Montana mobile-home owners fear rising lot rents could force them from homes they already own

For residents at Golden Meadows in Billings, owning a mobile home hasn't guaranteed lasting housing security.

Rising lot rents are putting longtime Montana residents under growing financial strain, with some saying they are feeling the pressure in the very places they have called home for decades.

Nancy Moore, who has lived in the community for 30 years, said the threat is so serious that she fears homelessness could be next.

Here's what to know

Households at the Golden Meadows mobile-home park say higher lot rents are stretching their budgets and putting their long-term housing at risk, according to KULR8. The strain can be especially sharp in these communities because many residents own their homes while leasing the land underneath them.

For Moore, that means worrying about what becomes of the trailer where she raised two children if she can no longer cover the lot rent.

"I have this trailer. What do I do with it? Is it going to just fall apart? Do I walk away from it? It's been my home for 30 years. I've raised two kids there. I really, truly do not know what my options are after this," she said.

Medric Magann, another Golden Meadows resident, described a similar squeeze. As KULR8 reported, his income fell by half after his wife died, and he is now trying to absorb the rent increases on a fixed income.

"I'm struggling to keep up with these rent increases," Magann said.

The dispute is also fueling a broader Montana debate, KULR8 reported, over what protections residents have and how private equity and other investment firms are shaping these parks.

More background

Residents of Golden Meadows say their circumstances fall somewhere between renting and traditional homeownership.

"We are in a unique position with having a house, but not the land," said Joseph Kalgren, a Golden Meadows resident. "So, it's different from apartment dwellers. It's different from homeowners also. So, this should be something that addresses what we need."

When lot rents climb, that split can leave residents especially exposed, particularly older adults and people who depend on retirement income. Moore is 67, and Magann said, according to KULR8, that an increase in his Social Security benefits may help even though he is unsure it will be enough.

In mobile-home parks, residents say that lack of control can be even more severe because moving a home they already own is often difficult or unrealistic.

A rent increase can threaten the home's stability, value, and livability.

What's being done?

Residents purchasing the parks themselves is one idea under discussion.

KULR8 reported that Julie Hippler, who is running for Montana Senate District 25, wants legislation that would make it easier for residents to buy the parks where they live and operate them collectively.

That effort already includes NeighborWorks Montana, which is helping residents evaluate whether collective ownership and management of a mobile-home park could succeed. Supporters say that model could give homeowners more control over lot costs and over decisions affecting their communities.

Residents are also organizing locally. The Yellowstone County Mobile Home Association aims to bring together mobile-home owners and renters across Yellowstone County so they can exchange information, discuss concerns, and advocate with a stronger collective voice.

For people trying to push back on restrictive housing rules more broadly, including rules set by landlords or community associations, resources on working with HOAs may help residents think through how to organize around bylaw or policy changes.

Moore said the uncertainty has unsettled the future she once expected after 30 years in Golden Meadows:

"I'm 67 years old. I shouldn't have to worry about this stuff. And I never thought that I would," she said. "When I bought this, I really, truly thought everything would be fine until my sunset, so to speak. I just really feel like I'm backed into a corner and I don't have any place to go."

Where can I learn more?

Similar disputes are unfolding in mobile-home and manufactured-home communities across the country. Other reporting has documented rent spikes, threatened closures, resident buyouts, and other pressures that can put homeowners' only major asset at risk.

• In Wisconsin, manufactured home rents soar after private equity buys parks, squeezing longtime residents.

• In Vermont, families who own trailers but not the land may be forced to abandon them.

• Across rural America, residents are building resident-owned communities to curb displacement and stabilize lot costs.

• In New Hampshire, trailer park residents buy the land under their homes and control rent hikes.

• Across the US, homeowners facing insurance turmoil find their house is their only asset under threat.

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