Changing Perceptions on Manufactured Housing

Negative attitudes about manufactured housing often center on two areas – the economic impact manufactured housing has on neighboring communities and the types of people who live in them. But, what if your home was destroyed by a natural disaster and manufactured housing could provide you with a safe, comfortable place to stay? Would that affect your perception?

Manufactured housing offers an affordable housing option for low to moderate income people. According to the Manufactured Housing Institute, manufactured homes are defined as homes built entirely in the factory under a federal building code administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Commonly mischaracterized as mobile homes, manufactured homes have recently become a popular option for affordable housing. These homes can cost an average of $62,600, compared with $272,200 for a single-family site-built home [source: U.S. Census Bureau].

Following the lack of housing due to damage caused by Superstorm Sandy, the Affordable Housing Alliance received a $1 million donation from the Robin Hood Foundation and was able to purchase 17 manufactured homes. This community, located in Eatontown, NJ, is known as the Pinetree Manufactured Home Park.

AHA is a prominent advocate for affordable housing and a leader in the housing recovery efforts for Monmouth County, following Superstorm Sandy. Factory built homes are a proven national solution for finding housing for families after a natural disaster. Some of these families, who moved into the Pinetree community as a temporary fix, are now thinking about staying there permanently. Others have been able to successfully move back to their community, into a newly renovated home.

The Alliance acquired the property in 2007 and quickly developed a plan to upgrade the community. Upgrades to the onsite office and infrastructure improvements, including new water lines, fire hydrants and gas mains to replace existing propane, oil and kerosene heating, were immediately made. A community building was constructed, complete with a kitchen and community laundry facilities. More recently a playground was built, giving the park’s children a nearby area to play.

Although the Alliance was working hard to replace the older, mobile units with new, safer, manufactured home units, Mother Nature forced them to operate at an even greater pace. Prior to Superstorm Sandy, 14 of the units had been removed and six were replaced. After the storm hit, the needs of the community changed. Affordable housing was scarce and Pine Tree provided a much needed opportunity to house those individuals who had been displaced. With the help of the Robin Hood Foundation, 17 new manufactured homes were installed. As time passed and housing remained an issue, AHA received additional funding to install six more homes.

The development of these manufactured homes broke new ground as a model of fast, safe, and comfortable emergency housing response in post-disaster areas. Prior to Superstorm Sandy, low to moderate income renters were already faced with a lack of affordable housing in Monmouth County. Now, two and a half years after the storm, affordable rental housing is almost non-existent. The ultimate goal of the Pinetree Manufactured Home Park is to allow low to moderate homeowners achieve the American dream of owning a home while hopefully changing the public’s perception of manufactured housing.