When Beth Mann moved to Summit West in Stafford two years ago, she believed she had found an affordable place to live that would allow her to reduce her workload and stress. However, this changed when she received a notice from her landlord in June announcing a rent increase from $1,450 to $1,740 per month—a 20% jump. The letter also required an additional $435 for the security deposit.
“I was devastated,” said Mann, 58. “I was going to have to leave. And (move) to where?”
Mann is one of several residents at the mobile home community who are facing significant rent hikes imposed by Trivan Properties LLC of Clinton. The increases have forced some residents into difficult decisions. One retiree said she would return to work; another resident caring for her adult son with cerebral palsy mentioned cutting back on food expenses. In response, Mann has filed a lawsuit claiming the rent increase is unconscionable.
“Rents are the high, and they’ve gone up quite a bit, particularly since the pandemic,” said Eric Seymour, a Rutgers University professor who co-authored a study looking at rent control in New Jersey. “And so there’s interest in understanding the policy levers available to try to keep rents manageable.”
