Bill Text - HB684 (2019)

Relative to mediation of rent increases in manufactured housing parks.


Revision: March 27, 2019, 9:47 a.m.

HB 684-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE

 

19Mar2019... 0892h

2019 SESSION

19-0142

10/06

 

HOUSE BILL 684-FN

 

AN ACT relative to mediation of rent increases in manufactured housing parks.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. Luneau, Merr. 10; Rep. Myler, Merr. 10; Rep. Wallner, Merr. 10

 

COMMITTEE: Commerce and Consumer Affairs

 

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AMENDED ANALYSIS

 

This bill requires manufactured housing park owners or operators to provide notice of the opportunity for private mediation of an arbitrary or unreasonable rent increase, with the cost of the mediator paid for by the park owner.

 

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

19Mar2019... 0892h 19-0142

10/06

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen

 

AN ACT relative to mediation of rent increases in manufactured housing parks.

 

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 

1  Manufactured Housing Parks; Fees, Charges, Assessments; Notice of Private Mediation.  Amend RSA 205-A:6, I to read as follows:

I.  A manufactured housing park owner or operator shall fully disclose in writing all terms and conditions of the tenancy including rental, utility and service charges, prior to entering into a rental agreement with a prospective tenant.  No charges so disclosed may be increased by the park owner or operator without an explanation for the increase and specifying the date of implementation of said increase, which date shall be no less than 60 days after written notice to the tenant, and providing notice of the opportunity for voluntary private mediation of the increase under the Manufactured Housing Consumer Action Program.  Nothing in this section, however, shall be construed to permit a park owner or operator to vary the terms of a written or oral rental agreement without the express written consent of the tenant.

I-a.(a)  Every notice of rent increase issued by a park owner pursuant to paragraph I shall contain the following statement in 10 point bold face print:

IF YOU OBJECT TO THIS RENT INCREASE AS ARBITRARY OR UNREASONABLE YOU MAY BE ABLE TO ENGAGE IN MEDIATION, WITH THE COST OF THE MEDIATOR TO BE FULLY PAID BY THE PARK OWNER, IF: AT LEAST ONE ADULT MEMBER OF NO LESS THAN 51 PERCENT OF THE HOME OWNERS IN THE PARK SIGNS A PETITION REQUESTING MEDIATION, and THE RENT INCREASE EXCEEDS $15 PER MONTH.

(b)  The notice required in this section shall also provide the name, address, and telephone number of the person or entity which shall arrange the mediation.

2  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2019.

 

LBAO

19-0142

Amended 3/21/19

 

HB 684-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE (AMENDMENT #2019-0892h)

 

AN ACT relative to mediation of rent increases in manufactured housing parks.

 

FISCAL IMPACT:      [    ] State              [    ] County               [    ] Local              [ X ] None

 

 

METHODOLOGY:

This bill requires manufactured housing park owners or operators to provide notice of the opportunity for private mediation of an arbitrary or unreasonable rent increase, with the cost of the mediator paid for by the park owner.  The Office of Legislative Budget Assistant states this bill has no fiscal impact on state, county, and local expenditures or revenue.

 

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

None