What we verified in “Manufactured homes in a park: lot rent and title”

Statements and where we checked them

The statements with rules, figures or dates, with the exact place in the source and the date we checked them.

1. According to the CFPB, manufactured homes may be placed on owned land or rented land, including leased lots in manufactured home communities; those communities generally charge ground rent plus fees for shared amenities, services and utilities; most of a manufactured home's appreciation potential comes from the land, not the structure, so land ownership is generally the biggest factor in whether it gains or loses value; and once placed, homes are typically not moved.

   Sources 1 · Manufactured-housing consumer finance in the United States (September 2014), p. 9: 'the homes may be placed on rented land, including on leased lots within manufactured home communities'; 'generally require a homeowner or renter to pay ground rent and additional fees for shared amenities, services, and utilities'; 'The bulk of a manufactured home’s appreciation potential comes from the land on which it sits, not the structure itself'; 'Once placed, manufactured homes are typically not moved from their original site' · Checked October 31, 2026

2. According to the CFPB, in most states titling a manufactured home as real property is a choice if the owner permanently affixes it to land they own, or to rented land with a sufficiently lengthy lease; even then, the owner may title it as personal property; and certain consumer protections, such as parts of RESPA and some state foreclosure and repossession laws, apply only to mortgages.

   Sources 1 · Manufactured-housing consumer finance in the United States (September 2014), p. 10: 'Titling a manufactured home as real property is a choice in most states if the owner permanently affixes the manufactured home to land they own (or rented land with a sufficiently lengthy lease)'; 'the owner has the option to title the home as personal property (chattel)'; p. 24: 'there are specific consumer protection laws that apply only to mortgage financing, including parts of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) and various state foreclosure and repossession laws' · Checked October 31, 2026

3. According to the CFPB, chattel loans are secured by the home but not the land and generally have higher interest rates and fewer consumer protections than mortgages; manufactured homes often come with higher rates and limited chances to refinance; and people who do not own the land are more likely to see their homes depreciate and have fewer protections if they fall behind.

   Sources 2 · Manufactured Housing Loan Borrowers Face Higher Interest Rates, Risks, and Barriers to Credit (archived release): 'which are secured by the home but not the land'; 'In general, chattel loans have higher interest rates and fewer consumer protections than mortgages'; 'often come coupled with higher interest rates and limited opportunity to refinance'; 'Consumers who do not own the underlying land are more likely to see their homes depreciate and have fewer protections if they fall behind on payments' · Checked October 31, 2026

4. According to HUD Handbook 4000.1, for an FHA Title I loan on a leased lot in a community of three or more manufactured homes owned by the same entity, the lease must run three years or longer, be renewable for successive terms of one year or more, and require the owner to give written notice at least 180 days before the term ends if you must move because the community is closing, or it renews automatically for one more year; and every lease must state the address, term and monthly rent, be signed by the landowner and you, and disclose any potential increase in lot rent.

   Sources 3 · Handbook 4000.1 (last revised August 12, 2026), II.E.4, 'vi. Site Lease', p. 1034: 'the lease term must be for a term of three years or longer'; 'renewable upon the expiration of the original term by successive terms of one year or more'; 'not less than 180 Days prior to the expiration of the current lease term in the event the lessee is required to move due to the closing of the manufactured home community'; 'automatically renew for an additional one-year term'; 'state the property address, term of the lease, amount of monthly rent and be signed by the land owner and the Borrower'; 'disclose any potential increase to lot rent' · Checked October 31, 2026

5. Under Florida law (§723.011), in a park with 26 or more lots the owner must give you a state-approved prospectus before the lot rental agreement is signed or at occupancy, whichever comes first; once you receive it, you can void the lot rental agreement for 15 days; and the prospectus is a disclosure document explaining how the park operates.

