HENDERSON (KTNV) — Residents at Mountain View, a modular home community for seniors in Henderson, say rising land rent is making it difficult to stay in their homes.
WATCH | I went back to get the latest from the residents of Mountain View
Most of the seniors in this community own their homes but not the land beneath them, meaning they pay rent to Mountain View, which is owned by Equity Lifestyle Properties.
WATCH | I heard from residents and broke down the numbers they gave me to show the increase:
Ron Dessau has lived at Mountain View since 2018.
"It was perfect," Dessau said.
But he says recent rent increases have changed that.
I asked him if it still feels like home.
"My house does," said Dessau.
How about the community I asked.
"Not so much," Dessau said. "I think they have pushed the meter too far to the right."
Pat McHugh, 88, owns her land at Mountain View but has been advocating on behalf of residents who rent.
She is not only the head of the Advocacy Group for the Mountain View community, but she is also on boards nationwide to help protect those in manufactured home communities.
She's a secretary for the National Association of Manufactured Homes (NAMH), the secretary/treasurer for the National Manufactured Home Owners Association (NMHOA) and she's also on other state and local boards working directly with federal, state and local lawmakers.
She showed me a list of rental rates for the community she tells she obtained from Mountain View, who post 5-year rental history for their community. The data she gave me shows increases from 2020 - 2026.
McHugh broke down the increases: monthly rent rose from $790 to $1,092 on the low end and from $890 to $1,227 on the high end between 2020 and October, 2026.
According to McHugh and several residents, there are rent tiers: Standard, Premier and Elite.
They tell me they have not received a description as to why each home is in each tier.
Here are the full numbers Pat McHugh shared with me by year.
- 2020
- Standard: $790
- Premier: $840
- Elite: $890
- 2021
- Standard: $815
- Premier: $865
- Elite: $915
- 2022
- Standard: $848
- Premier: $900
- Elite: $952
- 2023
- Standard: $916
- Premier: $972
- Elite: $1,029
- 2024
- Standard: $972
- Premier: $1,031
- Elite: $1,091
- 2025
- Standard: $1,025
- Premier: $1,088
- Elite: $1,152
- 2026
- Standard: $1,092
- Premier: $1,159
- Elite: $1,227
According to McHugh and several residents in the community, rent increases every year in October. So, the numbers you are looking at are the increases for that year. For example, the 2026 rental rates don't go into effect until October of this year, so they are not currently in place but have already been approved, according to McHugh and others.
These prices only account for the land rent itself. According to several bills and documentation from multiple residents, there are also separate charges for sewer, trash, water, and a tax pass-through.
One Premier tier resident's bill that he showed me shows the base rent at $1,088 and the total after the rest of the charges at $1,171.23 for a month this year.
I asked McHugh if it's shocking seeing the price increases.
"Yes," McHugh said. "I know that if I was still renting, leasing the land, I could not live here."
Equity Lifestyle Properties did not confirm the tier rental rate system, the numbers per tier, any information regarding how much they charge each resident for each utility, or what the tax pass-through is.
However, several residents showed Channel 13 their bills and provided documentation with those details.
Equity Lifestyle Properties did respond to questions about the increases with a statement:
"Since 2020, site rent at Mountain View increased an average of 5% annually. The cost of housing at Mountain View is attractive compared to other housing options in the area."
However, that figure represents an average. In at least one year, the community saw an increase of 8%, according to the numbers provided.
In the statement from Equity Lifestyle Properties, they also referenced a payment program to help residents with any increased costs.
"During the COVID-19 pandemic, we recognized the economic uncertainty that some residents experienced. For this reason, we established a rent payment deferral program in March 2020 to help residents in need of assistance. Our hardship program is currently available for long-term residents who experience difficulty making rent payments, and anyone in need of financial support is encouraged to speak to the community manager to make the necessary arrangements.
Several residents say the increases are still too high, as many live on fixed income. They are calling for change.
"I don't know if we'd call it rent control, I would say like a cap or stabilization," Dessau said.
Rent control and caps have been the subject of legislative debate.
