A bill aimed at addressing concerns over increasing lot rental fees in mobile home parks has gained support in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, with State Representative Bob Merski serving as a co-sponsor of the legislation.
The measure comes as many mobile home residents across the Commonwealth, including those in Erie County, continue to voice concerns about lot rate increases and housing affordability.
Among them is Patti Starvaggi, who has lived in the Summit Heights Mobile Home Park in Erie County since 2000. Starvaggi says she has spent the last two years hearing stories from residents, many on fixed incomes, who struggle to keep up with fluctuating lot rental fees.
Seeking change, Starvaggi took her concerns to Harrisburg alongside Bob Besecker, founder of the Manufactured Homes Coalition of Pennsylvania. The pair has been advocating for greater protections and stability for residents living in manufactured home communities.
The issue has also caught the attention of Erie County State Senator Dan Laughlin. While acknowledging residents’ concerns, Laughlin says additional work is needed to bring all parties together and find common ground. He believes collaboration between park residents and mobile home park owners, many of whom are based outside Pennsylvania, will be key to crafting a lasting solution.
Meanwhile, Merski noted that the legislation passed the Pennsylvania House with bipartisan support, signaling broad interest in addressing concerns surrounding mobile home lot rent increases.
For residents like Al Coppernall, the issue is personal. He says rising expenses continue to place additional pressure on those living on limited incomes, making affordability a growing concern within mobile home communities.
Erie News Now reached out to management at Summit Heights Mobile Home Park, as well as the chair of the Pennsylvania Senate Urban Housing and Development Committee, for comment. As of Thursday, no response had been received.