Since taking office in November 2022, Florida State Representative Paula Stark has been a tireless champion for mobile home owners and residents living in manufactured housing communities across District 47 and the entire state of Florida. Recognizing that over 800,000 Floridians call mobile and manufactured homes their primary residence, Rep. Stark has made protecting their rights, affordability, and stability one of her top legislative priorities.
Key accomplishments include:
- HB 613 – Mobile Home Park Lot Tenancies (2024): Successfully passed and signed into law. This landmark legislation strengthens tenant protections, improves dispute resolution between residents and park owners, enhances transparency around lot rentals, and expands rights for mobile home owners. Rep. Stark personally engaged with residents — including those at Sugar Mill Mobile Home Park in St. Cloud — and facilitated dialogue between homeowner associations and park owners.
- HB 267 / HB 701 – Local Housing Assistance Plans (SHIP Program): Rep. Stark led this initiative over two sessions to expand support for mobile home owners.
- In 2025, HB 701 passed the Florida House unanimously (115-0), but died in the Senate.
- In 2026, the re-filed HB 267 (companion SB 594) passed both the House and Senate unanimously and was signed into law.
Effective July 1, 2026, this new law allows counties and cities to use State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) funds for lot rental assistance (up to 6 months), home rehabilitation, emergency repairs, and greater flexibility to support manufactured housing residents — removing previous restrictions that limited how much funding could be directed to mobile homes.
- Continued Advocacy (2025–2026): Rep. Stark has filed additional legislation, including HB 703, aimed at further strengthening protections by requiring justification for rent increases, improving billing transparency, and enhancing enforcement mechanisms. She has consistently fought for fair treatment of mobile home residents amid rising lot rents and park-related challenges.
- Constituent Support: Established a dedicated resource page for mobile home park residents outlining their rights under Chapter 723, guidance on forming homeowners’ committees, filing complaints, and accessing legal aid. She regularly hosts town halls and meets directly with residents to address their concerns.
Representative Stark’s work reflects a deep commitment to ensuring that mobile home owners — many of whom are seniors and working families on fixed incomes — are treated fairly, protected from unjustified rent hikes, and given access to the same housing support programs available to other Florida homeowners.
She remains dedicated to fighting for greater affordability, transparency, and respect for one of Florida’s most vital housing sectors.