How private equity is changing mobile home parks
Large investors — including private-equity firms and institutional landlords — have been buying manufactured home communities. Here's a neutral overview of the trend, the concerns residents and advocates raise, and the tools residents have.
Published June 4, 2026
Over the past decade, large investors — private-equity firms, real-estate investment trusts, and other institutional landlords — have been buying manufactured home communities across the country. For residents, a change in ownership can be uneventful or can bring higher lot rent, new fees, and stricter rules. This article gives a neutral overview of the trend and the tools residents have. It is general information, not legal or investment advice; for a specific situation, consider consulting a licensed attorney in your state.
Why parks attract investors
Manufactured home communities have an unusual feature: most residents own their home but rent the lot. Moving a home off its lot can cost thousands of dollars and risk damage, so residents tend to stay even when lot rent increases. From an investor's perspective, that means relatively stable, predictable income and low turnover. Combined with limited new park construction in many areas, those economics have made communities an attractive target for consolidation by buyers who own many parks across multiple states.
The concerns residents and advocates raise
Residents, journalists, and resident-advocacy organizations have documented cases in which a large acquirer raised lot rent significantly, introduced pass-through fees for water, sewer, trash, or administration, or tightened community rules after a purchase. Because relocating a home is so costly, critics argue residents have little leverage to respond to increases. Supporters of institutional ownership counter that professional operators can invest in aging infrastructure. The outcome in any given community depends heavily on the owner, the lease, and the applicable state law.
What protections exist
Protections vary widely by state, and that is where the details matter:
- Rent-increase rules. Some states cap how often lot rent can rise, require 60–90 days' notice, or (in a few states) limit the amount. Many states have no cap at all.
- Notice and opportunity to purchase. Roughly twenty states give residents advance notice when a park is offered for sale, and some grant an opportunity or right of first refusal to buy it.
- Resident-owned communities (ROCs). Through the ROC model, residents form a cooperative and buy the community themselves, often with help from a nonprofit such as ROC USA.
- Organizing. Residents can form an association to negotiate, document conditions, and pursue state consumer-protection or landlord-tenant remedies.
Where to learn more
Whether and how these tools apply depends on your state. The FightMyPark state guides cover lot-rent rules, eviction protections, and any opportunity-to-purchase or right-of-first-refusal law in each state, and the articles on resident-owned communities and right of first refusal explain those pathways in more detail.
Frequently asked questions
- Why are investors buying mobile home parks?
- Manufactured home communities can offer steady rental income with relatively low turnover, because moving a home off a lot is expensive and disruptive — residents tend to stay even when lot rent rises. That dynamic has drawn private-equity firms, real-estate investment trusts, and other institutional buyers. This is a general overview, not investment or legal advice; consider consulting a licensed attorney about a specific situation.
- Does new ownership mean my rent will go up?
- Not automatically, but residents and advocates have reported that some large acquirers raise lot rent and add fees after a purchase. What an owner can charge, and how much notice is required, depends on your lease and your state's law — several states limit how often rent can rise or require advance notice. See your state's FightMyPark lot-rent guide.
- What can residents do when a large investor buys the park?
- Options vary by state and situation. Some states give residents notice and an opportunity (or right of first refusal) to purchase the community when it is offered for sale, and the resident-owned-community (ROC) model lets residents form a cooperative to buy and run the park. Residents can also organize an association and use their state's consumer-protection and landlord-tenant remedies.