Editorial: Affordable homes get nice boost

Monday, Nov. 8, 1999 | 10:23 a.m.

Even with historically low interest rates, some families find it difficult to make the down payment or the monthly mortgage rate necessary to get into a new or existing home. Affordable housing is an important issue nationally and here in Southern Nevada; last year it was estimated that Clark County was short 76,000 units of affordable housing.

One option for families is manufactured housing, but Clark County ordinances in the past restricted the areas where these homes could be built. In response, the 1999 Legislature passed a law that eases some of these restrictions, allowing manufactured homes as long as they meet pre-existing architectural and zoning rules. On Wednesday the Clark County Commission brought itself into compliance with this state law, passing an ordinance that will allow manufactured homes to be built anywhere in unincorporated Clark County starting Jan. 1, 2000.

Addressing compatibility concerns, provisions in the state law do permit that standards can be placed on the manufactured housing so that it conforms to other existing single family residences. As the Sun's Launce Rake reported Thursday, some of the design standards for manufactured homes include the following: They will have to be permanent, a minimum of 1,200 square feet, be at least 20 feet wide and made of stucco, masonry, wood or metal.

There has been a stigma long attached to manufactured homes. But as noted by Lesa Coder, planning director for Clark County, the new lines of manufactured homes look very much like traditionally built homes, including red-tile roofs, stucco facades and other architectural designs typically found in Southern Nevada.

As available land for housing becomes sparse and in turn more expensive, new alternatives will need to be found that will allow families to buy their own homes. Manufactured homes might help since industry representatives say they can be anywhere from 15-20 percent less than that of traditionally built homes. It's not known how many Clark County residents will take advantage of this new law, but it is a sound policy that at least gives families more flexibility to purchase a home than existed before.