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In a historic first for Montana, residents of two Missoula-area mobile home parks successfully entered negotiations with their Texas-based corporate landlord last week, marking a significant milestone in tenants’ rights organizing in the state.
On what locals described as the coldest day in April, representatives from Oak Wood Ventures met face-to-face with tenant representatives from Travois Village in Missoula and Harvey’s mobile home park in Bonner. The meeting came after months of organizing following substantial rent increases implemented after Oak Wood purchased both properties in 2023.
“This is a testament to the power of getting together and fighting together,” said Erik Brilz, a Travois Village resident and bargaining team member, addressing dozens of residents gathered at a picnic shelter after Thursday’s negotiations. “This is testament to the power of union organizing.”
The meeting, which lasted more than 90 minutes at the Missoula County Courthouse, yielded several key concessions from Oak Wood representatives, including formal recognition of the tenants unions, a commitment to negotiate collectively bargained leases, and an openness to offering two-year lease terms for greater stability.
Perhaps most significantly, Oak Wood’s vice president and general counsel pledged to advocate internally for a 3% cap on annual rent increases for the next two years—a stark contrast to the $200 monthly increase residents faced in 2024 after the corporate acquisition. The company also agreed to consider including non-metered utilities like water and sewer in the rent and to modify payment systems to reduce convenience fees.
Current monthly lot rents stand at $695 for Travois Village residents and $670 for Harvey’s residents, following the recent steep increases. After pushback from the organized tenants, Oak Wood had already reduced a planned $150 increase for 2025 to $50.
Jackson Sapp of the Missoula Tenants Union confirmed this marks the first instance in Montana history where a tenants union has been formally recognized by a landlord and entered into collective bargaining over lease terms. The tenants union at Travois Village represents 273 homes, while the Harvey’s union covers 39 homes in Bonner.
Lauren Cobb, vice president of Oak Wood Ventures, acknowledged this is the first time the company has formally bargained with organized tenants, though she maintained the company always listens to tenant concerns. Oak Wood’s general counsel Conrad Morrison defended the recent rent increases, citing significant investments in park infrastructure including streets and gazebos, along with less visible improvements.
“After a purchase, the company works to be able to afford park improvements before they can stabilize rents,” Morrison explained. He expressed support for longer lease terms, noting that continuous negotiations every nine months benefit neither the company nor residents. “I think both sides are going to walk away with wins,” he added.
The tenant organizers secured another potential long-term victory when Oak Wood agreed to discuss the possible sale of Harvey’s park to residents through NeighborWorks Montana. Shawn Belobraidic, a Harvey’s resident on the bargaining committee, expressed enthusiasm about this development.
“In the long run, a resident-owned community is the ideal direction,” Belobraidic said. He credited the collective membership with giving the bargaining team “moral force” and “moral suasion” that strengthened their negotiating position.
Local elected officials played a supporting role in the process. After the initial rent increases, more than a dozen lawmakers, Missoula City Council members, Mayor Andrea Davis, and county commissioners sent letters to Oak Wood urging affordable rent maintenance. State Representative Jonathan Karlen, whose district includes Travois Village, met with Oak Wood representatives prior to negotiations.
“I’m hoping this is an example for all these other parks that, just because they might be facing an uphill battle, they can organize and make a big difference,” Karlen said, noting such negotiations between mobile home residents and corporate park owners are “not very common.”
The bargaining team plans to continue negotiations with Oak Wood through May, aiming to finalize a lease agreement by June 1. While some demands, such as rent reductions, remain unmet, Brilz expressed cautious optimism about the process.
“I believe that Oak Wood wants this and certainly as tenants we want this,” he said. “I’m confident that this process that started has the potential to lead to a mutually agreeable lease that will get us predictability.”
The negotiations come against a backdrop of increasing mobile home park acquisitions by out-of-state investors across Montana, with legislative proposals to protect such tenants repeatedly failing in the state legislature. For many involved in the Missoula effort, the successful organization and negotiation represent a rare positive development in the struggle for affordable housing and tenant rights.
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8 Comments
Interesting to see mobile home park residents in Montana unionizing to negotiate better lease terms. This seems like an important step in protecting tenants’ rights, especially for vulnerable communities. I’m curious to see what other concessions the landlord agrees to in these talks.
This is an important development that could set a precedent for mobile home park residents in other parts of the country. Corporate landlords have too often exploited these vulnerable communities, so I’m encouraged to see the tenants taking a stand.
Two-year lease terms sounds like a reasonable compromise between the landlord and tenants. This could give residents more certainty while still allowing the company to adjust rents periodically. I’m curious if there are any other terms being discussed around rent increases or maintenance responsibilities.
The power of collective action is on full display here. Kudos to the Travois Village and Harvey’s mobile home park residents for coming together and pushing for a seat at the table. This should serve as an inspiration for other communities facing similar issues with corporate landlords.
While the concessions from the landlord are a positive first step, I hope the negotiations continue to yield more substantive protections and affordability for the residents. Rent increases have been a major burden in many mobile home communities.
It’s great to see the tenants unions making progress in these lease negotiations. Securing formal recognition and the ability to collectively bargain is a big win. I hope they can reach an agreement that provides more stability and affordability for the residents.
As someone who has followed the challenges facing mobile home park residents, this is an encouraging development. Corporate landlords have too often taken advantage of vulnerable tenants. I hope this sets a precedent for more tenant organizing and negotiation in the industry.
As someone who has closely followed the issues facing mobile home park residents, this is an incredibly encouraging development. The ability to collectively bargain is a powerful tool for tenants to push back against rent hikes and other exploitative practices.