Cohousing-L Mailing List: Mobile Home Communities Everyone Can Afford (almost)

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

CREATING ATMOSPHERE

Just when you thought this was going to be another boring day in the hunt for 
cohousing, you are going to discover a hilarious comedian, Vicki Barbolak, who 
made the finals of America’s Got Talent and lives in a mobile home community in 
Oceanside, California.

She did a tour of her community on AGT with singing neighbors and flash mobs 
but I haven’t been able to find it online. There are some sneak peeks in the 
introductions to her other performances.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=vicki+barbolak

HAS ANYONE CONSIDERED A MOBILE HOME PARK?

Mobile homes have greatly increased in quality with several comprehensive 
overhauls of legislation. They now must meet federal safety standards and are 
considered as safe as other construction. Some even have green ratings for 
energy efficiency, etc. 

Mobile home parks most often have a strong sense of community and are not 
temporary living situations. Stories and discussions about living in the parks 
commonly include community relationships including personal safety and shared 
resources.

A new home starts at ~$40,000 for 902 SF, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths. One figure I 
found for delivery and installation was ~$6,000. Lots are often rented rather 
than purchased but coop parks are increasing in popularity. This means a higher 
upfront fee for buying shares in the HOA but a much lower rate for monthly fees 
because no one is taking profits out of the community.

A totally rough calculation by totally not a lawyer or CPA, the option seems 
affordable for households with annual incomes of ~$15,000. With a $40,000 15 
year mortgage, the monthly principle and interest payments would be ~$300. 
There would be additional costs for utilities, leasing the land, etc. 

While certainly not exact, I think citing figures is important for moving our 
brains out of the $2,000-$3,000 a month range with a $60,000 downpayment plus 
closing fees.

Like lot development cohousing, households can choose many options because the 
homes can be ordered & manufactured individually. Requirements and prices can 
be determined up front so planning is easier. Zoning will certainly be an 
issue, but it is for all multi-unit projects. Mobile home parks are typically 
located on the outskirts of a city and may be on large plots of land.

The link below is to an excellent article in Curbed — lots of information, 
explanations, resources. It’s about 3 years old but I doubt if the information 
has changed much.
https://archive.curbed.com/2017/9/13/16275948/mobile-manufactured-homes-clayton-trailers

There are people who specialize in creating trailer parks. Interestingly the 
largest manufacturer (owned by Berkshire Hathaway—Warren Buffett) will oversee 
the whole process including land acquisition, infrastructure (sewer, water, 
electricity), financing, and insurance. A one stop shop. The homes start at 
$40,000 and can go very high.
https://www.claytonhomes.com

_Mobile Home Living_ is a blog started by a woman who found herself living in a 
mobile home with no idea how to take care of it. Lots of advice and 
information. Big website with many interior and exterior photos.
https://mobilehomeliving.org

This is doable. Don’t despair. Like other cohousing communities, collect data 
on options, layout a plan, gather your people, and figure out what to do next.

Sharon
——— 
Sharon Villines
http://affordablecohousing.com
affordablecohousing [at] groups.io
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