Ep. 210 | Rent Control, Politics & the Future of Mobile Home Parks

Welcome back to the Mobile Home Park Lawyer Podcast! In this episode, Ferd Niemann sits down with Andy Conlin, Executive Director of the Iowa Manufactured Housing Association, to unpack the political and regulatory forces quietly reshaping manufactured housing across the U.S. Andy draws on more than two decades in government relations to explain why the biggest risks facing park owners aren’t coming from Washington, D.C., but from state capitols. The discussion covers rent control, right of first refusal laws, resident organizing, media narratives, and why manufactured housing has become a prime target in housing policy debates. Ferd and Andy break down what actually moves the needle for operators: working through state manufactured housing associations, educating citizen legislators, communicating transparently with residents, and avoiding rent strategies that unintentionally trigger political scrutiny. Real-world examples show how aggressive rent increases, poorly paced capital recovery, or even well-meaning park improvements can invite regulatory backlash.

Whether you own a single community or operate across multiple states, this episode gives you a practical framework for understanding how housing policy is formed—and how to protect your assets while still running profitable, well-managed parks. Tune in now to see how smart operators stay ahead of regulation instead of reacting to it.

Highlights of the episode: 00:36 – Introducing Andy Conlin 01:00 – Background in lobbying & manufactured housing 04:10 – Why manufactured housing is a political target 06:22 – Rent control & right of first refusal explained 07:54 – Why state capitols matter more than D.C. 09:42 – Citizen legislators & policy education 12:07 – Why rent control keeps resurfacing 13:27 – The role of state MH associations 15:00 – Evictions & quiet regulatory changes 17:13 – Positive momentum in manufactured housing 18:45 – Pushback in blue states 20:07 – Media narratives & resident organizing 23:21 – Permits, agencies & operational friction 24:32 – When changing the law is the answer 25:49 – Why owners must tell their story 28:31 – Resident communication & trust 29:38 – Annual rent increases vs. shock pricing 31:50 – Managing beyond the spreadsheet 33:27 – Market rent vs. political reality 36:54 – Rent control enforcement challenges 38:14 – Risk for newer, smaller operators 40:36 – Iowa’s approach to MH advocacy 41:32 – How to get involved & resources

Connecting with MHP Law: Website: https://themobilehomelawyer.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Mobile-Home-Park-Lawyer-103814958118069 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themhplawyer-ferdniemann6923147/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themhplawyer

Connecting with Guest: Website: https://www.iamha.org/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewconlin/

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