S3835

The New York State Senate passed legislation Tuesday to allow municipalities and nonprofit organizations to purchase manufactured home parks or development rights to preserve them as affordable housing. The bill, S3835, passed 51-11 on a roll call vote. Sponsor Sen. Hinchey said the measure addresses a critical shortage of affordable housing, particularly in upstate New York and Long Island, where mobile home parks represent the majority of affordable units. The bill would enable nonprofits and municipalities to acquire parks or restrict development rights, preventing private equity firms from converting them to other uses or allowing them to fall into disrepair. Sen. Murray supported the bill, comparing it to open space preservation programs and noting the importance of housing security for residents who own their homes but not the underlying land. However, critics raised concerns about the financing mechanism. Sen. Martins questioned how nonprofits and municipalities would repay loans if they only purchased development rights rather than the land itself, since rent would continue flowing to the original property owner. Sen. Weik opposed the bill on tax grounds, arguing that municipalities and nonprofits are tax-exempt, which would reduce property tax revenue for schools and local governments in communities with manufactured home parks. Sponsor Hinchey clarified that financial assistance may be provided as grants rather than loans requiring repayment.