HB 1358
In CommitteeHouse
Mobile home community sale
Concerning the notice of sale or lease of manufactured/mobile home communities.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
This bill strengthens tenant rights when a mobile or manufactured home community is being sold by requiring owners to notify tenants and other agencies before listing or accepting offers, and giving tenants a 70-day window to organize and compete to buy the community. It also sets new rules for sharing financial information, timelines, and consequences for noncompliance.
- Owners must notify tenants, local governments, housing authorities, and state agencies before marketing or accepting offers for a mobile home community sale.
- Tenants have 70 days after receiving notice to form or identify a qualified tenant organization and notify the owner of their intent to compete to buy the community.
- During the 20-day window after tenants notify the owner of their intent, owners must provide operating expense information to the tenant group.
- Before selling to an outside buyer (not a tenant group), owners must complete the full notification and opportunity process — even if they’ve already received offers.
- If an owner substantially fails to follow the process, tenants or eligible organizations can seek a court order to block the sale and claim up to twice the monthly rent per household in damages.
- Within 6 months of the initial notice, owners must submit a status update to the Department of Commerce, which must then make it public within 10 business days.
Who is affected
- Mobile home community tenants — Residents who live in mobile or manufactured home communities may gain more time and tools to organize and potentially buy their community if the owner plans to sell.
- Qualified tenant organizations and eligible organizations — Organizations formed by tenants (or other eligible groups) get the right to be notified first and compete to buy the community, including access to financial and operational data to help prepare offers.
- Owners of mobile home communities — Must follow new rules about notifying tenants and others before selling, and may face legal consequences if they skip or mishandle the process.
- Washington State Department of Commerce — Will receive notices about proposed sales and updates on the status of community sales, and must make those updates public.
- Local governments, housing authorities, and the Washington State Housing Finance Commission — Must be included in sale notifications and may be involved in oversight or support roles during the sale process.
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for benefits
Potential Benefits (4)
Guarantees 70 days for tenants to organize and submit competing offers—including access to financial data—before a sale is finalized, significantly increasing their bargaining power and likelihood of preserving affordable housing and avoiding displacement.
HousingPeopleRef: Sec. 2(1), Sec. 2(2), Sec. 2(3)(d)Requires owners to provide operating expense and rent roll data to tenant groups during a 20-day window, enabling them to prepare credible, informed offers—leveling informational asymmetries that previously favored buyers and developers.
HousingPeopleRef: Sec. 2(4), Sec. 3(2)Creates a private right of action allowing tenants to seek injunctive relief and up to 2× monthly rent in damages for substantial noncompliance, strengthening enforcement power for low-income residents who otherwise lack legal leverage.
Rights & LibertiesPeopleRef: Sec. 3(5)Mandates public reporting of sale status to the Department of Commerce, increasing transparency and enabling community monitoring—helping local governments and housing advocates track potential threats to affordability.
Local GovernmentPeopleRef: Sec. 3(8)
Potential Concerns (4)
Increases compliance costs and legal risks for mobile home community owners, especially small operators, by requiring pre-marketing notice, tenant consultation, and potential litigation exposure—even for minor procedural errors—potentially discouraging sales or investment in these communities.
Business & EmploymentRef: Sec. 2(1), Sec. 3(3)Shifts administrative and legal oversight responsibilities to local courts and tenant organizations, increasing burden on local judicial systems and requiring local governments to assist in enforcement—though no new funding is allocated for this capacity.
Local GovernmentLean peopleRef: Sec. 3(5)Mandates the Department of Commerce to publicly post sale status updates within 10 business days, creating ongoing data management and transparency obligations for state and local agencies without specifying new funding or staffing.
Local GovernmentRef: Sec. 3(8)While strengthening tenant rights, the bill’s damages provision (up to 2× monthly rent per household) may incentivize frivolous lawsuits or strategic delays by tenant groups, potentially disrupting sales and delaying transitions—even when owners acted in good faith.
Rights & LibertiesRef: Sec. 3(5)
Who Is Most Affected
Mobile home community tenants—especially low-income, elderly, or disabled residents—gain significant leverage to organize, access financial data, and potentially buy their community, reducing risk of sudden rent hikes or displacement. This is especially impactful in communities where homes are owned but land is leased, leaving residents financially vulnerable.
Qualified tenant organizations and eligible nonprofits (e.g., community land trusts, housing cooperatives) gain legal standing, access to confidential financial data, and a formal 70-day window to prepare bids—making resident-led purchases more feasible and reducing reliance on speculative developer offers.
Owners—especially small-scale operators or out-of-state investors—face new procedural burdens, potential litigation exposure, and reduced flexibility in timing and pricing of sales. While large corporate owners may absorb costs more easily, small operators may avoid sales altogether or pass costs to tenants via higher fees.
The Department of Commerce gains new administrative duties (receiving notices, publishing updates), but the bill does not allocate new funding—potentially straining existing housing data systems. However, the agency gains enhanced oversight capacity to monitor affordability risks in mobile home communities.
Local governments and housing authorities gain early notice of community sales, enabling proactive housing policy responses (e.g., zoning adjustments, emergency funding). However, they may face increased demand for legal or mediation support if disputes arise between tenants and owners.