NORWAY (WGME) — More Maine mobile home park residents are pushing for a freeze on their lot rents, saying they are getting gouged by a large, out-of-state company.
Residents of the Norway Commons manufactured home community say lot rent fees have increased three times since the community was purchased back in 2022.
Residents say there have been no meaningful improvements to the park’s infrastructure or services since it was purchased by an out of state company about three years ago, yet the monthly costs have gone up more than 50 percent for residents.
In that time, residents say the lot rent has risen from $350 a month to $632, with another increase sent to take effect on April 1.
Some residents in the community are on fixed incomes, and the rising fees now consume as much as two-thirds of a monthly Social Security check.
They are asking the town’s select board to enact a 180-day lot rent moratorium.
They want the board to use that time to develop and adopt a local ordinance that would limit annual lot fee increases.
Residents will be taking their concerns to the select board meeting Thursday night.
It’s unclear if the board will be making a decision during the meeting.