WA mobile home complaints over rent hikes, policies surged in 2023
Mobile home residents in Washington filed twice as many complaints to the state alleging unlawful rent increases, unfair policies or maintenance problems in 2023 compared to other recent years, according to the latest report from the Attorney Generals Office.
The states Manufactured Housing Dispute Resolution Program, overseen by the Attorney Generals Office since 2007, collects complaints and facilitates negotiations between mobile home tenants and their landlords. Program staff serve as a neutral party, but can investigate claims, mediate resolutions or file for court interventions in some cases.
The programs 2023 report listed an unprecedented 731 complaints from tenants up 28% from the previous years 572 and double the approximately 360 complaints filed in 2019-2021. Landlords also filed three complaints in 2023, down from 10-20 in other years.
The report lists seven employees with the program, but noted it had seen many staffing changes in 2023 and experienced staffing shortages for extended periods of time throughout the year.
https://crosscut.com/investigations/2024/06/wa-mobile-home-complaints-over-rent-hikes-policies-surged-2023