Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) introduced bicameral legislation with Representative Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.-01) to help preserve and revitalize manufactured housing communities.
“Manufactured homes are critical for many families, and my legislation would help communities keep lot rents affordable and make vital infrastructure improvements,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “I’ll keep working with my colleagues to address the affordable housing crisis and keep families in their homes.”
“Granite State families shouldn’t have to worry about losing the roof over their heads, but unfortunately, that’s a reality that many face every day,” said Senator Shaheen. “New Hampshire has more than 140 resident-owned manufactured housing communities (ROCs), and this crucial legislation would provide resources to those manufactured housing communities to make much-needed water and infrastructure upgrades and will keep working class families in affordable homes.”
“We have a severe shortage of housing across the country, and it’s important to maintain and preserve the affordable options we have. Manufactured homes are often more affordable than other housing, but many manufactured housing communities do not have funds to upgrade and repair basic infrastructure such as water and sewer systems, and homeowners typically do not own the land beneath their homes,” said Representative Bonamici. “I’m pleased to work with Senators Cortez Masto and Shaheen to introduce the PRICE Act, which will make the PRICE grant program permanent and protect a crucial source of funding for preserving manufactured housing.”
“The housing crisis is impacting communities all across the country,” said Senator Smith. “Manufactured housing is a key solution to this problem and a vital source of affordable housing all over Minnesota. We need to be doing everything we can to preserve and improve housing security and affordability, and that includes supporting manufactured housing. This bill would help preserve these affordable housing options for residents and owners for years to come, particularly in rural and tribal areas.”
“Everywhere I go in Montana, from Billings to Missoula to Polson, I hear about the need to tackle the lack of affordable housing in our state,” said Senator Tester. “As a third-generation Montanan who is fortunate enough to live on the same plot of land my grandparents homesteaded over 100 years ago, making sure that folks can afford to live in the community they grew up in is personal. Our commonsense legislation will help preserve the supply of affordable housing across our state and revitalize units badly in need of repairs, and I’ll keep fighting until it becomes law.”
“U.S. Sens. Cortez Masto and Shaheen and U.S. Rep. Bonamici have heard the voices of low-income homeowners in ‘mobile’ home communities,” said Resident Owned Communities (ROC) USA® President Paul Bradley. “These are the stories of hardworking families and retirees who simply want to live in resilient and healthy communities, which is something that most Americans take for granted thanks to public investment.”
Democrats created the Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative for Community Enhancement (PRICE) grant program in 2022 to help preserve and revitalize manufactured housing in eligible communities. Senator Cortez Masto’s bill would make the PRICE program permanent, providing funding for home improvements and neighborhood upgrades for thousands of Americans each year.
Senator Cortez Masto has been a leader in the fight to lower housing costs and keep Nevadans in their homes. As Attorney General, she led the fight to hold Big Banks accountable for the foreclosure crisis, delivering $1.9 billion to homeowners in Nevada. She recently secured $4.8 million from the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco to support Nevada affordable housing organizations, and cut through red tape to make it easier to build affordable housing across the state. She’s leading the Affordable Housing Bond Enhancement Act and the HOME Reauthorization Act to help more families afford homes. She is also a sponsor of the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act and the Neighborhood Homes Investment Act to help build more affordable housing.
###