As new homes and complexes are being built, there remains a paucity of affordable housing, especially in major cities. Skyrocketing land prices and the cost of materials haven’t helped. Given this situation, many families and individuals have explored alternative options, which includes mobile and manufactured homes. But as recent events have shown, mobile homes and hurricanes don’t mix well. And for those that suffered the wrath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, many are left homeless with nothing. The absence of affordable storm-resistant homes certainly compounds an already miserable situation.
The pursuit of storm-resistant homes is something every community is actively exploring. But in many cases, this involves increasing regulations and code requirements to make dwellings more hurricane resistant. While these efforts are understandable, they contribute to the rising costs of homes that already exist. And for the millions who cannot afford traditional homes in the first place, these only serve to pose additional barriers. Affordability is a huge issue in efforts to protect communities from disasters, not to mention quality of life. And based on the fact that mobile homes and hurricanes are a bad combination, better living alternatives are needed. Certainly, an important goal is the pursuit of hurricane-proofing where we live. But at the same time, any effective housing solutions needs to ensure affordable options exist.
The Mobile Home Community
Believe it or not, there are over 16 million Americans who live in mobile or manufactured homes. More importantly, mobile homes account for about 6% of the nation’s housing stock, which varies from place to place. For example, in western North Carolina where Hurricane Helene did its worst, 14% live in mobile homes. In the Tampa Bay area, this figure also exceeded the national average at 11%. As it turns out, it is precisely these families and households most vulnerable to natural disasters. These dwellings are far from being storm-resistant homes, and most are in less than favorable locations. In fact, more of these homes are located in flood zones, adding another reason why mobile homes and hurricanes are high-risk.
It should be noted that efforts have been made to achieve more storm-resistant homes for manufactured dwellings. In 1976, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development introduced a variety of new code requirements. Technically, those built prior to these requirements are termed mobile homes while those after are called manufactured homes. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of pre-1976 mobile homes in the nation. Estimates suggest that about 1.3 million mobile homes exist currently. That includes about 19,000 mobile homes in western North Carolina and roughly 50,000 around Tampa. Understanding that mobile homes and hurricanes are a bad combination, this sets the stage for major destruction. And unfortunately, in both cases, that’s exactly what happened.
Falling Through the Cracks
The decision to purchase a mobile or manufactured home is often one of necessity. Unable to afford a convention home or qualify for reasonable rent, mobile homes may be a last resort. Statistics support this. The chance of living in poverty is increased three-fold for those owning a mobile home. Likewise, the chances of being elderly or disabled are also increased in this segment of the community. Thus, choosing to live in these structures often targets the most vulnerable in society due to social determinants of health. And as a result, these are the same people who tend to be the least protected in mobiles homes and hurricanes. Not only are resources scarce, but many mobile homeowners lack insurance. They can’t afford storm-resistant homes, and they lack the ability to rebuild when their existing homes are destroyed.
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In such situations, one might assume FEMA would come to the rescue for damaged mobile homes and hurricanes. But this isn’t typically the case. FEMA routinely requires proof of ownership, but in the aftermath of a storm this may be difficult. In best case scenarios, FEMA may provide up to $42,500 for repairs or a new home purchase. But repairs often cost more than double this. And the purchase of a new manufactured home is usually double this figure, especially for storm-resistant homes. Certainly, these are barriers to recovery for those in mobile homes and hurricanes. However, this is further complicated by the rising rents of mobile home parks that have to upgrade to new hurricane regulations. Seemingly, these mobile homeowners face major challenges every step of the way after a hurricane.
Solving the Affordability and Safety Problem
In an ideal world, everyone would have access to storm-resistant homes. Whether this is a traditional home or a manufactured one, safety should be a priority. But in most cases, mobile homes and hurricanes represent a bad mix that is far from safe. And the situation exposes the inequities that exist and the risks that the most vulnerable face when times are tough. Advancing code requirements to create storm-resistant homes has good intentions, but in most cases, they serve to increase cost barriers. As a result, the same people forced to choose mobiles homes in the first place have diminishing options. This is why a bold solution to solve the affordable and safe home problem is desperately needed.
One thing is clear: advancing government oversight isn’t taking care of business. Efforts to ensure storm-resistant homes make strides, but they isolate many from access. Support programs also fail to protect the vulnerable after experiencing damaged mobile homes and hurricanes. A call-to-action is thus requested for private industry to solve this problem. Creating affordable and storm-resistant homes for all citizens should be a priority. Not only is this the right thing to do, but it also mitigates the profound costs and damages in a hurricane’s aftermath. And it saves lives that might otherwise be lost when having to rely on unsafe dwellings incapable of weathering a disaster. Innovation and creativity are needed to solve this issue, and as always, the private business sector offers the best hope.
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