Two town board members of Sylva, North Carolina are reconsidering a 15 year-old ban on siting single-section manufactured homes outside of manufactured housing communities (MHCs), saying it may be unfairly punishing people of modest means. Board member Mary Gelbaugh says, “We are trying to make housing available, and I’m worried this is taking housing away.” Fellow board member Harold Hensley, who has long been concerned with the availability of affordable housing, says, “We’re restricting what kind of house someone can live in. If they own the property, I don’t think they should be denied the right to sit a home on it.” Currently, an MHC is defined as having two manufactured homes (MH) sitting on a half acre, although four additional homes can be added for a total of six per acre. According to what thesylvaherald.com tells MHProNews, the new ordinance would define a community as four or more MH on two acres with the maximum density of four homes per acre. The board will re-visit the issue at its next meeting Jan. 16.

(Photo credit: thetimesnews.com–refurbished manufactured home in Burlington, NC)