Mobile home park tenants seek help from WA Attorney General's office
WA mobile homeowners seek help from AG's office
Tenants of a Pierce County mobile home park are asking the Attorney General's office for help, saying they feel taken advantage of after their landlord raised rates 50%.
PUYALLUP, Wash. - Mobile homeowners in Pierce County report they have been struggling for over a year after their landlord, Hurst and Sons LLC, raised rent astronomically, leaving many feelings exploited. After reporting the issue to the Washington State Attorney General’s Office, tenants hoped for a resolution.
What they're saying:
Allen Marler, a resident of Cottonwood Mobile Home Park, says rent on his lot doubled in a single month. When FOX 13 first spoke to Marler in November 2023, he had threatened to leave over the steep hike. However, a year later, Marler’s trailer remains parked at the same spot in Puyallup. Marler shared the cancer he was battling has returned, forcing him out of work. He says now things are tighter than ever before, and he’s relying on Social Security.
‘I won't be here. I'll leave’; Puyallup mobile homeowners up in arms over steep rent hikes
Puyallup mobile homeowners are faced with a difficult choice after property owners jacked up rent over 50%.
Hurst and Son, based in Port Orchard, owns several mobile home parks across Washington and North Dakota. The company has approximately 2,700 tenants in Washington. Following an investigation by the Attorney General’s Office, tenants who filed complaints could be eligible for part of a $5.5 million refund.
The Attorney General’s office says they've received several complaints from Cottonwood tenants, handling them the same way as complaints from other Hurst & Son parks. While some have been closed, others are still open, and none have led to reimbursements yet. However, it's possible some tenants could have received refunds outside of the AG’s process. In response to the complaints, Cottonwood changed its rental agreements and rules, including reducing fees and making other adjustments. Tenants who were fined under the old rules might be eligible for a refund.
Natalie Lender, a tenant in Puyallup, shared her frustration with FOX 13 back in 2023 about the strict lease rules at her mobile home park, which include fees and restrictions like banning walking after dark and children playing in the street. While these issues remain, Lender is thankful for the Attorney General’s involvement, which led to Hurst & Son revising their leases. The company was pressured to make several changes, including lowering late fees from $65 to $20.
"People are suffering financially trying to keep their families in their homes," said Lender. "It’s honestly heartbreaking their abuse of power."
Rent hikes, strict rules: Puyallup mobile home community feels taken advantage of
Astronomical rate hikes, some as much as 50 percent, have Puyallup mobile homeowners outraged. After feeling ignored by property owners, frustrated neighbors hope to take their case to the Washington State Attorney General’s Office.
The other side:
Mike Faulk, spokesperson for the Attorney General, shared with FOX 13 the office could not take legal action against Hurst & Sons for raising rent.
"There is not a limitation in how much landlords are able to increase rent under the Mobile Home Landlord Tenant Act," explained Faulk. "We are not in a position to intervene on that issue."
At the state level, there is growing discussion about rent control. A proposed House bill currently under consideration in Olympia would cap annual rent increases at 7%. While the bill has yet to pass, it has sparked conversations about protecting tenants from extreme rent hikes in the future.
What's next:
In the meantime, residents like Lender continue to push for fair treatment as they await any resolution to their ongoing struggles with their landlord.
FOX 13 has reached out to Hurst and Son LLC for comment but has not heard back.
The Source: Information in this story is from the Washington State Attorney General’s Office and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
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