Opinion: Manufactured Homes Are Overlooked as a Way to Quickly Expand Affordable Senior Housing
The following contains excerpts from a TIMES of SAN DIEGO opinion piece by Mark Powell. The narrative highlights the problem with the availability of affordable housing in the San Diego, California area, but the same situation exists in cities across the U.S.A.
There will be nearly 1 million people over the age of 60 living in San Diego County in just 12 years, so the dire need for affordable senior housing cannot be overstated. One of the most efficient – and widely overlooked – ways to increase the region’s senior housing inventory is open to more mobile home parks (manufactured home communities).
However, it has been almost 50 years since a new mobile home park was authorized in San Diego County. It’s past time for the local government to approve some. Note: The San Diego lack of affordable housing is similar in communities across the U.S.
It is a known fact that housing affordability significantly contributes to homelessness, especially for seniors. One out of every four homeless adults in San Diego County is 55 or older, and rates of homelessness rise when rental costs begin to exceed 43% of the median income. With the average apartment rent starting at $2,504 for a one-bedroom and $2,805 for two bedrooms, many seniors are simply priced out of the rental market.
Manufactured homes are affordable quality factory-built homes that can be delivered and set up in as little as seven days, and they are far less expensive than traditional site-built homes. The cost for an average single-family home in San Diego is approximately $847,00. The average cost of a new manufactured home is $127,250.
The average mobile home community rent in San Diego is around $1,000 and at a price point of $127,250, manufactured homes are the most affordable housing option for seniors living on fixed incomes.
The affordable housing crisis in San Diego has always been a supply and demand issue, so approving newly manufactured home parks seems to be the quickest and most cost-effective way to increase the supply and meet the demand. However, there will need to be buy-in from communities and cities throughout the county.
Even with traditional affordable housing projects, neighborhoods fight vigorously against them with a NIMBY (not in my backyard) attitude. The opposition to affordable housing is fear of increased crime, decreased safety, and loss of neighboring property values.
To meet the housing demand for the region San Diego County needs over 171,000 new housing units in the next 10 years. The City of San Diego alone needs to build over 100,000 housing units in 2029 to meet its current and projected housing needs.
To meet these numbers, opening more mobile home parks simply makes sense. Seniors living in San Diego are looking for housing that will allow them to live self-sufficient.
Mark Powell is a real estate broker and a former San Diego County Board of Education member.
