Vermont S. 34: An act relating to rural economic development

Bill Text

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VT LEG #379819 v.1
S.34 1
Introduced by Senators White, Clarkson and Major 2
Referred to Committee on 3
Date: 4
Subject: Conservation and development; housing; mobile homes; lot rent 5
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to lower the 6
allowable rate of increase for mobile home lot rents. 7
An act relating to lowering the rate of increase for mobile home lot rents 8
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 9
Sec. 1. 10 V.S.A. § 6252 is amended to read: 10
§ 6252. LOT RENT INCREASE DISPUTE; MEDIATION 11
(a)(1) If the percentage of a proposed A mobile home park owner shall not 12
propose a lot rent increase is of more than one percentage point above the U.S. 13
Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers, Housing Component, 14
published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in the periodical “Monthly 15
Labor Review and Handbook of Labor Statistics” as established annually by 16
the Department, and if,. 17
(2) If, within 15 business days after receipt by the Commissioner of the 18
notice required pursuant to subsection 6251(a) of this title, a majority of the 19
affected leaseholders files with the Commissioner and the park owner a written 20

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VT LEG #379819 v.1
petition that includes the name of the person who will act as the representative 1
of the leaseholders, and a statement that they dispute the proposed lot rent 2
increase, the Commissioner shall send a list of qualified professional mediators 3
compiled by the Department in cooperation with park owners and leaseholders 4
to the park owner and to the leaseholders’ representative. Within five business 5
days of after receipt of the list, the park owner and the leaseholders’ 6
representative shall agree on a mediator from the list provided by the 7
Commissioner and notify the Commissioner of the name, address, and 8
telephone number of the mediator selected, accompanied by the mediator’s 9
agreement to conduct the mediation. If the Commissioner has not been 10
notified of a mediator as required by this subsection, the Commissioner shall 11
appoint a mediator from the Department’s list. The mediator may not have any 12
interest, direct or indirect, in the mobile home park at issue and shall disclose 13
to the park owner, the leaseholders, and the Commissioner any experience as a 14
mobile home park owner, resident, or leaseholder, or any other circumstance 15
that may create a real or perceived conflict of interest. The Department shall 16
pay the reasonable fees for professional mediation services based on a schedule 17
established by rule of the Department. 18
(b) The mediator shall conduct one or more mediation sessions within the 19
period that ends 10 days prior to the effective date of the proposed lot rent 20
increase. The mediation shall include the mobile home park owner and the 21

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leaseholders, or their respective representatives, and shall attempt to resolve 1
the dispute. No Not later than five days before the initial mediation session, 2
the mobile home park owner shall provide to the mediator and the 3
leaseholders’ representative all documents and information that the park owner 4
considers relevant to support the proposed lot rent increase. The mobile home 5
park owner shall have the burden of providing information to show that the 6
proposed lot rent increase is reasonable. The mediator may also request any 7
additional documents or information for the purposes of the mediation process. 8
Any resolution of the dispute shall include an agreement regarding the amount 9
of the lot rent increase and the effective date. If the dispute is resolved, the 10
mobile home park owner shall not be required to provide any additional notice 11
in order for the lot rent increase to take effect pursuant to the resolution. 12
(c) The mediator shall issue to the parties and the Commissioner a report 13
signed by the mediator and the parties regarding the outcome of the mediation. 14
The report shall not be admitted into evidence and the mediator shall not be 15
competent to testify in any subsequent action regarding the proposed lot rent 16
increase. 17
Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE 18
This act shall take effect on July 1, 2025. 19