TOPO 4 Washington State

EHB 2610

For over 30 years, manufactured housing community residents in Washington State have been fighting for a opportunity to purchase and preserve the communities where they live. EHB 2610 is modeled after Vermont's Opportunity to Purchase statue that has proved effective in converting more manufactured housing communities to resident owned cooperative. The Association of Manufactured Home Owners (AMHO) and the Northwest Cooperative Development Center, and Washington CAN have been key partners on this bill. EHB passed in the House of Representatives and passed out of the Senate committees in 2019. AMHO and their advocacy coalition will be putting forward a new opportunity to purchase bill for the upcoming session - stay tuned.

Contact your representatives today!

EHB 2610 includes

  • Notice of sale to tenants and state agencies

  • 45 day response period for eligible organizations submit a notice of intent to purchase

  • Qualified organizations include cooperatives, land trusts, non-profits and government agencies.

  • 90 day "good faith negotiation" period allowing reasonable time for organizations to access purchase documents, financing, and technical assistance to then make a final offer.

Manufactured Housing zoning Protections

Cities and counties in Washington State are leaders in creating zoning protections for manufactured housing communities. Manufactured Housing Communities provide affordable homeownership opportunities and are at risk of going away with the pressure of gentrification and so called "highest and best use development practice". In fact, these communities are being torn down at such a high rate that the Washington State Department of Commerce has a department dedicated to helping relocated homeowners whose parks are being sold for redevelopment. Since 2007, 61 communities have be torn down for redevelopment, effectively eliminating 1,354 affordable homes (*data sourced from Dept. of Commerce MHC Relocation Program).

Manufactured Housing Community Zoning overlays can be implemented to protect this critical affordable housing stock. These zones would limit uses to prevent parks from being sold for redevelopment purposes.

Tumwater, Kenmore, Snohomish County, Lynnwood, and Marysville. There are ongoing efforts to adopt similar zoning ordinances in Spokane, Federal Way, Seattle and Bellingham. The Association of Manufactured Homeowners (AMHO) has led the fight on many of these successes.