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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