   Sources 4 · Fla. Stat. §723.011(1)(a): 'In a mobile home park containing 26 or more lots, the park owner shall file a prospectus with the division'; 'Prior to entering into an enforceable rental agreement for a mobile home lot, the park owner shall deliver to the homeowner a prospectus approved by the division'; (2): 'Delivery shall be made prior to execution of the lot rental agreement or at the time of occupancy, whichever occurs first'; 'the lot rental agreement is voidable by the lessee for a period of 15 days'; (3): 'a disclosure document' · Checked October 31, 2026

6. Under Florida law (§723.037), the park owner must give written notice to each affected home owner, and to the homeowners' association board if there is one, at least 90 days before raising lot rent, reducing services or changing the rules; and the right to that 90-day notice cannot be waived in an agreement with the park owner.

   Sources 5 · Fla. Stat. §723.037(1): 'A park owner shall give written notice to each affected mobile home owner and the board of directors of the homeowners’ association, if one has been formed, at least 90 days before any increase in lot rental amount or reduction in services or utilities provided by the park owner or change in rules and regulations'; 'The home owner’s right to the 90-day notice may not be waived or precluded' · Checked October 31, 2026

7. Under Florida law (§723.061), if the park will change the use of the land, the owner must first offer the homeowners' association the right to buy the park, which has 45 days to sign a contract, and must give home owners at least 6 months' notice of eviction; the notice must say you may be entitled to compensation from Florida's mobile home relocation trust fund; and the owner may not give notice of a rent increase within 90 days before giving notice of the change in use.

   Sources 6 · Fla. Stat. §723.061(1)(d): 'Change in use of the land'; 'written notice to the homeowners’ association'; 'of its right to purchase the mobile home park'; 'Within 45 days after the date of mailing of the notice, the homeowners’ association may execute and deliver a contract'; '2. The park owner gives the affected mobile home owners and tenants at least 6 months’ notice of the eviction due to the projected change in use'; 'YOU MAY BE ENTITLED TO COMPENSATION FROM THE FLORIDA MOBILE HOME RELOCATION TRUST FUND'; 'The park owner may not give a notice of increase in lot rental amount within 90 days before giving notice of a change in use' · Checked October 31, 2026

8. Under Arizona law (§33-1413), in a mobile home park the lot rental agreement must be written and signed at the start, for a specific period, with the rent and deposit; if you and the owner disagree on the term, it is twelve months; signed copies must be given within ten days; and the owner may change the rent only when the agreement expires or renews, with written notice at least ninety days before.

   Sources 7 · Ariz. Rev. Stat. §33-1413(A): 'a signed, written rental agreement must be executed'; 'shall be for a specific period and shall include: 1. The amount of the rent. 2. The amount of any security deposit'; (B): 'the rental agreement shall be for twelve months'; 'executed copies of the written rental agreement shall be furnished to all parties within ten days'; (G): 'upon the expiration or renewal of any rental agreement, the landlord may increase or decrease the total rent'; 'at least ninety days prior to the expiration or renewal' · Checked October 31, 2026

9. Under Arizona law (§33-1476), a park owner may not terminate or refuse to renew your tenancy without good cause, such as breaking the agreement, not paying rent or a change in use of the land, and must state the reasons in writing with specific facts.

   Sources 8 · Ariz. Rev. Stat. §33-1476(A): 'The reason or reasons relied on for the termination or nonrenewal shall be stated in writing with specific facts'; (B): 'The landlord may not terminate or refuse to renew a tenancy without good cause'; '1. Noncompliance with any provision of the rental agreement. 2. Nonpayment of rent. 3. Change in use of land' · Checked October 31, 2026

10. Under Arizona law (§33-1476.01), the park owner must notify all tenants in writing at least one hundred eighty days before a change in use, may not raise rent within ninety days before that notice, and must tell you about the state relocation fund, which can pay the cost of moving the home within the state up to a maximum.

