The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced the allocation of $225 million in competitive grant funding to 17 awardees through the Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative for Community Enhancement (PRICE) program. This initiative aims to preserve and revitalize manufactured housing communities across 26 states, targeting rural, suburban, urban, tribal, and disaster-impacted areas.
Manufactured homes house over 22 million Americans and are a significant part of affordable housing, particularly in rural and tribal regions. The Biden-Harris Administration views manufactured housing as crucial for increasing housing supply and reducing costs. "This is an historic investment – as the first federal grant program specifically for residents of manufactured homes," stated HUD Agency Head Adrianne Todman.
The funds will support low- to moderate-income homeowners with essential repairs, accessibility upgrades, infrastructure improvements, eviction prevention services, and more. It also aims to transform existing communities into resident-managed ones by replacing outdated units with new affordable homes.
HUD received substantial interest in the PRICE competition from over 175 entities across 43 states. Successful applicants demonstrated a commitment to long-term affordability while involving community members actively. Marion McFadden from HUD emphasized that the proposals "invest in communities, empower residents, and prioritize long term affordability."
Challenges such as restrictive land use policies and financial pressures affect manufactured housing affordability. The grants aim to address these issues by supporting diverse projects from small Tribal communities to national organizations.
A minimum of $11 million was dedicated to Tribal applicants within this initiative. Heidi Frechette from HUD noted that "manufactured housing is a critical tool to address the affordable housing crisis in Indian Country." Nearly $46 million was awarded directly or indirectly through regional nonprofits for Tribal projects.
Some notable grantees include Boise City ($6.77 million), City of Tucson ($11.52 million), Commonwealth of Kentucky ($28.28 million), Greater Charlottesville Habitat for Humanity Inc. ($29.15 million), among others.
For further details on the PRICE competition's winning proposals, additional information can be accessed online.
