1. Overview
The nature of Montana‚s economy creates
an expanding market for affordable housing. As we move toward
a more service-oriented society, average wages are falling well
below national averages. With only marginal industry to provide
higher paying jobs, the demand for affordable housing is here
and will continue into the foreseeable future.
As this downward shift occurs, we
are seeing expanded efforts to provide a safer and healthier
living environment. Tighter development controls are increasing
costs by requiring higher levels of development that include
paving, curbs and gutters, street lighting, open space, parks,
landscaping, improved fire protection, advanced sewage treatment
systems and dependable water supplies. Though desirable,
these amenities do not come without cost.
Decreasing wages combined with increasing
land development costs create a marketing dilemma with the home
in the middle of the equation. Manufactured homes have, by the
nature of their method of assembly, been able to produce quality
homes at competitive prices to serve the affordable housing
market. As demand increases, the need for more manufactured
housing will also increase. Servicing this demand will require
more opportunities to locate manufactured homes in neighborhoods
that provide for the needs of those that will reside there.
Land use restrictions, primarily zoning
regulations, play a key role in where manufactured housing may
be sited. The demand for affordable housing encourages us to
re-evaluate the limitations that are placed on this type of
housing and examine options to improve the opportunities to
utilize manufactured housing in a manner that will best serve
the market demand. This document examines the regulatory position
of manufactured housing and presents information to assist those
involved with zoning and land use regulation so they may better
understand what manufactured housing is and how it can best
be utilized to serve an increasing market.