Florence Dean, Editor
The Land of Enchantment Manufactured Home Owners Alliance (LEMHOA) supports the property rights of landlords while advocating for equity for homeowners in lot-lease communities. We believe that homeowners in MHCs (mobile home parks, trailer courts, & manufactured home communities) deserve property rights and legal protections. Let us know if you can help or if you have any questions.
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WHAT’S HAPPENING IN NEW MEXICO
LEMHOA is making real progress. We unite homeowners, engage policymakers, raise public awareness, and advance solutions to protect affordable housing and secure tenancy in lot-lease communities.
Much remains to be done. The more people who contribute their time, talents, and ideas, the sooner we achieve meaningful change. Your involvement, whether with outreach, research, communications, event planning, or simply sharing information—makes a difference.
If you believe homeowners deserve stability, dignity, and a voice in decisions affecting their homes and communities, join our growing movement.
Currently, we are gathering data to persuade lawmakers to enact protections similar to those in many other states. Much of this data collection and research can be done online, and we will show you how. If you can help, reach out to: info@manufacturedhomeownersalliance.org
VOICES FROM OUR COMMUNITIES: WHY OVERSIGHT MATTERS: The EPA requires community water systems to provide customers with an annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) by July 1 each year. These reports inform New Mexicans about the quality of their drinking water and whether it meets federal drinking water standards.
Recently, a homeowner in a manufactured home community in Alamogordo became concerned about the quality of the water in her home and arranged for independent testing. The results appeared to be inconsistent with the information available about the Alamogordo’s drinking water.
The homeowner contacted the appropriate authorities, who conducted an investigation and confirmed that there were problems with the water distribution system within the manufactured home community. The investigation determined that the issue originated within the community’s privately owned water infrastructure rather than the public water supply.
Experiences like this demonstrate why clear oversight of privately owned utility systems serving manufactured home communities is essential.
AN EYE ON THE CANDIDATES! We will continue to feature responses from our Candidate Questionnaire, which was sent to all state primary candidates. We intend to send it to all independent and minor party candidates.
These answers provide insight into how MHCs are viewed and which candidates are willing to find solutions to the many challenges faced by homeowners in MHCs. We believe that for tens of thousands of residents in New Mexico MHCs, these answers are critical.
We have decided to include answers from candidates even if campaigns have concluded. We believe all responses remain relevant, and we appreciate everyone’s participation.
This newsletter highlights our second question on our Candidate Questionnaire:
New Mexico’s Mobile Home Park Act (MHPA) has existed since the 1980s but has never been updated or publicly enforced, leaving low-income homeowners without meaningful protection. Would you support empowering the Department of Justice to investigate and enforce the MHPA on behalf of vulnerable homeowners?
The following candidates answered in the affirmative. Some candidates answered “yes,” while others provided wonderfully detailed responses. The names of candidates that gave detailed responses are bold. Some candidates have supported Opportunity to Purchase Legislation for MHCs (2025: HB426). Their names include an *.
Gubernatorial candidates Sam Bregman – (D) and Deb Haaland – (D), Congressional Candidate Rep. Gabriel Vasquez – (D), Secretary of State Candidate, Amanda López Askin – (D), Senate District 33 Rex A. Wilson– (R), House District 6 David L. Alcon – (D), House District 8 Katherine Joanna Gauer – (D), House District 16 Representative Yanira Gurrola*- (D), House District 16, Marsella Duarte Serna – (D), House District 17 Representative Cynthia Borrego* – (D), House District 21 Robert L. Mason – (R), House District 25 Denis Litvinenko– (R), House District 28 Brenda Olson – (R), House District 28 Representative Pamelya Herndon* – (D), House District 32 Laura Mariel Parra– (D), House District 33 Enrique Kiki Vigil – (R), House District 36 Julia E. Ruiz – (R), House District 39 Raul Turrietta-(D), House District 40 Nancy Wright-(D), House District 44 Representative Kathleen Cates* – (D), House District 47 Representative & Majority Floor Leader Reena Szczepanski* – (D), House District 53 Representative Sarah Silva* – (D).
For more information about a candidate’s response, please reply to this email.
KNOW YOUR UTILITY RIGHTS AS A MHC HOMEOWNER
By: Maria Griego, Attorney & Director of Economic Equity – New Mexico Center on Law & Poverty
New Mexico law sets clear rules for how land owners must handle utilities. Here is what you should know.
Land owners maintain the utility lines. The land owner is responsible for maintaining all park-owned exterior utility lines, from your mobile home hookup out to the main lines in the park. The only exception is if there is damage caused by a resident.
Owners cannot markup utility costs. When the land owner purchases utilities and bills you for them, the price per unit charged to you cannot exceed what the land owner pays the utility supplier. You also have the right to reasonable access to meter readings taken at your home space.
