Manufactured home class action lawsuit overview:
- Who: Carla Hajek and Gregory Hammerlund filed a class action lawsuit against a group of manufactured home community owners and Datacomp, a provider of manufactured and mobile home data.
- Why: Hajek and Hammerlund claim the manufactured home community owners conspired with a mobile home data valuator, Datacomp, to fix, maintain and/or stabilize lot rental prices for their residences.
- Where: The class action lawsuit was filed in Illinois federal court.
A group of manufactured home community owners conspired alongside a mobile home data valuator to fix, raise, maintain and/or stabilize lot rental prices for the residences, a new class action lawsuit alleges.
Plaintiffs Carla Hajek and Gregory Hammerlund claim residents of manufactured homes are “being overcharged for what used to be affordable housing,” thanks to the companies alleged conspiracy.
Hajek and Hammerlund named a number of owners of manufactured home communities in their complaint, as well as Datacomp, a provider of manufactured and mobile home data the defendants use.
“After acquiring the communities, these buyers have implemented steep, annual rent increases on their manufactured home lots, which have caused significant burdens on manufactured home residents,” the manufactured home class action states.
Hajek and Hammerlund want to represent a nationwide class of all persons or entities who paid rent directly for a manufactured home in a community included in a JLT Market Report from between Aug. 31, 2019, and the present.
Community owners coordinate to reduce, eliminate competition, class action says
Hajek and Hammerlund claim the manufactured home community owners coordinate with each other “to increase manufactured home lot rents systematically and unlawfully by purchasing and using market reports published by Defendant Datacomp.”
The plaintiffs claim they do this via reports known as JLT Market Reports, which they allege allow the community owners to “reduce or eliminate competition amongst themselves on price, services and quality for manufactured home lots,” according to the manufactured home class action.
“The consequence is that two of society’s most vulnerable groups—the elderly and low-income earners—face considerable financial pressures. Some residents are facing evictions,” the class action states.
Hajek and Hammerlund claim the community owners and Datacomp violate the Sherman Act. They demand a jury trial and request injunctive relief along with an award of treble damages for themselves and all class members.
In another case involving home prices, a consumer filed a class action lawsuit against Zillow in 2021, arguing the company failed to disclose critical information to investors in regard to its Zillow Offers side of the business.
Have you overpaid rent in a manufactured home community? Let us know in the comments.
The plaintiffs are represented by Adam J. Levitt, Brian M. Hogan, John E. Tangren, Gregory S. Asciolla, Karin E. Garvey and Jonathan S. Crevier of DiCello Levitt LLP; Reena Gambhir, Scott Martin and Megan E. Jones of Hausfeld LLP; and Myron M. Cherry, Jacie Zolna and Benjamin Swetland of Myron M. Cherry & Associates LLC.
The manufactured home class action lawsuit is Hajek, et al. v. Datacomp Appraisal Systems Inc., et al., Case No. 1:23-cv-06715, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
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17 thoughts onManufactured home companies hit with lot rental price-fixing class action
We own a mobile home on a rented lot in one of ELS’s largest 55+ communities in Southwest Florida, Colony Cove, at Ellenton. They advertise that this is a resort lifestyle community but it does not mean that this is a resort. It means that if you have a problem with your rented lot, it is up to you to resort to pay to have the problem addressed or resort to taking care of the problem yourself because if you file a complaint, a maintenance person shows up, acknowledges that you do have a problem that needs correction and files a complaint of non-compliance against you with management. They tell you that they will return on Monday to take action, but that does not mean the following Monday but some Monday in the future, perhaps after you have passed on.
Please add us to your class action lawsuit. Our lot rent is quickly approaching the average apartment rental cost in this area.
I live in a Manufactured Home community in Florida where we pay lot rent. The corporate owner of our park no longer negotiates with the HOA for rent increases, which they had done for many years. Now it is just decided EACH year by the corporation, like it or leave
I went to school with the couple who bought the park in which my parents bought their first manufactured home. They have owned two (outright) since living here. The lot rent I believe was 300 originally in 2005, it is now 1150. The owners do nothing to maintain the park and the lot rent has increased every year by 100 a month. If my folks hadn’t bought theyre place, they would not be able to afford the rent and a mortgage payment. The owners have bought numerous parks since. There needs to be a cap on what they can charge! We reside in Washington State. Include us on the class action.
Yes,I would like to join this class action as the Mgmy has up the rent 8 percent every year for 5 years now I think.They are taking advantage of California law and count on out silence.This is all seniors and its about 40 more every year.
I want to know more and how I can get in on this class action.
Do acknowledge
Timothy Dalessandro
Caliente Hot Springs resort.
Desert hot Springs,Ca.
P.S.They have installed other things like a big Badminton Court etc.
I never need to use this but I have to pay for it!!!!!
Plz acknowledge
Yes, I live in a tiny manufactured home community in Oregon. We are considered tiny manufactured homes. We are owned by ELS, and since they took over our rent has increased exponentially. This is not fair to a lot of us that are on fixed incomes. It’s getting hard to afford to live here. Please add me to this lawsuit.
I live in a tiny home community in Oregon that’s owned by ELS and yes, since they took over our rent has increased exponentially. This is not fair to those of us were on fixing comes. How do I sign up to join this lawsuit?
Please add me on your list I had own a Manfactored home I sold it a couple of years. I almost paid $800.00 a month for the lot fee.
I live in a manufactured housing community its Horizon mh we just got a 90 day notice our rent is going up to 493.90 which is a increase of $39.90 a month. They have raised our rent for the last 2 years at 30.00 a month. People are leaving the park it is no longer affordable and they make us cut their trees if they need it. If you try to stand up for yourself you are bullied by the maintenance man you cant go to the manager because its her husband. It is a miserable place i have lived here for 30 years.
I live in Village Green 7300 20th St Lot 508 Vero Beach, FL 32966. I just recieved a letter of another increase of 208.00 making my lot rent 1145 PLUS water/sewer. This is unacceptable that these places are allowed to do this to people. I want in on the class action suit against these companies.
I live in Spanish Lakes Country Club in St Lucie County FL and is an owner of a manufacture home.
I live in a mobile home park that has increased their lot rent another $57 a month. When we (residents) complain to office about rent increase, office said well everything is going up. The residents are very upset about this lot increase. The residents also are forced to pay for water for the common area. Office said we use the common area. No we do not. The residents need a lawyer who will bring down sun communities due to unlawful lot increases and water that we are forced to pay for. There is so much more that needs to be addressed. Sun communities is squeezing the life out of their residents who are elderly and on a fixed income. Please help us.