An Act To Amend Title 25 Of The Delaware Code Relating To Rent Increases.
Summary
SB235 amends Delaware’s landlord-tenant laws for manufactured home communities by changing how rent increases are justified under Title 25. The bill removes the sunset date from the rent-increase calculation framework created as a pilot program under prior law, so the standards in Sections 7052A and 7052B continue to govern rent increases instead of reverting to the older justification rules in Section 7052. In practical terms, the bill makes the pilot framework permanent for covered leases and rent notices, rather than allowing it to expire and be replaced by the prior regime.
The bill applies to rent increase notices issued on or after July 1, 2022, through July 1, 2027, and preserves certain phased increases and agreements beyond that date. It also clarifies that after July 1, 2027, the newer calculation rules continue to apply to rent increases already made under those sections, including additional increases under 7052B, until the end of the applicable increase period. The measure therefore affects the legal standards landlords in manufactured home communities must use to support rent increases and the rights of residents subject to those increases.
Impact
SB235 changes Title 25 of the Delaware Code by repealing the sunset on the rent increase calculation provisions for manufactured home communities and making those provisions the continuing basis for rent justification. It extends the operational life of Sections 7052A and 7052B and limits the return of Section 7052’s older rent-justification rules, thereby affecting landlords, manufactured home community operators, and tenants/residents in those communities. The bill does not create a new rent cap, but it preserves and extends the existing statutory framework for calculating and justifying rent increases.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests broad support for the bill, with the Senate passing it 18-0 on third reading. No committee transcript is available in the provided materials, but the unanimous vote indicates the measure was generally viewed favorably by lawmakers. The bill’s sponsor and co-sponsors also suggest bipartisan or cross-chamber interest in maintaining the rent-increase framework for manufactured home communities.
Contention
The main policy issue is whether the rent-increase calculation system created as a pilot should be made permanent or allowed to sunset and revert to the prior justification rules. Supporters appear to favor continuity and predictability in the manufactured home community rent-setting process, while any opposition would likely center on concerns that extending the framework could continue constraints or complexities affecting landlords and community operators. Because no committee debate is provided, the record does not show specific objections, but the underlying tension is between tenant protections, regulatory certainty, and property-owner flexibility.