Administrative fees must be disclosed in writing. Land owners may charge a reasonable administrative fee to cover the cost of providing utility services. That fee must be fully and accurately disclosed in your written rental agreement. If the land owner wants to increase it, you must receive written notice at least 60 days before the increase takes effect.
Your monthly bill must be itemized. When the land owner provides utility services, your bill must include:
- A separate listing of charges for each utility service
- The amount consumed and the cost per unit for each service (or, if cost per unit is not available, the total cost and the formula used to calculate your charge)
- The administrative fee, if any
Violations may carry a penalty. For each violation of these utility provisions, a landowner may be charged a civil penalty of up to $500.
This monthly column provides general information, not legal advice.
HM54 Mobile Home Parks Utilities Working Group: As reported in previous newsletters, in January 2026, the state legislature authorized the Public Regulatory Commission (PRC) to form a Work Group to develop recommendations for a regulatory and statutory framework to promote reliable and consistent access to utilities for MHC residents. Headed by Jerri Hanosh, Directory of Policy Administration with New Mexico’s Public Regulation Commission, the work group held its second meeting in June. The following presentations were made:
Rebecca Puck Stair, Director of New Mexico Energy Conservation and Management (ECAM), talked about the importance of enforcing existing laws, the need for creative financing for landlords, problem reduction, lowering or sharing the costs of efficiency upgrades, and ECAM incentives.
Gideon Elliot, regulatory attorney with the Legal Division of the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission gave a presentation on Mobile Home Parks and Solving for Utility Failures. He talked about some of the problems and presented possible solutions by comparing what other states have done. He acknowledged that residents have limited options under current law.
For more information or to share any concerns you have experienced in your community, email: info@manufacturedhomeownersalliance.org
FIRST THURSDAY ZOOM MEETINGS: LEMHOA’s First Thursday Zoom is a monthly gathering for homeowners, residents, and allies to discuss issues affecting people in lot-lease communities. Together, we work to advance and protect affordable housing, homeowner rights, and community stability.
Unfortunately, we will not meet again until the first Thursday in September. We anticipate resuming our monthly meetings then and look forward to reconnecting at that time.
Thank you for your continued support. Volunteers are needed. The more people involved, the more we can accomplish. Reach out to help!
OF INTEREST….
21st Century Road to Housing Act awaits President Trump’s signature.
Sec.3-Manufactured Housing for America:
Sec.301 – Housing Supply Expansion Act: This act eliminates the permanent chassis requirement for manufactured homes. It also establishes HUD as the primary authority for, and requires HUD to set, minimum energy efficiency standards for manufactured homes.
Sec. 304 – PRICE ACT Reauthorizes Preservation and Reinvestment for Community Enhancement (PRICE) grants for seven years to fund the repair, preservation, and improvement of existing manufactured home communities.
Manufactured Housing Residents Are Bearing the Brunt of Climate Change | Issue Number One. Manufactured homes are particularly vulnerable to heat. Some older homes have less insulation and low-capacity electrical systems that cannot adequately cool the home. See: Climate Change and Geography of Erasure: Manufactured Housing, Heat, Exposure, and State Neglect
HAPPENINGS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
COLORADO: HB 26-1224 passed recently, which strengthens Colorado’s Mobile Home Park Act to ensure that residents have a fair chance to purchase the land underneath their home.
COLORADO HB 26-1145 specifically empowers the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to compel park owners to remediate water quality issues and violations.
COLORADO HB 26-1120 requires tax notices for manufactured homes in English and Spanish. The law extends the deadline for homeowners to pay delinquent taxes and establishes tax lien sale procedures and redemption rights similar to those for real estate. It creates a three-year redemption period from the tax lien sale date, extended to nine years for people with disabilities.
COLORADO Manufactured Home owners in San Lazaro, CO are seeking financing to purchase the park at its full asking price of $42.5Million or face the risk of a new owner either jacking up monthly leases on lots or redeveloping the land, San Lorenzo MHC
PENNSYLVANIA: Manufactured home owners in Meadville, PA, protested a monthly rent increase, and were presented with new leases to be signed “under duress”. Tenants filed a lawsuit over roads, abandoned home, animal infestations, and drainage problems as well as rent increases “Under Duress”
ARIZONA: Attorney General Kris Mayes has filed an Application for an Order to Show Cause, demanding that the owner and manager of Redwood Mobile Home Park in Tucson be held in contempt for failing to complete agreed-upon repairs to its electrical system. https://share.google/zsGUyBV2YmEolAnKi
MORE UPCOMING EVENTS & OPPORTUNITIES . . .
LEMHOA’s board meets every first Tuesday via Zoom. LEMHOA’s members are welcome and encouraged to attend. Request link: enchantmentmhoa@gmail.com
GET INVOLVED & SUPPORT LEMHOA: MHC Homeowners, Allies, Advocates: JOIN! Follow us on Facebook: FOLLOW! Check out: LEMHOA’S WEBSITE!
Contact Florence Dean with news items: nmflod@yahoo.com