KnowledgePlex: Findings Summary: Not a Trailer Anymore: Perceptions of Manufactured Housing

Title:

Not a Trailer Anymore: Perceptions of Manufactured Housing

Author(s):

Julia O. Beamish, Rosemary C. Goss, Jorge H. Atiles, Youngjoo Kim

Content Contributor:

Fannie Mae Foundation

Published In:

Housing Policy Debate Volume 12, Issue 2

Publication Date:

2001

The Study and Findings:

No question about it, manufactured housing has gotten a bad rap: It is often considered housing for the newly wed or nearly dead, according to this article's authors. Beamish et al. suggest, however, that manufactured housing can play a major role in providing safe, affordable, and adequate single-family housing for many peopleespecially low- and moderate-income householdsbut that its negative image needs to be overcome to improve acceptance. They report on a statewide study in Virginia that profiles manufactured housing residents and compares their perceptions of that housing with those of other community residents. They find that community residents view manufactured homes as old, having a fairly bad appearance, and housing low-income people who exhibit bad social behavior. Those perceptions are mostly inaccurate. Interestingly, even the manufactured home residents have some inaccurate perceptions of their fellow residents; for example, they underestimate the numbers of couples and of retired people who live in manufactured housing. The authors note that many manufactured housing unitsespecially double-section homeslook enough like site-built homes to blend in to the community. Yet, they note that imposing design requirements of that nature increases the cost and therefore decreases affordability.

What's New:

This is the first study to systematically examine the attitudes of manufactured home residents and nonresidents in the same communities, as well as the first to differentiate perceptions of single-section and double-section manufactured homes.

Caveats:

The survey research for this study was limited to eight counties in one state.

Bottom Line:

Manufactured housing is one of the most affordable options for low-income households, the authors say, but they add: The manufactured housing industry faces a challenge: how to make manufactured homes more physically appealing to consumers and the general public, as well as how to keep the price down.

Find This Study:

Download associated file(hpd_1202_beamish.pdf)

Summary Prepared By:

Fannie Mae Foundation Staff

Geographic Focus

State:

Virginia

Title:	Not a Trailer Anymore: Perceptions of Manufactured Housing

Author(s):	Julia O. Beamish, Rosemary C. Goss, Jorge H. Atiles, Youngjoo Kim
Content Contributor:	Fannie Mae Foundation
Published In:	Housing Policy Debate Volume 12, Issue 2
Publication Date:	2001
The Study and Findings:	No question about it, manufactured housing has gotten a bad rap: It is often considered housing for the newly wed or nearly dead, according to this article's authors. Beamish et al. suggest, however, that manufactured housing can play a major role in providing safe, affordable, and adequate single-family housing for many peopleespecially low- and moderate-income householdsbut that its negative image needs to be overcome to improve acceptance. They report on a statewide study in Virginia that profiles manufactured housing residents and compares their perceptions of that housing with those of other community residents. They find that community residents view manufactured homes as old, having a fairly bad appearance, and housing low-income people who exhibit bad social behavior. Those perceptions are mostly inaccurate. Interestingly, even the manufactured home residents have some inaccurate perceptions of their fellow residents; for example, they underestimate the numbers of couples and of retired people who live in manufactured housing. The authors note that many manufactured housing unitsespecially double-section homeslook enough like site-built homes to blend in to the community. Yet, they note that imposing design requirements of that nature increases the cost and therefore decreases affordability.
What's New:	This is the first study to systematically examine the attitudes of manufactured home residents and nonresidents in the same communities, as well as the first to differentiate perceptions of single-section and double-section manufactured homes.
Caveats:	The survey research for this study was limited to eight counties in one state.
Bottom Line:	Manufactured housing is one of the most affordable options for low-income households, the authors say, but they add: The manufactured housing industry faces a challenge: how to make manufactured homes more physically appealing to consumers and the general public, as well as how to keep the price down.
Find This Study:	Download associated file(hpd_1202_beamish.pdf)
Summary Prepared By:	Fannie Mae Foundation Staff
Geographic Focus
State:	Virginia