At a recent Ronda, North Carolina Board of Commissioners meeting, guest speakers had a lot to say, dominating the entire first half hour.

According to the Elkin Tribune, the issues were around Ronda’s Mobile Home Resolution and Shady Hill Mobile Home Park. David Yelverton and Shannon Neal, potential purchasers of Shady Hill, presented their concerns about the resolution including the five-year age limit on homes allowed to be located in there.

Mike Finney, owner of Zwin Street Village, who agreed that the age of homes allowed should be extended, supported them.

Finney presented the board with practical concerns of manufactured home community ownership and the benefits around altering the town resolution would be.

“I bought the trailer park [sic] because it was a nuisance,” said Finney.

“The way the ordinance is set up it’s not profitable. The retail price is not going to be practical. By the time I got [Zwin Street Village] paid off, I would be in the ground.”

Tommy Sales, owner of property in several local municipalities including nearby Elkin, said that he’s concerned with the resolution because he is interested in setting up manufactured homes on property in Ronda that he intends to purchase.

“The five-year limit deters me from buying,” said Sales.

“You can remodel an older trailer [sic] and make it look brand new.”

Other residents posed concerns about the quality of homes that may fall within the current five-year range and exactly what constitutes a manufactured home community.

“They may be within the five-year range, but cosmetically could look pretty darn rough,” said Fay Pardue.

“How many homes constitute a community?” said Randy Combs.

“And why any of the rules would be different. What’s fair for one is fair for all.”

Finney made the case for technology being involved in the decision process.

“The thing about used single wides [sic], if they are nice and reasonably priced they don’t stay on the market for very long,” said Finney.

“Electronic pictures are the only way to go. If they don’t provide the sufficient photographs to make determination, text or email them back.”

“I think we can do a bit better for our trailer park [sic] owners. We know that our resolution is too restrictive,” said Mayor Victor Varela.

“What I’m suggesting is we modify the ordinance to go back to 1990. No older than 25 years.”

Varela then mentioned that more time was needed.

“We will be loosening this up, I don’t know to what extent. It’s been a big learning experience,” said Varela.

“The consensus is that we’re going to table this until next month.”

As Daily Business News readers are aware, a number of communities around the U.S. are either reviewing or making changes to manufactured home community ordinances, including the case in Arcata, California related to rent control. That story is linked here. ##

 

(Image credits are as shown above.)

 

Submitted by RC Williams to the Daily Business News for MHProNews.