U.S. and Local Officials Endorsing Manufactured Housing as a Fix for Affordable Housing and Homelessness
The key to fixing the homeless and affordable housing crisis in places like New York City is fewer regulations and less money unceremoniously flung at the issues, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson said Tuesday.
Appearing on “Fox and Friends” with host Ainsley Earhardt and New York City Housing Authority Chairwoman Lynne Patton. Carson said in order to solve the issues of homelessness and affordability policymakers must first ask why homelessness is a problem in the United States in the first place.
“You know, you look at Tokyo – they have virtually no homelessness there, and what is the difference?” he asked. “They don’t have stacks and stacks of regulations that keep you from being able to use technology.”
“We have some very innovative people who have come up with – modular homes, tremendous advances in manufactured housing, tiny homes – there are a whole host of things that could be used,” he added.
Later in the interview, Carson admitted that Millenials and recent college graduates earning salaries of $50,000 per year cannot afford to live in large cities like New York.
Since his appointment at the helm of HUD, Carson has been a proactive advocate in the utilization of factory-built homes in mitigating the woes of home affordability and how manufactured housing can play a role in stemming the nation’s homelessness. That advocacy has not only resulted in a reduction of unnecessary expensive federal and local regulations but has also encouraged localities across the country to recognize the value of manufactured housing in solving local housing issues. The following are examples of recent local manufactured housing inclusion.
OREGON MOBILE HOME REPLACEMENT BILL SIGNED INTO LAW
Salem, Oregon — Some mobile homeowners are a step closer to gaining financial aid for their housing since Governor Kate Brown recently signed House Bill 2896 into law. (Reported online by eastoregon.com)
The measure last year funnels $9.5 million to nonprofit corporations to create manufactured housing dwelling preservation and replacement programs for older, less insulated homes.
Umatilla Electric Cooperative supported the bill during the last legislative session and is taking steps to create a program in its service area.
“We’d like to help our customers by identifying older mobile homes, UEC Member Services Administrator Steve Myers said. “If we can replace those with (new) manufactured homes, it’s not just going to help customers save hundreds of dollars a month, it will sustain our communities.”
SACRAMENTO OK’S $100 MILLION FUND FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Sacramento, California City Council recently voted unanimously to create a new trust fund which would raise $100 million over two years to kick-start the construction of possible tens of thousands of new affordable housing units, according to a report by the Sacramento Business Journal.
The proposed trust fund would issue bonds to grant and loan money to both rental and for purchase affordable projects to fill financing gaps and accelerate construction. The new city bonds would be backed by future revenue from an increase of a half percent to a full cent sales tax that was approved by Measure U in 2018.
Sacramento Mayor said 30% of the money will be set aside for innovative, smaller, efficient kinds of projects like modular/manufactured home building, tiny homes, micro-units, accessory dwelling units, 3d printed housing and container unit housing.
“Electricity, plumbing, safety and dignity,” Steinberg said, “But smaller.”
