Manufactured Housing Institute’s Post

Hopefully SB168 requiring cities "to allow modular homes has the 'full support'” doesn't get stalled in committee. "The bill first provides a definition of modular housing, a still emerging technology that allows tiny homes, as well as single-family and multifamily residential units, to be prefabricated in different segments and then assembled at the home site." "It then outlines a statewide building code for modular building units with the hope that doing so will allow the industry to scale in the state as cities are able to more easily accommodate the new home type in their zoning laws and city plans. The bill includes instructions on how modular units are to be inspected both at the factory and as it’s being put together on-site." -courtesy Deseret #offsiteconstruction #modularconstruction #prefabricatedhouse #buildingproducts https://lnkd.in/gwS2TCTy

Enabling medium scale multifamily housing infill in urban neighborhoods through zoning and building code reform is essential if we want more walkable, climate-resilient, affordable communities in the U.S. Check out this piece from The Business Journals highlighting this national issue with Footprint Development's Solstice Northeast (www.solsticeMPLS.com) as an example of the challenges faced by small scale developers.

Great article by Tamara White from Small Housing easing concerns/panic that our single family neighborhoods are suddenly going to be replaced by apartment buildings. The reality being that any increase in density will happen at a speed that is barely noticeable. And despite a minor increase in allowed height, I think developers/builders will have increased incentive to design multiplexes that will not visually stand out within existing neighborhoods, to look and feel like houses (which are more appealing to buyers/renters) rather than apartments. https://lnkd.in/eVuE6jXy

I assisted with an article by John Burn-Murdoch in today's Financial Times about planning on small sites - covering the extraordinary level of delivery in Croydon following the adoption of its award-winning Suburban Intensification SPD...and the even more extraordinary effect on house prices. Followed, of course, by the inevitable NIMBY backlash and the document's unceremonious dumping by a Tory mayor. What's so interesting about the data is that it shows that even by building homes which are not "affordable" (as they include only sites providing fewer than 10 homes), the impact on house prices was significant compared the rest of London. By breaking the hegemony of large housebuilders through making planning outcomes more certain, supply can have a genuine effect on demand as small-scale developers regain confidence in the planning system and begin the deliver the homes we need. Imagine if we could achieve similar ambitions around urban stations, as I proposed in a post yesterday? https://lnkd.in/ecGPruhX

Here is a sample of what you missed last week.

On the high-hanging fruit of sustainability. We are often quick to criticize real estate improvement projects, which typically focus on making good assets extra-efficient rather than addressing the greater challenges of low and middle-income properties. Justin Davidson takes a different tack for New York Magazine, partnering with the architects of Peterson Rich Office to propose a new vision for a portion of Carver Houses, a Manhattan New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) property. The team sees room for a broad range of ways to boost efficiency and wellness while limiting impact. The following list is taken from an overview of the changes: "New balconies ... accommodate condensers for a new energy-efficient central heating and cooling system for each apartment. ... Glass-fiber-reinforced concrete ... bringing the insulation up to highly efficient Passive House standards and lowering heating and cooling needs. ... Interior fit-outs include engineered wood flooring and other low-carbon materials. ... New elevators. ... Mass-timber structure reduces environmental impact of new construction. ... Landscaped courtyards. ... Up-to-date sitewide lighting ... Rainwater-absorbing swales, buried stormwater retention tanks, and other resiliency features." Behind all of this thought is a nice piece of bureaucratic opportunism. "[The PACT program] ... allows local authorities ... [to sever] NYCHA’s dependence on dwindling funds ... [giving access to] the much more abundant stream of Section 8 subsidies. Now the agency and private developers could efficiently assemble a more stable set of subsidies, federal tax credits that it could sell to investors, and ordinary mortgages." This program has empowered other NYCHA communities to think on a large scale. In the view of Matthew Rooney, this kind of ambitious work at other housing complexes may make something like this vision possible. "Once that first new building goes up, a lot of resident associations are going to be raising their hands and saying, ‘Why can’t we get that?’” Steers Center for Global Real Estate - Georgetown McDonough #georgetownuniversity #realestate #commercialrealestate #climate #sustainability #esg https://bit.ly/3vuIzQN

Dr. Canaan Van Williams and the ProActive Real Estate Group, this is a fascinating update from the 2024 Innovative Housing Showcase! UMH Properties, in collaboration with the Manufactured Housing Institute and builders like Cavco Industries and Skyline Champion Corporation, is reshaping the landscape with their duplex HUD code homes. Similarly, under the visionary leadership of Dr. Canaan Van Williams, Proactive Realty Group has been pioneering the use of modular housing to create affordable housing solutions. This strategic move not only advances housing affordability but also introduces energy-efficient solutions, like solar shingles and battery packs, right from the factory floor. It’s a promising step towards more sustainable, affordable living spaces, especially in urban areas where increased density is crucial.  #HousingInnovation #Sustainability #AffordableLiving

Check out this NPR article that highlights the power of residential zoning in tackling the housing crisis! "The zoning reforms made apartments feasible. They made them less expensive to build. And they were saying yes when builders submitted applications to build apartment buildings. So they got a lot of new housing in a short period of time." #HousingWeNeed #ZoningAtlas