Wilkes Journal–Patriot tells MHProNews that Mayor Mike Inscore expressed the thought that Reporter Emily Storrow described as “the code left opportunity for developers to build dead-end roads, which could make it difficult for fire trucks to easily exit a mobile home park.”
Carlton declared that “It should increase transparency and allow surrounding residents to voice concerns or support for future projects.” Storrow stated that Carlton’s point was that such a change would allow more citizen involvement.
But were those code-words for NIMBY? Not in My Back Yard?
Zoning and planning are among the issues that manufactured housing (MH) has faced for decades. While always important, this was less onerous in the sense that when MH Industry productions levels where higher, the practical impact on factory builders was not as great.
As America becomes more urban – and growing numbers live in suburbs and live in towns rather than rural areas – the issue of zoning becomes more important to everyone in the industry. Zoning and planning clearly impacts the availability of affordable quality homes for citizens. That in turn can save-or-cost public budgets in the form of subsidies being needed, or their being saved by using modern manufactured homes vs. conventional construction.
This issue of zoning is one of the items MHARR and others have said that the Manufactured Housing Improvement Act of 2000 (MHIA 2000) wanted to remedy via “enhanced federal preemption.” In short, do local jurisdictions even have the authority to do what these towns and others are doing?
Some 14 years later, where are we and our customer base as an industry on zoning and enhanced federal preemption?
Forward-thinking state association executives routinely point to the need for the industry to place homes in such cases that will blend or have good street appeal. There are unintended consequences on both sides of the fence, which in turn harms access to quality affordable homes for potentially millions nationwide.
But it is up to manufactured housing professionals to make the case and work for the needed changes that will allow that greater access to more customers in towns, cities and suburbs to actually happen. No serious MH professional effort? Means no serious change. ##
(Photo Credit: Town of Wilkesboro = top. Home = ManufacturedHomes.com)
