Layers and layers: complexity, obfuscation, and consolidation in ownership of manufactured housing communities

Source abstract

Millions of US households live in manufactured housing communities (MHCs) where they typically own their homes, but not the land. While MHC owners’ actions, from setting lot rents to community closures, can shape residents lives, MHC ownership is often opaque. MHCs are increasingly owned by investors and corporations, many of whom obscure their identities with layers of legal entities, including limited liability corporations (LLCs). To better understand opaque ownership conditions, we produced a novel ownership census, identifying and classifying the owners of the over 5200 state-registered MHCs in California. We estimate that over 90% of California’s MHC lots are controlled by private for-profit owners and that more than one third of MHCs are owned by entities that own more than one community. The 10 largest owners control over 15% of MHC lots statewide, representing a greater degree of consolidation than US multifamily and single-family rental housing. We further uncover inequities in ownership, finding that stable non-privatized ownership is a privilege disproportionately enjoyed in areas with lower poverty and higher proportions of elderly and white residents. This census not only exposes the scale of consolidated MHC ownership but establishes new methodological foundations for exploring how ownership can impact residents.