Educating, Empowering, and Advocating for Oregon Park and Marina Residents Since 1977

News

News2026-06-05T01:35:45-07:00
OSTA Review

Welcome, to The OSTA Review

Read all of our newsletter articles here for the latest information on your rights as a manufactured or floating homeowner under ORS Chapter 90. View the most up-to-date legislative reports and find out what you can do to build better, more connected communities.

907, 2026

A Healthier Way to Understand Infighting in Your Park and 5 Practical Steps to Deal With It

July 9th, 2026|

OSTA often hears stories of tension between tenants in the same park or even within the same committee. While this can feel distressing, there is hope—and even a potential benefit—to what may look like a “divided house.”
On the surface, infighting can stem from many sources:
  • Power struggles
  • Ideological differences
  • Conflicting goals
  • Disagreement on how to take action
  • Long‑time residents vs. newcomers
  • And more…
But beneath all of that lies a simple truth: whenever groups of people gather, opposing factions naturally form. It’s part of human nature, not a sign that your community is broken.
Our own government is built on this reality. Republicans and Democrats often appear locked in endless conflict, yet behind the scenes they work toward a shared purpose—crafting laws that are fair, balanced, and beneficial to as many people as possible. It’s difficult work, but year after year they manage it through respectful rules, structured deliberation, and careful consideration of evidence and testimony.
Every law passed in our nation and our state is the result of two opposing sides finding enough common ground to move forward. Imagine the alternative: a single party making unilateral decisions. Many voices would be ignored, and many needs overlooked.
Opposition, when handled well, is not a threat—it’s a safeguard. It forces dialogue, balance, and accountability. It ensures that no one group dominates at the expense of another.
How Your Park Can Turn Division Into Progress
Here are 5 practical steps your association or committee can take to create peace within disagreement:
  1. Accept the reality of two sides. Opposition is normal, healthy, and inevitable.
  1. Clarify what your “party” stands for. Have each member list their values and non‑negotiables, then define them together as a group.
  1. Identify one shared goal. Ideally, this is improving the lives of residents. It may also be ensuring lawful management or guaranteeing no resident faces injustice alone.
  1. Establish firm rules of conduct. Robert’s Rules of Order is an excellent foundation. Disagreement should never devolve into disrespect or hostility.
  1. Agree to disagree. Total consensus is rare. When discussion is exhausted, take a vote, accept the outcome, and move forward.
Division doesn’t have to be destructive. With structure, respect, and a shared mission, two sides can become the engine that drives your community toward fairness, stability, and real progress.

2806, 2026

Can a Landlord Force You to Remodel Before Selling Your Home?

June 28th, 2026|

One of the most common questions we receive from manufactured home park and floating home marina tenants is whether a landlord can require expensive upgrades or remodels before allowing a home to be sold in place.

The answer begins with Oregon law.

Oregon Law Distinguishes Between “Disrepair” and “Remodeling”

Many people use terms like repairremodelupgrade, or modernize interchangeably. Oregon law does not.

When a home is being sold in place, a landlord’s authority is limited by statute. The law allows a landlord to require certain conditions be corrected if they constitute deterioration or disrepair. It does not give a landlord unlimited authority to require cosmetic improvements, remodeling, or modernization simply because newer homes in the community have different features or appearances.

Because these terms have specific legal meanings, we encourage every tenant preparing to sell a home to read the statutes themselves.

Start with ORS 90.680

ORS 90.680 governs many of the rights and responsibilities of both tenants and landlords during the sale of a manufactured home or floating home.

We encourage tenants to read the entire statute, paying particular attention to:

  • ORS 90.680(9)(a)(B)
  • ORS 90.680(9)(a)(C)
  • ORS 90.680(9)(a)(D)
  • ORS 90.680(12)

You can read the statute here:

https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_90.680

An Important Change to Oregon Law in 2026

In 2026, Oregon amended ORS 90.680 through House Bill 3054.

One significant change affected ORS 90.680(9)(a)(D). The amendment removed language that previously allowed landlords broader authority to require certain aesthetic or cosmetic changes as part of the sale process.

Because the online version of the Oregon Revised Statutes does not immediately reflect recently enacted legislation, tenants may wish to review the enrolled bill text itself.

You can read House Bill 3054 here:

https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2025r1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB3054/Enrolled

On page 5, the bill shows the legislative changes. Italicized text indicates language removed from the statute, while bold text indicates language that was added.

We also encourage tenants to review the remaining amendments contained in the bill, as several changes may affect the sale of a home in a manufactured home park or floating home marina.

What Is “Disrepair”?

Another important statute is ORS 90.505, which defines key terms used throughout Oregon’s Manufactured Dwelling Park and Marina laws, including disrepair and deterioration.

“Deterioration”:

  • Includes a collapsing or failing staircase or railing, one or more holes in a wall or roof, an inadequately supported window air conditioning unit, falling gutters, siding or skirting, or paint that is peeling or faded as to threaten the useful life or integrity of the siding.
  • Does not include aesthetic or cosmetic concerns.

 

“Disrepair”:

  • Means the state of being in need of repair because a component is broken, collapsing, creating a safety hazard or generally in need of maintenance.
  • Includes the need to correct a failure to conform with applicable building and housing codes at the time of:
    • Installation of the manufactured dwelling or floating home on the site.
    • Making improvements to the manufactured dwelling or floating home following installation.

Understanding these definitions is essential because they establish the legal standard that may apply when a landlord raises concerns about the condition of a home being sold.

You can read ORS 90.505 here:

https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_90.505

Older Does Not Mean Out of Compliance

Many homes in Oregon’s manufactured home parks and floating home marinas are decades old. Age alone does not mean a home must be remodeled before it can be sold.

A home that is well maintained may not resemble newly constructed homes in the same community—and Oregon law does not automatically require it to.

Understanding the difference between maintaining a home and remodeling a home can help tenants have informed conversations and better understand their rights during the sale process.

Knowledge Is One of Your Best Tools

Selling a home can feel overwhelming, especially when significant repair or remodeling demands are made. Taking time to read the statutes yourself can help you better understand the legal framework governing manufactured home parks and floating home marinas in Oregon.

The more tenants understand Oregon law, the better prepared they are to ask informed questions, protect their investments, and confidently navigate the sale of their homes.

It is important to understand that laws change. This information is not intended to be legal advice and it is not intended to replace the work of an attorney.

“This is your world, shape it or someone else will.” – Gary Lew

Have Questions? We’d love to have you on our podcast and answer your questions in the next newsletter. Send us a message using the form below and we will reach out to you.

    Go to Top