    Sources 9 · Ariz. Rev. Stat. §33-1476.01(A): 'notify the director and all tenants in writing of a change in use at least one hundred eighty days before the change in use. The landlord may not increase rent within ninety days before giving notice of a change in use'; (B): 'inform all tenants in writing about the mobile home relocation fund'; (C)(1): 'Collect payment from the fund for the lesser of the actual moving expenses of relocating the mobile home to a new location that is within this state or the maximum' · Checked October 31, 2026

11. According to HUD, its Office of Manufactured Housing Programs protects the health and safety of manufactured home residents: it enforces federal construction, safety and installation standards, inspects factories and retailer lots, regulates installation, administers dispute resolution and authorizes a certification label for each section of a compliant home; and in states where HUD runs the installation program, installers must be licensed by HUD.

    Sources 10 · HUD's Office of Manufactured Housing Programs: 'protects the health and safety of manufactured home residents through the enforcement of the federal manufactured home construction and safety standards, installation standards, and the administration of dispute resolution'; 'inspects factories and retailer lots; regulates installation; administers dispute resolution'; 'authorizes a certification label for each section of a compliant home'; 'installers of homes in HUD-administered states are licensed by HUD' · Checked October 31, 2026

12. According to HUD, the certification label (HUD tag) is a metal plate fixed to the outside of the home, with three letters and six numbers; the numbers also appear on the data plate inside the home, near the main electrical panel, in a kitchen cabinet or in a bedroom closet; the data plate has a map showing the wind zone and the snow and roof loads the home was built for; and if the label is missing, HUD does not reissue it, but a letter of label verification can be requested.

    Sources 11 · Manufactured Housing HUD Labels (Tags): 'The Certification Label (also know as a HUD tag) is a metal plate that is affixed to the outside of the manufactured home'; 'identified by a three-letter prefix followed by six numbers'; 'on or near the main electrical panel, in a kitchen cabinet, in a bedroom closet'; 'The data plate has a map of the United States to let the consumer know the Wind Zone, Snow Load, and Roof Load'; 'the Department does not reissue labels'; 'the Department can issue a Letter of Label Verification' · Checked October 31, 2026

13. According to HUD, if your new manufactured home has a defect, first contact the retailer or manufacturer, and if they do not resolve it, your state agency or HUD; depending on where the home is, the state agency or HUD's dispute resolution program helps; for HUD's program, the home must be new, you must be the first owner and you must have reported the problem within one year of installation; it is best to report in writing with a date and keep a copy, or note the details of the call; and the program is free for homeowners.

    Sources 12 · Manufactured Home Dispute Resolution Program, FAQs: 'The location in which your home is installed determines who can assist'; 'New homes, located in HUD dispute resolution states, are eligible so long as the unresolved issue was reported to the home manufacturer, retailer, installer, State Administrative Agency, or HUD during the one-year period beginning on the date of installation, the homeowner is the first owner'; 'date-stamped and in writing'; 'make a contemporaneous note of the telephone call'; 'you should first contact your retailer or the home manufacturer'; 'The HUDDRP program is free for homeowners' · Checked October 31, 2026

14. According to the LSC, it is an independent nonprofit established by Congress to fund civil legal aid for low-income people in every state, the District of Columbia and the territories; on its website you enter an address or city to find the nearest organization, and LawHelp.org has free legal information and forms.

    Sources 13 · I Need Legal Help: 'LSC is an independent nonprofit established by Congress in 1974 to provide financial support for civil legal aid to low-income Americans'; 'in every state, the District of Columbia, and U.S. Territories'; 'enter an address or city below to find an LSC-funded legal aid organization near you'; 'You can also visit LawHelp.org' · Checked October 31, 2026

15. According to the CFPB, the counseling agencies in its search tool are approved by HUD and offer independent advice, often at little or no cost, on buying a home, renting, defaults, forbearances, foreclosures and credit; you search by ZIP code; and not every agency offers every service.

    Sources 14 · Find a Housing Counselor: 'approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)'; 'offer independent advice, often at little or no cost to you'; 'buying a home, renting, defaults, forbearances, foreclosures, and credit issues'; 'Search by ZIP code'; 'Not every housing counselor offers all services' · Checked October 31, 2026