Wash. Rev. Code § 59.20 § 59.20.380
Landlord -- Prohibition on certain rent increases -- Exemptions.
Operative Text
A landlord may increase rent in an amount greater than allowed under RCW 59.20.370 only as authorized by the exemptions described in this section or as provided in RCW 59.20.060 (2)(c). (1) Rent increases are not limited by RCW 59.20.370 for any of the following types of tenancies: (a) A tenancy in a manufactured/mobile home lot owned by a: (i) Public housing authority; (ii) Public development authority; or (iii) Nonprofit organization, where maximum rents are regulated by other laws or local, state, or federal affordable housing program requirements; or (b) A tenancy in a qualified low-income housing development as defined in RCW 82.45.010 , where the property is owned by any of the organizations described in (a)(i) through (iii) of this subsection. (2) During the first 12 months after the qualified sale of a manufactured/mobile home community to an eligible organization as defined in RCW 59.20.030 whose mission aligns with the long-term preservation and affordability of the manufactured/mobile home community, the eligible organization may increase the rent for the manufactured/mobile home community in an amount greater than allowed under RCW 59.20.370 as needed to cover the cost of purchasing the manufactured/mobile home community if the increase is approved by vote or agreement with the majority of the manufactured/mobile home owners in the manufactured/mobile home community. (3) If a rental agreement is transferred under RCW 59.20.073 due to a former tenant's sale of a manufactured/mobile home, the landlord has the option to make a one-time increase in an amount not limited by RCW 59.20.370 to the rent for the manufactured/mobile home lot at the time of the first renewal of the rental agreement after the transfer. A landlord must provide the manufactured/mobile home buyer with notice of this one-time increase option prior to the final transfer of the rental agreement to the buyer. If a landlord exercises this one-time increase option, evidence that the proper notice was provided to the buyer prior to the final transfer of the rental agreement must be included along with the notice required under RCW 59.20.390 .
Washington's Wash. Rev. Code § 59.20.010 et seq. § 59.20.380 establishes specific circumstances under which rent increases in manufactured/mobile home communities may exceed the general cap set by RCW 59.20.370. These exemptions apply to certain publicly owned, publicly developed, or nonprofit-owned properties where rents are already regulated by other affordable housing requirements, to eligible organizations that acquire a community through a qualified sale within the first year of ownership (with resident approval), and to landlords whose rental agreements are transferred when a tenant sells their home. Outside these defined exemptions, the standard rent increase limits under RCW 59.20.370 continue to apply.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 59.20.380, operators of manufactured/mobile home communities who believe they qualify for an exemption from the standard rent cap must carefully confirm that their property and situation fit one of the statute's defined categories — such as public or nonprofit ownership with regulated rents, a qualifying post-sale period with majority resident approval, or a one-time increase tied to a rental agreement transfer. Landlords exercising the one-time increase option upon a rental agreement transfer are generally expected to provide written notice of that option to the incoming buyer before the transfer is finalized, and to retain evidence of that notice for inclusion with any subsequent increase notice required under RCW 59.20.390. Operators who do not fall within a recognized exemption under § 59.20.380 remain subject to the limits established in RCW 59.20.370.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Wash. Rev. Code § 59.20.380 defines the narrow circumstances in which a landlord in a manufactured/mobile home community may raise rent beyond the standard cap, and tenants can use this provision to evaluate whether a proposed increase above the RCW 59.20.370 limit is actually authorized. If a landlord claims the one-time transfer exemption, § 59.20.380(3) requires that proper advance notice was given to the buyer before the rental agreement was finalized — tenants who did not receive such notice may have grounds to question the validity of the increase. Tenants who believe a rent increase exceeds what § 59.20.380 permits may consider contacting a local tenant-rights organization, a housing legal aid provider, or a relevant state agency to understand available options.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 7, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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