What’s Stopping Manufactured Housing From Taking Off?
It turns out strong demand for manufactured housing isn't enough. A range of barriers to new supply stand in the way
Sept. 19, 2024
Image: Allison / stock.adobe.com
Strict regulations in many parts of the U.S. are making it difficult to to roll out manufactured housing on a wider scale.
While many industry professionals agree that manufactured housing could be a helpful tool in alleviating the nationwide housing shortage, there are still a number of obstacles to its broader adoption. To better understand what challenges face this housing sector, Multi-Housing News spoke with Lesli Gooch, CEO of the Manufactured Housing Institute, a trade organization that represents all segments of the factory-built housing industry. According to Gooch, zoning laws are one of the biggest barriers to a wider rollout of manufactured housing, with many state and local regulations restricting or prohibiting the placement of manufactured homes.
“It is not a lack of demand for manufactured housing that is the major hindrance, but rather a need to expand access. About 30 percent of the manufactured homes produced today are placed in a manufactured housing community. The demand for living in manufactured housing communities is strong, which is why occupancy rates continue to be very high. Given the financial and lifestyle benefits of owning a manufactured home versus the limitations that come with other affordable housing options, millions of individuals, families and retirees have chosen to live in land-lease manufactured housing communities.”