AB 298, which would have capped rent increases by 10% for seniors during a pilot program, made it to Governor Joe Lombardo's desk in 2023, but he vetoed it.
According to the numbers McHugh provided, the largest increase in one year was 8%, so even if this bill was introduced it would not have helped since the cap was at 10%.
There is currently no rent control or caps in Nevada, meaning the increases are legal.
Dessau says that does not make them right.
"I understand corporate profits, but at what cost to seniors?" Dessau said.
Residents are scheduled to meet Thursday night at 6 p.m. to discuss the rent increases and determine how they plan to move forward. I will be at that meeting and will report on the outcome.
CLICK HERE for the full statement Equity Lifestyle Properties sent me in response to my questions regarding the rent increases:
Mountain View is a desirable manufactured home community with more than 350 home sites located in Henderson, Nevada, featuring professional on-site management, gated entry, winding streets, and an outstanding array of amenities, activities, and resident groups. The community is located adjacent to Henderson’s popular Cornerstone Park, which offers its own extensive array of amenities. Henderson is a popular housing market due to its proximity to Las Vegas, exceptional public parks and recreation opportunities, and its highly rated school system.
The community features desirable amenities for residents, including a clubhouse, swimming pool, hot tub, fitness center, putting green, and more. These amenities are well-maintained for the enjoyment of residents by community management and third-party vendors.
I encourage you to look at recent reviews for the community on Google, where you’ll find the community has a rating of 4.5 out of 5. Recent feedback about the property includes the following:
“The employees are phenomenal. The park is very clean and up-kept. Like I said, phenomenal!!” – Clifford S.
“I love it here. Very well kept community. Friendly neighbors. Centrally located. I feel safe here. This 55+ community is the way to go. Still much better and cheaper than renting a [sic] apartment. It’s very quiet.” – B. S.
“Nice mobile home park, a friend of mine recently moved there and it seems very safe.” – Kurtis M.
“Awesome community with lots of amenities! Friendly neighbors. Age restricted.” – Tracy D.
“Excellent spot to live!!!!” – Jackie P.
Management maintains regular office hours at Mountain View, and we make it a priority to be available to meet with residents and discuss any concerns or questions they may have, including with respect to rent increases. The community also holds a weekly community gathering with refreshments where residents can voice concerns and the manager provides community updates. Site rent in the community includes services such as community maintenance, landscaping of common areas, and access to the property’s amenities.
Since 2020, site rent at Mountain View increased an average of 5% annually. The cost of housing at Mountain View is attractive compared to other housing options in the area. According to Zillow.com, the average value of homes in Henderson as of June 30, 2026 is more than $485,000. By comparison, the average preowned home sales price in Mountain view is $119,000 per MHVillage.com, which is less than one quarter of the cost of other homes in the area.
Professional, on-site management of the community is a priority for us, and we look for opportunities to work together with residents on solutions to fit everyone’s needs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we recognized the economic uncertainty that some residents experienced. For this reason, we established a rent payment deferral program in March 2020 to help residents in need of assistance. Our hardship program is currently available for long-term residents who experience difficulty making rent payments, and anyone in need of financial support is encouraged to speak to the community manager to make the necessary arrangements.
Over the last year, 35 homes were purchased in Mountain View by customers who shopped in the area for their next home and chose the community for its convenient location, resort-style amenities, and the value they found here. Once they have chosen Mountain View, homeowners live in the community for an average of 9 years. The trend of new residents purchasing homes combined with Mountain View’s 100% occupancy rate indicates that the property is a popular choice for residents moving to the Henderson area.
When a homeowner at Mountain View chooses to relocate from the community, they sell their home just as a homeowner would sell a traditional site-built home. Our management team can assist with the sale of a resident’s home, a resident can sell by owner, or they can contract with a third-party broker.
We are committed to maintaining Mountain View to the high standards residents expect. We regularly invest in capital improvements in the community, including projects like street paving, water system and electrical upgrades, common area enhancements, and amenity improvements. Recent examples include upgrading the clubhouse with a key fob access system, investment in a license plate reader system to provide residents with convenient access to the community, and amenity improvements such as resurfacing of the community hot tub, new pool furniture, and new pool decking.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
