Opinion: Make Way for Manufactured Housing

In an opinion piece in The Ledger, L.A. “Tony” Kovach calls on cities in Florida and elsewhere to loosen zoning restrictions that limit where manufactured housing, which can cost half as much as site-built homes, can be placed.

In many U.S. cities, zoning codes restrict where manufactured housing can be placed, often relegating it to the edges of towns and areas isolated from transportation and services. Yet manufactured homes can offer safe, affordable, secure housing and higher density than many single-family neighborhoods. “Unlike conventional housing, many could buy a manufactured home on privately owned land with FHA, VA, or USDA financing for about the same payment as a rental.” 

According to Kovach, the 2000 Manufactured Housing Improvement Act allows the federal government to preempt local zoning rules that bar manufactured housing, though this “enhanced preemption” is rarely used. Kovach argues for more widespread enforcement of this rule, pointing to the success of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in California after the state legalized their construction as a model for manufactured housing, which he argues could similarly help boost the housing supply and provide affordable units for individuals and families.