A city code in Lewes, Delaware that bans residents of Abbott Park manufactured housing co-op from renovating or replacing their factory-built homes may be altered to allow only modular and stick-built homes in their stead, according to capegazete.villagesoup.com. Since manufactured homes (MH) are not allowed in Lewes, existing ones are considered “nonconforming structures,” and as such, according to the city code, cannot be upgraded or replaced with new MH. Abbott Park attorney Tim Willard, noting the code’s intent is to rid the town of MH altogether, says, “When I hear talk about affordable housing, this is a pocket of affordable housing.”

The proposed ordinance requires a site plan to be filed and drafted by a certain date by the co-op of Abbott Park, and then residents can replace their MH with a smaller modular home or a stick-built, while excluding MH. Several residents object to eliminating manufactured homes altogether, noting new ones would fit in with the neighborhood. MHProNews has been informed Abbott Park is governed by its own board of directors. ##

(Photo credit: Nick Roth/capegazette.villagesoup.com–Abbott Park, Lewes, DE)