Montana mobile home tenant unions won recognition and a 3 percent rent cap
Montana mobile home tenant unions won recognition and a 3 percent rent cap
2026-09-15 · Montana · Compliance
What happened. Residents of Montana mobile home parks did something no state statute lets them do: they negotiated a cap on rent increases. It came from collective bargaining, not from law.
The parks and the owner
Texas-based Oak Wood Properties bought Travois Village in Missoula (273 homes) and Harvey's in Bonner (39 homes) in 2023, then raised lot rent $200 in 2024, proposed $150 for 2025 and settled at $50 after pushback. Harvey's lot rent went from $420 to $670 a month after the purchase — the prior owner's annual increases had been $5 to $25. Current lot rent is $695 at Travois Village and $670 at Harvey's.1
The organising
On February 10, 2026, the Harvey's Tenants Union reached a supermajority at about 67 percent of occupied units — 26 of 39 homes — and formed a joint bargaining team with Travois Village residents, both affiliated with the Missoula Tenants Union. Demands included rolling back increases, a 3 percent annual cap tied to cost of living, a right of first refusal on sale, and removal of a clause giving the owner first purchase rights on tenant-owned homes.2
What they got
Reporting dated April 16, 2026 described it as the first time in Montana history that a tenants union entered negotiations with their landlord and won formal recognition for collective bargaining. The concessions: union recognition and formal bargaining agreements, two-year lease options, a 3 percent cap on future rent increases pending shareholder approval, non-metered utilities included in rent, reduced payment convenience fees, and no retaliation against union members. A finalised lease was targeted for June 1, 2026. Oak Wood also agreed to meet with NeighborWorks Montana about a potential resident purchase of Harvey's.
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Related Montana HOA Topics
- “Mobile home park unions reach lease agreement in Missoula negotiations,” Montana Free Press, Apr. 16, 2026 ↩
- “Residents of Missoula-area mobile home parks unionize, join effort to limit rent increases,” Montana Free Press, Feb. 10, 2026 ↩
- “In aftermath of Evergreen mobile home evictions, agencies partner to relocate 26 households,” Flathead Beacon, Nov. 19, 2025 ↩
- “Third area mobile home park launches tenants union,” Montana Free Press, May 22, 2026 — Katoonah Lodges ↩
- Montana Legislature Bill Explorer API — final status of HB 277, HB 305, HB 873 and HJ 41 (2025) ↩
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