House Passes Housing Protections for Mobile Home Residents
Legislation allows residents to match a purchase offer on the park if the owner plans to sell the property
Santa Fe, N.M. – Today, the House of Representatives voted 37-26 to pass legislation that establishes protections for mobile home residents who do not own the land beneath their homes. The legislation would allow residents to have the opportunity to purchase the property where they live, before it is sold to a third-party, who may repurpose the land and leave them without a place to live.
House Bill 426 would require owners of mobile home parks to notify residents of plans to sell the park, and gives residents priority in purchasing the property if they can meet the price and equivalent terms of the third-party offer.
“New Mexico is already in the midst of a housing crisis and mobile home residents are especially vulnerable because their land can be sold right out from under them. We are making sure New Mexicans get a fair shot at coming together to purchase that property themselves,” sponsor Rep. Cristina Parajón (D-Albuquerque).
HB 426 also requires that the state’s Mortgage Finance Authority (MFA) be notified along with residents when the owner intends to accept a third-party to purchase the land.
Residents may have the first opportunity to purchase the park if more than half of the residents express intent to buy, are able to secure adequate financing, and are able to close on the purchase within a reasonable window of time.
“The sale of a mobile home park often means that residents are forced to find a new place to live and leave behind the homes they’ve invested in for many years,” said sponsor Rep. Marian Matthews (D-Albuquerque). “House Bill 426 offers residents the opportunity to maintain their established homes and communities.”
Currently, there are 380 mobile home communities in New Mexico, making up 17% of the state’s housing inventory.
HB 426 now moves to the Senate. The bill is also sponsored by Reps. Andrea Romero (D-Santa Fe), Sarah Silva (D-Las Cruces), Linda Serrato (D-Santa Fe), and Meredith Dixon (D-Albuquerque), and Senator Antonio Maestas (D-Albuquerque).
This session, House Democrats are pushing forward a slate of legislation to make life better and more affordable for New Mexicans, including efforts to improve access to housing.
The House has passed more than a dozen bills focused on affordability and access to necessities, including:
Directing $110 million to targeted housing development, including transitional housing, with a focus on Bernalillo and Doña Ana counties (HB 2)
Making $45.9 million available to housing providers to focus on specialized housing solutions and a strategic response to homelessness (HB 2)
Improving access to housing and protecting renters from discrimination (HB 339, 253, 453, 448)
Allowing public utilities to implement additional rate structures intended to reduce utility costs for low-income customers (HB 91)
Increasing property tax exemptions for veterans (HB 47)
Delivering $15 billion in state and federal funding for Medicaid and other critical healthcare services (HB 2)
Strengthening New Mexico’s healthcare workforce, particularly in high-demand fields, by incentivizing New Mexico alumni working in healthcare to return to the state (HB 5)
Improving food security with $10 million in annual funding for food banks (HB 2)
Raising minimum pay for workers on publicly-supported projects (HB 6)
Stopping employers from taking credit card fees out of the wages of tipped workers (HB 22)
Raising minimum teacher salaries by $5,000 and providing a 4% average salary increase for public school personnel, while increasing funding for employee benefits so educators and school staff can keep more of what they earn (HB 2, 156)
Expanding access to the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program within New Mexico (HB 69)
Providing free high school equivalency testing and preparatory services (HB 167)
Provide a head start at financial independence for every child born in New Mexico, by establishing “baby bonds” that would generate interest throughout the individual’s childhood and which could be used for education, housing, entrepreneurship costs, or investment opportunities when the child graduates from high school (HB 7)
Members of the public are welcome to attend floor sessions and committee meetings at the New Mexico Roundhouse, and can tune in virtually through the New Mexico Legislature’s Webcasts tab. Public comment can also be provided in-person, and via phone or Zoom as directed on the daily schedule.
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