Cal. Civ. Code § 250.102
Definitions
Operative Text
As used in this act-- "Abandoned mobile home" (Def. repealed Oct. 24, 2012, P.L.1267, No.156) "Justice of the peace" means district justices, aldermen, magistrates or any other court having jurisdiction over landlord and tenant matters, excluding a court of common pleas. "Mobile home park" means any site, lot, field or tract of land, privately or publicly owned or operated, upon which three or more mobile homes occupied for dwelling or sleeping purposes are or are intended to be located, regardless of whether or not a charge is made for such accommodation. "Mobile home resident" or "resident" means an owner of a mobile home who leases or rents space in a mobile home park. The term does not include a person who rents or leases a mobile home. "Mobile home space" means a plot of ground within a mobile home park designed for the accommodation of one mobile home. "Person" means natural persons, copartnerships, associations, private and public corporations, authorities, fiduciaries, the United States and any other country and their respective governmental agencies, this Commonwealth and any other state and their respective political subdivisions and agencies. "Personal property" means goods and chattels, including fixtures and buildings erected by the tenant and which he has the right to remove, agricultural crops, whether harvested or growing, and livestock and poultry. "Real property" means messuages, lands, tenements, real estate, buildings, parts thereof or any estate or interest therein and shall include any personalty on real property which is demised with the real property. "Tenant" means a person who occupies the land or premises of another in subordination to the other's title and with the other's express or implied consent, including, but not limited to, oral or written leases or acceptance of rent by an owner or their agent. (Def. added July 17, 2024, P.L.944, No.88) "Tenants' organization or association" means a group of tenants organized for any purpose directly related to their rights or duties as tenants. (102 amended July 2, 1996, P.L.474, No.74) Compiler's Note: Section 28 of Act 207 of 2004 provided that any and all references in any other law to a "district justice" or "justice of the peace" shall be deemed to be references to a magisterial district judge.
Section 68 P.S. § 250.102 establishes the foundational vocabulary used throughout Pennsylvania's landlord-tenant statute. It defines key terms such as 'mobile home park,' 'mobile home resident,' 'tenant,' and 'tenants' organization,' setting the boundaries of who and what the law covers. For example, a 'mobile home resident' is specifically an owner of a mobile home who leases space in a park, not someone who rents the mobile home itself. These definitions shape how every other provision in the act is interpreted and applied.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating under Pennsylvania's landlord-tenant law should be familiar with the definitions in § 250.102, as they determine which rules apply to a given rental arrangement. For instance, a site qualifies as a 'mobile home park' once it accommodates three or more occupied mobile homes, regardless of whether fees are charged, which can trigger specific regulatory obligations. Operators should also note that the 2024 amendment added a formal definition of 'tenant' that encompasses oral leases and situations where an owner or agent simply accepts rent, broadening the category of occupants who may have statutory protections.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 68 P.S. § 250.102 defines who counts as a 'tenant' under Pennsylvania law, and as of the 2024 amendment, that definition includes people with oral agreements or whose landlord has simply accepted rent—not just those with written leases. Mobile home residents, defined as those who own their home but lease the land beneath it, are treated distinctly from people who rent a mobile home itself, which affects which parts of the statute apply to them. Tenants who are uncertain whether they fall within these definitions may find it helpful to consult a local tenant-rights organization or legal aid office for general information about how the statute applies to their type of occupancy.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 10, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.