2003

May 21 . “‘We Mean Business & United We Stand”

• Media Headlines: The Illinois Attorney General filed a lawsuit for consumer fraud and deceptive business practices regarding rent increases against a Landlord.
• Equity Lifestyle Properties (ELS), a development company owned by Samuel Zell, goes public on the New York Stock Exchange. Rent increases skyrocket.
• Approximately 40 residents residing in the Willow Lake Estates Community (Elgin) bought a share of ELS stock allowing them to attend a share holders meeting in Chicago to air their issues and concerns.
• Elected officials are now paying attention and attending homeowner association meetings state-wide.
• County taxing bodies get creative with ways to target the manufactured housing market. State legislation to raise the County Tax 400% was brought to state legislators. MHOAI was again able to stop this tax increase.
• Rent justification legislation is introduced, passed the Senate, but was then held in the House Chamber.
• This year began the work on a book when Illinois and leadership from other states joined with AARP and the National Consumer Law Center called “Shifting the Balance of Power”. This book has models of legislation that manufactured homeowners can take to their state legislators.
• HB 2291 was passed amending the Mobile Home Local Services Tax Act (County Tax) providing that a manufactured home owned and used exclusively by a disabled veteran or the spouse or unmarried surviving spouse of the veteran is exempt from the tax imposed by the Act.
• MHOAI becomes a federally recognized 501 c 3 non-profit organization.