Rep. Vasquez Proposes Solution to Address Housing Affordability Crisis and Keep NM Families in their Homes
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On August 12, 2025, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) worked to address the housing affordability crisis by introducing his Keep Mobile Homes Affordable Act. The bill would put investors who purchase over 2,500 mobile homes or pads under review to ensure they are not engaging in price gouging or failing to provide basic utilities to residents.
“One in six homes in New Mexico are mobile homes, and we are in the midst of a housing affordability crisis,” said Vasquez. “I refuse to sit by and let bad actors profit off our hard working community members. Buying massive numbers of homes and selling or renting them for predatory prices isn’t a smart investment strategy — it’s exploitation.”
“Access to safe, affordable housing with reliable utilities like water and electricity is a basic necessity and a key driver of health,” said Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz (CA-25), co-lead on the bill. “That is why I am proud to co-lead the Keep Mobile Homes Affordable Act with Rep. Vasquez, which improves oversight by requiring greater transparency and regulatory review of large purchases of mobile homes and pads. This helps prevent price gouging and ensures residents maintain access to essential services that directly impact their well-being.”
This bill came out of conversations with local leaders and constituents who flagged that predatory pricing practices for manufactured and mobile homes were displacing hard working families from their longtime homes and communities. During a recent meeting on affordable housing with Rep. Vasquez in Alamogordo, residents cited examples of landlords failing to provide basic utilities — like natural gas and running water — for months on end.
“Manufactured housing is one of the last remaining pathways to stable, affordable housing for many low-income families in New Mexico. When corporate investors drive up rents or cut services, they push our neighbors closer to homelessness,” said Nicole Martinez, Executive Director of Mesilla Valley Community of Hope. “We support this legislation because it puts vulnerable residents first and prioritizes housing as a human right.”
"Predatory investors often raise lot rents, reduce services, or threaten the stability of entire mobile/manufactured home communities — leaving working families, seniors, and people on fixed incomes with few options,” said Joanne DeMichele, President of the Land of Enchantment Manufactured Home Owners Alliance. “Congressman Vasquez’s bill requiring oversight and transparency in these transactions is a critical step toward accountability, helping residents and regulators track and challenge abusive practices in an industry that has operated in the shadows for too long.”
“When pad rent jumps by $150 a month – about a 25 percent increase, as we’ve seen across Albuquerque – our clients can’t just hitch up and leave. Moving a single-wide here costs roughly $6,000, a price tag that forces seniors and working families to choose between medicine, food, and the ground beneath their homes," said Sergio Leanos, Chief Housing Officer of Catholic Charities of Central New Mexico. "Representative Vasquez’s bill shines a light on these predatory practices and gives HUD the tools to act.”
“Affordability is top of mind for the 22 million Americans who live in mobile/manufactured homes. Families are struggling to make ends meet,” said Dave Anderson of the National Manufactured Home Owners Association. “We thank Rep. Vasquez for introducing the Keep Mobile Homes Affordable Act to protect people, especially those who own their homes but rent the land underneath, from predatory housing companies who are more focused on maximizing profit than working families being able to stay in their homes.”
“Mobile Home Communities play a vital role in providing affordable housing for thousands of low-income families and seniors in New Mexico. Yet, residents face increasing threats from rising rents, exploitative practices, and inadequate legal protections,” said Maria Griego, Economic Equity Director at the NM Center on Law and Poverty. “By demanding transparency and accountability, Representative Vasquez is standing up for working families who deserve stability, fairness, and dignity in their housing.”
“New Mexico Appleseed believes every family deserves a safe, affordable place to live. Ensuring HUD investigates investor practices in mobile home communities is a vital step toward exposing hidden patterns of rent hikes and utility cuts that fuel housing instability for thousands of New Mexicans, especially children and low‑income families,” said Jenny Ramo, Executive Director of NM Appleseed.
“As a resident of a mobile home park in New Mexico that experienced a natural gas outage for six months in 2024, I support Representative Gabe Vasquez’s Keep Mobile Homes Affordable Act. Residents of this park, like many other residents of manufactured homes across the country, are elderly and include veterans and disabled folks,” said Florence Dean, a resident of a mobile home park in Alamogordo. “By the time repairs were made in December, the space heaters we used were barely able to keep our mobile homes livable, and our annual rent increased by 10% for 2025. The horror stories are nationwide. Rep. Vasquez’s Keep Homes Affordable Act recognizes this very real problem that exacerbates the nationwide dearth of affordable housing. The very large segment of people living in manufactured homes need help.”
Despite the name, mobile homes are not a transitory form of housing for many New Mexicans. Mobile homes and manufactured housing provide permanent, safe homes for many in New Mexico and should be protected from out of state investors who do not care about residents’ wellbeing.
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