Residents of Campus Vista and University Mobile Home Park are facing a 22% rent hike, in addition to new utilities fees and a $50 monthly fee for extra parking.

Larry McGee, a former WSU custodian and current resident, said the rent hike will cripple the community.

“The lot rent increase, as it stands now, is putting [people] in a real bind and some of them might end up homeless,” McGee said. “This is the way homelessness starts.”

Former WSU student, current University of Idaho law student and park resident Denver Mickali said many residents are elderly, disabled or both. The extra rent burden is not an option.

“They’re in their late 70s, some of them have to hold on to something every time they stand up,” Mickali said. “Is this really the kind of person that we want to try to force back into work in their mid to late 70s? It’s just like, at what point have they paid their dues and deserve some sort of security?”

Linda Loomis, a 77-year-old resident, moved into Campus Vista six years ago. Her social security will not cover all her rent, so she works part time. Initially, she feared she would have to work more.

“That’s what I thought I would have to do, but my daughter and son-in-law had picked up the difference for me,” Loomis said. “I work three days a week and I’d have to go to full-time to make the difference.”

Some homes house up to five people, Mickali said. Around one in five residents are WSU students, most of those are graduate or veterinary students.

Mellissa Finch, who inherited the park after her mother’s passing in 2024, said the reason for the rent increase is property taxes have been raised from $4,400 to $37,000 and insurance prices have rised.

“I think a lot of people are not signing the lease, and I think some people are not paying rent or paying less rent than they’re supposed to,” Mickali said. “It’s terrible because people are scared.”

In late October, Mickali filed a complaint with the Washington State Attorney General.

He said in the complaint he spoke to the Whitman County Assessor’s Office, which confirmed there would be a $32,600 tax increase for the property. Campus Vista was notified of the increase two years ago and could distribute it between lots with a $33 a month increase.

Mickali believes the revenue from the rent hike would generate much more money than is needed to cover the property tax, around $130,000.

“According to them, a trailer in Campus Vista is worth less than a trailer in other parks in Pullman because of the lack of upkeep,” Mickali said.

In fall 2024, residents were notified rent would be raised from $465 to $600 a month, the highest rent for any mobile home park in Pullman. The notice also said they would be charged $50 a month for extra parking and become responsible for a water bill after the installation of water meters at each home.

Early January, Finch took $30 off the rent for current residents to pay for garbage service. The rent would remain $600 for any new residents, a 30% jump from 2024.

Although nationally there has been trends of bigger companies buying up lots and raising rents, this is not happening at Campus Vista and University Park. Mickali believes park management has been influenced by it.

“I think they’re taking notes from that,” he said. “So, it is a national trend, and they’ve noticed it.”

There have also been both nation and statewide efforts to stabilize rent. The most recent statewide attempt, a recreation of the failed “rent stabilization” bill from 2024, gained approval from the House Housing Committee.

The bill would let Washington landlords start a tenant’s lease at whatever price, but yearly increases would be capped at 7% of the current rent.

“[Something] people can do is, basically, tell their legislatures, if they’re in a position of money or if they’re in a city council, that they have no interest in companies buying up mobile home parks if they’re not willing to be fair and raise the rent at something modest,” Mickali said.

Finch said in a statement that, although she cares for her residents, she must keep her business alive.

“The cost of running our mobile home park has increased sharply and like all businesses, costs are passed on to customers. The tax hikes in Whitman County were a huge blow; if people have issues with the tax increases, they should contact the county,” she said. “I really care for our tenets [sic] and feel sorry for their hardships. It is my responsibility to keep our business viable.”