About 200 residents of the Buckingham Springs manufactured-home community in Buckingham Township met with two local lawmakers in August to push for relief from rising lot rents.
State Sen. Steve Santarsiero and State Rep. Tim Brennan heard directly from residents about rent increases and disputes with the community's owner, McKee Villages, according to a joint press release from the lawmakers' offices on Sept. 23.
The residents own their factory-built homes but rent the land beneath them. That arrangement leaves them exposed when lot rents climb, and several bills that would limit those increases have stalled in Harrisburg.
House Bill 1250, sponsored by State Rep. Liz Hanbidge, passed the Pennsylvania House with a bipartisan vote of 144-59 on June 10, 2025. It was referred to the Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee on June 18, 2025, and has not advanced. Senate Bill 745, which would cap lot rent increases to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), a measure of inflation, has also stalled, the New Hope Free Press reported. The CPI-cap proposal would still allow property owners to add fees for large repairs or unexpected expenses.
A separate bill, Senate Bill 746, would give residents of manufactured-home communities an opportunity to purchase their community when the owner seeks to sell. That measure is also still in committee.
HB 1250 would establish protections related to rent and fee increases, fee disclosure, resident associations and group meetings. Opponents argue the legislation amounts to rent control and creates a difficult process for owners seeking above-inflation increases, according to the New Hope Free Press, citing a June article in The Center Square. The Pennsylvania Manufactured Housing Association opposes the bills, the outlet reported.
New ombudsman bill
Santarsiero announced Sept. 23 that he would introduce Senate Bill 1446 to create an Office of Manufactured Housing Ombudsman. The bill is a companion to House Bill 2098, sponsored by State Rep. Joe Ciresi and co-sponsored by Brennan.
The legislation would establish both an ombudsman office and a Manufactured Home Hearing Board to resolve disputes over lot rent, leases, community rules, evictions and residency approvals, according to Santarsiero's office. The office would also educate residents on their rights and handle health, safety and environmental concerns.
Lawmakers ask McKee Villages to act
Santarsiero and Brennan sent a letter to McKee Villages, the owner of Buckingham Springs, outlining HB 1250's provisions and asking the company to voluntarily comply before the bill becomes law.
"Those conversations reinforced the need for an Ombudsman who can help residents understand their rights and resolve disputes, but they also made clear that we need broader protections and rent stabilization for residents now," Santarsiero said in the Sept. 23 statement.
Brennan said the community is home to seniors on fixed incomes who chose Buckingham Springs for its long-term affordability.
"These are seniors on fixed incomes who chose their homes because they believed they had found a place they could afford and stay for the rest of their lives," Brennan said.
Ingrid, a Buckingham Springs resident identified by first name only in the press release, said companies "offer zero transparency into how these arbitrary, ridiculous rate hikes are calculated."
Bob Besecker of the Coalition of Manufactured Home Communities of Pennsylvania said the coalition views SB 1446 favorably. But Besecker warned the Senate must act on HB 1250, which he said is awaiting action in the Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee.
No response from McKee Villages to the lawmakers' letter appears in public records as of publication. As of the Sept. 23 announcement, Besecker said only 11 legislative session days remained in the 2025-2026 session for the Senate to act on HB 1250.
