As Florida voters consider a proposed constitutional amendment that would change the state’s property tax system, some manufactured homeowners say they could be left out of the proposed relief.
The Federation of Manufactured Homeowners of Florida is opposing Amendment 3, arguing that many residents who own their manufactured homes but lease the land underneath them would not receive a direct reduction in their property taxes.
John Calabrese, president of the federation, lives in Colony Cove, a manufactured home community in Ellenton. He said the distinction between owning a home and owning the land creates a problem for residents who lease their lots.
“The benefits of that tax change will not benefit manufactured homeowners because we own the home, but we don’t own the property,” Calabrese said. “So it’s a commercial property tax while we pay taxes.”
Calabrese said residents in manufactured home communities still pay taxes and face many of the same rising costs as other Floridians.
“We will get no reduction in our taxes,” he said.
Calabrese said rising lot rents, grocery prices and utility costs are creating additional pressure for residents, many of whom are retirees or live on fixed incomes.
“Most people here are on fixed incomes,” he said. “Some of them have been on fixed incomes for, you know, for decades now.”
Larry Dunn, a Colony Cove resident, said he worries about the potential impact on older residents.
“I think it’s going to have a lot of adverse effects, you know, to seniors in particular,” Dunn said.
Dunn said residents in manufactured home communities often feel overlooked when lawmakers consider housing and tax policy.
“We’re kind of like a red-headed stepchild,” Dunn said. “If you look at a lot of stuff that’s been passed up until this last legislature, there’s very little that has helped mobile or manufactured homeowners.”
Voters will decide whether to approve the proposed constitutional amendment in November.