DE SB33

Establishes rent justification procedures for manufactured home community owners seeking rent increases greater than the annual average Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) for the Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City area over the preceding 36 months.

Requires community owners to demonstrate to the Delaware Manufactured Home Relocation Authority that operating, maintenance, or improvement costs exceeded CPI-U growth, that they have no compliance violations in the past 12 months, and that the proposed increase directly relates to these costs.

Authorizes the Authority to hold hearings within 90 days of application, during which affected homeowners and homeowner associations may present evidence; proceedings must comply with Delaware Administrative Procedure Act.

Prohibits community owners from incorporating civil penalties, criminal fines, or litigation costs into rent charges and requires immediate rent reduction plus three-month rent forfeiture if rents are raised above CPI-U without Authority approval.

Exempts resident-owned communities from these provisions and modifies the Lot Rental Assistance Program to remove language prohibiting participation in other rental assistance funding or subjection to rent control.