Let’s start with something we all agree on: affordable housing is a fundamental right. It’s something we, as a community, know is crucial for the well-being of families across the country. And yes, there are plenty of people out there — including government officials — who say they support it. But here’s the problem: sometimes their actions don’t align with their words.
We know this because, despite the rhetoric, we still face obstacles at every turn. Whether it’s zoning laws, endless red tape, or regulations that seem designed to push affordable housing further out of reach, it feels like the system is set up to fail the very people it’s supposed to help. And that’s personal for us.
We, in the mobile home park industry, are at the front lines of this battle — trying to create clean, safe, and affordable places for people to live. But the barriers are real. They are complex, and sometimes it’s hurtful to hear about policies that actively work against these efforts. It’s not just about the financials; it’s about the real human lives affected by the lack of affordable housing.
The System Isn’t Broken, It’s Misplaced
Government policies aren’t just barriers — they often work against affordable housing. And it’s frustrating because these barriers aren’t always intentional, but they create harmful outcomes. It’s like watching decision-makers reinforce systems that hurt the very communities we’re trying to serve.
Take zoning laws, for example. These laws should protect communities, right? But what happens when they actually prevent new, affordable housing from being built? What happens when the very policies designed to create fairness end up excluding people from the housing market altogether?
The truth is, sometimes well-intentioned rules — like those created to “preserve neighborhood character” — end up doing more harm than good. The regulations become roadblocks, stopping us from building the kinds of communities where families can thrive. It’s frustrating because we all want the same thing: safe, dignified, affordable homes. But instead of moving forward, we keep getting caught in bureaucratic barbed wire.
We All Want the Same Thing, But We Need to Get There Together
There’s no doubt that most people, at every level of government, want to help solve the affordable housing crisis. They’ll say the right things, commit to common-sense policies, and talk about the importance of equality in housing. But then, time and time again, we see policies that make it harder to actually do what needs to be done.
Just like the fight for civil rights, the fight for affordable housing is not just about laws on paper. It’s about the real, lived experiences of families being priced out of their homes. It’s about communities that are being left behind because policies — whether intentional or not — have failed to meet the needs of the people they’re meant to protect.
It’s personal for those of us in the affordable housing sector. We’ve seen the consequences of these barriers up close. We’re talking about families who can’t find a place to live, retirees who are struggling to stay in their homes, and young people who are giving up on the idea of ever owning anything more than a rental contract. These are the people who need us to cut through the red tape and make affordable housing a reality.
The Government Must Step In — And Step Up
At times, it feels like we’re caught in a tug-of-war between local regulations and federal oversight, with no clear winner. Local policies are important, sure, but when they fail to meet the needs of the community, the government has to step up. That’s the role of leadership — to intervene when states and cities can’t (or won’t) do what’s necessary to provide housing for everyone.
Think about it: just like civil rights laws were needed to ensure basic rights for all citizens, we need serious, federal-level support to ensure affordable housing is protected. We can’t rely solely on local governments to make these decisions because, too often, they don’t. We need national policies that enforce the right to housing, policies that prevent people from being excluded from their communities because of outdated regulations or arbitrary zoning laws.
We need an affordable housing bill of rights, one that makes it clear that safe, clean, and affordable places to live are non-negotiable. We need leadership to cut through the barbed wire, to take down the barriers that keep us from building and expanding the communities people so desperately need.
This Isn’t Just a Local Problem — It’s a National One
Affordable housing is a nationwide crisis. It doesn’t just affect one city or one region — it’s a problem everywhere. And while it might seem like a local issue, the truth is, we need leadership at the federal level to address the systemic issues that have caused this crisis in the first place.
Just like past movements for equality, this fight requires national attention. We need leaders who understand that housing is more than just a market issue. It’s a civil rights issue. It’s about equality, dignity, and ensuring that everyone has access to the most basic of human needs: a home.
We Can’t Do This Alone
Here’s the bottom line: we can’t win this fight alone. It’s going to take more than just developers, community advocates, and local governments. It’s going to take a national movement, one that cuts through the bureaucracy and focuses on what really matters — providing affordable, safe, and sustainable homes for all.
And that’s where we come in — the communities, the leaders, and the advocates who won’t take no for an answer. We’re here to keep pushing, keep building, and keep making sure that no matter how high the barbed wire fences get, we’ll find a way through. Because everyone deserves a home. And that’s a fight worth fighting.
