With the right mix of zoning reforms and financing improvements, a meaningful supply of manufactured homes can be added to the affordable housing supply in the coming years. The current deficit of housing inventory and unaffordable prices, growing demand for low-price housing, and improved consumer willingness to own manufactured housing strongly suggest that manufactured housing can be an important component of a broader solution.

This report examines the current and historical role of manufactured housing in alleviating the nation’s housing supply shortages, specifically discussing product quality improvements, shifts in attitudes toward manufactured housing, and rising demand for manufactured housing, increased production capacity, and better affordability relative to site-built homes. It also explores financing barriers that adversely affect credit availability for manufactured homes and provides recommendations to improve access to credit, especially for chattel lending.