Legislation to address persistent rent increases for manufactured home owners that lease their lots is apparently dying in the Pennsylvania Senate.

But advocates and legislators say they will try again next year, and they’re more optimistic after Democrats won control of the Senate in Tuesday’s election.

The state House of Representatives passed a bill to help renters in the spring, but it stalled for several months in the Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee and has yet to be brought to the floor. The Senate is scheduled to meet two more days, Nov. 17-18, before adjourning for the session.

The new session begins Jan. 5.

At least one sponsor of the legislation, state Sen. Judy Schwank, “is committed to reintroducing these bills,” according to a spokesperson.

Bob Besecker, founder of the Coalition of Manufactured Home Communities of PA, said Thursday that he was already meeting with representatives from Harrisburg to plan for next year. He told The Morning Call that Schwank will, indeed, return as the prime sponsor in the Senate and state Rep. Liz Hanbidge will do the same in the House.

“Dems are in control of both houses,” Besecker said. “Our new bills will pass.”

Why the urgency?

Besecker said residents can’t simply pick up and move when rents go up, as relocating a manufactured home can cost thousands of dollars.

“Folks are cutting back on medications, skipping eye, dental and doctor’s visits, just to have enough money to pay the monthly lot fees,” Besecker said. “Residents can’t pick up and move. This is where the home they own is located.”

The coalition says it represents 176 communities across the state, representing about 28,000 adult residents.

Besecker said private equity firms and other companies have been using loopholes in state laws to increase rents annually without a cap.

In the Lehigh Valley, residents of several communities have found lot rents increasing along with utilities and property taxes. At the Red Maple Acres community in Lower Macungie Township, homeowners have said that rents have almost doubled in the last three years. Those paying around $440 about three years ago are now seeing rates approaching $900. Many of the residents live on fixed incomes.

As Lehigh Valley manufactured home owners pay more, reforms are stalled in Harrisburg

What was introduced?

Bills introduced in Harrisburg during the current session to address the price hikes had a long list of bipartisan co-sponsors. Senate Bill 745 never left the Urban Affairs and Housing Committee. The companion bill, House Bill 1250, introduced by Hanbidge, D-Montgomery, passed June 10.

Provisions in the legislation included requiring 180 days’ notice of all rent and fee increases, capping annual increases based on the Consumer Price Index, though allowing justified exceptions and temporary capital surcharges.

A third bill, SB 746, which would have given manufactured home residents the right of first refusal when a park is sold, passed the Senate Urban Affairs and House Committee unanimously in June and was sitting in the Appropriations Committee.

Senate Bills 745 and 746 were introduced by Schwank, D-Berks. Before the election, her office told The Morning Call that it was unlikely that the bills would advance before the session concludes.

“We have very few days left to get this done before the current legislative session ends,” she said in October. “The Senate Republicans have had plenty of time to consider what we’ve put forward, and I know the manufactured homeowners I’ve spoken with are open to a compromise.”

The Pennsylvania Manufactured Housing Association has maintained that many communities are small businesses owned by families, not hedge funds. If passed, it said, the legislation could bring price controls, which could handcuff owners when dealing with rising costs caused by property taxes or state-mandated infrastructure upgrades to such things as sewer systems.

Morning Call reporter Evan Jones can be reached at ejones@mcall.com.