Bill easing placement of manufactured houses approved by Indiana General Assembly – Goshen News

INDIANAPOLIS A bill aimed at promoting the use of mobile and modular houses passed through the House of Representatives over the concerns of some calling it support of an industry disguised as a solution to affordable housing.

SB 148, authored by Sen. Blake Doriot, allows modular houses to be placed in licensed manufactured housing communities but allows for local regulations and homeowners associations to create their own restrictions. The bill also prohibits placing manufactured housing in designated areas, such as historic districts.

In committee last week, Doriot, R-Syracuse, said that zoning related to manufactured housing has moved slower than other zoning laws, especially as older units aged out. As communities closed, older homes couldnt be moved without adequate notice, so the bill makes park owners give homeowners a 180-day notice.

Lets be honest, they werent as nice, they werent built to the standards that we have today, Doriot said in last weeks committee. If were going to close a park, we need to give notice so people can arrange to get their homes out.

This was the concern of Rep. Justin Moed, D-Indianapolis, on the floor Tuesday.

He said a mobile home park closed in his district containing mostly units from the 1970s and 1980s that couldnt be moved and he witnessed a family tearing down the home for scrap metal.

This will continue to happen as districts age out, Moed said. For some families, this is the best that they can do, the best to keep them from being homeless.

House sponsor Rep. Doug Miller, R-Elkhart, said that 22 million Americans live in manufactured housing.

In last weeks committee hearing, Ronald Breymier, the executive director of the Indiana Manufactured Housing Association, said the companies that built 11,000 manufactured houses in Indiana last year employ 10,000 Hoosiers. He said the construction of manufactured houses cost $50 per square foot compared to $120 per square foot for site-built houses.

You cannot tell the difference with our new mobile homes that are designed just like site-built homes, Breymier boasted. Its going to be very exciting for consumers because theyre going to have something they can afford.

Breymier said Ben Carson, the secretary of Housing and Urban Development, is a fan of manufactured housing as a potential solution to the countrys affordable housing crisis.

Everyone in this room knows about our affordable housing crisis and todays manufactured homes are indeed a solution to affordable housing, Breymier said last week. The 2019 federal appropriations (bill) includes a provision for manufactured housing with local planning commissions (and) says that manufactured housing should be a part of that plan.

On Tuesday, Miller connected the shortage of housing with Indianas workforce, saying manufactured houses would be inspected at construction and comply with federal construction code.

Weve got an affordable home crisis in this state and its difficult to attract workers here if we cant provide affordable housing, Miller said.

Miller received opposition from Rep. Chuck Moseley, D-Portage, who questioned if municipalities wanted the legislation.

Did your cities, towns and counties come to you with this or are you carrying this for the mobile home industry? Moseley asked.

Miller said that he hadnt been approached by local government but hadnt received pushback from municipalities in his district either.

The bill now heads to the governors desk.

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Bill easing placement of manufactured houses approved by Indiana General Assembly - Goshen News