At manufactured home parks – sometimes called trailer parks or mobile home parks – rents are rapidly rising due to large-scale buyouts by private equity firms. Historically, mobile homes were trailers designed for travelers and workers living near factories. Those with higher incomes bought houses, and those with less means continued to live in mobile homes. Nowadays, mobile homes are more often called “manufactured homes.” They are assembled in factories and rarely move once they’ve been purchased and settled. Recently, Maine passed a law that gives park residents a right of first refusal if their park is up for sale.