home could force the owners to close the community if it becomes no longer profitable. He suggests residents would be wiser to pressure legislators for improvements in the property insurance industry. He said many seniors are unable to get adequate insurance for their homes.
