Saco mobile home park residents ask city to pass moratorium on rent increases

A group of mobile home park residents in Saco are asking the city to implement a moratorium on mobile home park lot rent increases.

On Sept. 24, a series of state laws advocating for residents in mobile home parks went into effect. One of these laws allows mobile home park residents to request mediation if a rent increase is more than the Consumer Price Index plus 1%, as long as at least 51 percent of residents sign a petition for mediation.

In August, residents of Blue Haven Mobile Home Park in Saco received a notice that all lot rents would increase to $660 monthly, beginning Dec. 1. According to Blue Haven resident Kathy Smith, this is the second rate increase this year at the mobile home park, which has about 250 households.

Blue Haven resident Rodney Champagne , a senior who lives at the park, said at a recent City Council meeting that he could barely make ends meet before notification of the December rent increase. He said after the December rent hike, his rent will increase 28 percent this year.

“No Social Security addition is going to meet that,” he said.

Smith said that even though more than 75 percent of park residents have signed a request for mediation, the owner, who has a California address, sent a letter back saying they did not meet the requirements for mediation.

Blue Haven resident Brian LaRoche told the city council at a recent meeting that a temporary moratorium would give time to gain a full understanding of state laws and develop a local ordinance to ensure fairness for mobile homeowners.

Old Orchard Beach last year approved a mobile home rent control ordinance, and other communities across the state have established moratoriums on mobile home park rent increases to give time to craft ordinances.

Mayor Jodi MacPhail said that after hearing Blue Haven residents speak, several councilors said they wanted to consider implementing a moratorium. She said at Monday night’s meeting City Councilors will discuss a potential moratorium.

After Monday’s discussion, if the council decides to pursue a moratorium, the issue will appear on a future agenda for a formal vote.

Blue Haven park management was contacted but did not respond by press time.

Publisher Liz Gotthelf can be reached at newsdesk@sacobaynews.com.