Neighbor News
Summit West Tenants Push Back on 20% Rent Hike in Manahawkin
55+ community residents organize against sharp increase by Trivan Properties
MANAHWAKIN, NJ — Trivan Properties LLC is facing accusations from tenants in the Summit West 55+ community of forcing out seniors through what they call “eviction-by-rent-hike.”
This summer, Trivan Properties LLC issued a 20% rent increase to every household. For some, it came on top of last year’s 5% hike — a staggering 25% jump in just two years.
Built around 2011, these manufactured homes have no shared amenities — no clubhouse, no pool. Tenants say roads have potholes, some exteriors show visible mold and repairs have been minimal over the years.
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“When you’re over 55, you can’t just pick up extra shifts or start a side hustle,” said one resident. “Our budgets are already stretched by health issues, utilities and groceries. A 25% increase isn’t just a rent hike, it’s a threat to our homes.”
In response, tenants organized. They collected signatures, started group text chains, met regularly and reached out to government officials and housing advocates. Many had never spoken to each other before but now see themselves as a united front.
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“It’s the silver lining in this storm,” said resident Beth Mann. “We’re more of a community than ever. Trivan wasn’t expecting that. They were expecting us to collectively roll over and shut up.”
One resident filed a formal complaint in Ocean County court under New Jersey’s Anti-Eviction Act, arguing the increase is “unconscionable.” The law allows tenants to challenge rent hikes so steep they “shock the conscience.” With no statewide rent cap and no local rent control in Stafford Township, residents say it’s their only legal recourse.
“This isn’t just about paying more rent,” said another tenant. “It’s about being pushed out of the place you thought you’d grow old in. People here are cutting back on food just to make rent. That’s not living — that’s survival.”
National housing data supports their fears. AARP reports that over half of renter households headed by someone 65 or older spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
Nearly a third spend more than half. The National Alliance to End Homelessness predicts the number of people aged 65+ experiencing homelessness will nearly triple by 2030.
The group says they’re not going away quietly. “We deserve stability in these later years — not eviction-by-rent-hike,” a resident said.
