Republic reports that the Donaldsonville (LA) City Council planned a discussion next week about amending its law regulating “mobile homes” within their city limits. The Advocate reports (http://bit.ly/pozgCX ) council members decided during Tuesday’s meeting to place the issue on the Sept. 19 agenda for further discussion.  At question is language pertaining to the age of manufactured homes placed within their city limits. Discussion arose last month after property owner Robin Guillot asked to move a 13-year-old “mobile home” already inside the city limits to her vacant lot along Simoneaux Lane.  The current ordinance does not allow homes manufactured more than 12 years ago to be placed within the city limits.

(Editor’s note: the enhanced per-emption that the Manufactured Housing Improvement Act of 2000 (MHIA 2000) is supposed to help deal with issues such as this one. Until and unless the implementation of the law is better understood and enforced by local jurisdictions, the rights of manufactured home owners and Industry members involved in selling manufactured homes will be harmed.  The other problematic issue in this story is the all-too-common misuse by the media of factory-built home terminology.  A ‘mobile home’ manufactured 12 years ago is not a ‘mobile home’ at all.  By federal law, it is a manufactured home.  A free copy of the Fact Sheet for Reporters can be found here, which media or industry professionals can use to pass on to the media for better use of manufactured housing terminology. )

(Image credit: LA state flag)