RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- The City of Richmond's Department of Housing and Community Development has released a study conducted by a nonprofit on the current status of the city's manufactured housing communities. The study, released just after 1 p.m. on Monday, March 24, was requested by the Richmond City Council and was conducted and prepared by project:HOMES, a local nonprofit that produces, repairs and improves the accessibility of affordable homes. The study assessed Richmond's manufactured housing communities -- sometimes referred to as mobile home parks -- and outlined financial and operational issues, including maintenance of aging homes, deteriorating infrastructure and the high cost of unit replacement. The study highlights the unique challenges that these communities face, particularly in regard to financing. Since manufactured homes in these communities are titled as vehicles rather than real estate, they're not eligible for traditional home equity loans or mortgages. "The limited financing options that are available typically require a 20% down payment with high interest rates which makes it difficult for most residents to purchase new units," the city said in a press release. "The average annual income for families living in Richmond’s manufactured home communities is less than $38,000."  The nonprofit overviewed the following eight manufactured housing communities: Fitzgerald Mobile Homes Court Ford's Mobile Home Park Mobile Towne Home Park Oak View Manufactured Housing Community Rudd's Mobile Home Park Worsham's Manufactured Home Park "Pardo," or Ponderosa Mobile Home and RV "R" Mobile Home Park The parks collectively contain 419 occupied units housing roughly 1,257 people, according to the study. Families living in the manufactured homes reportedly have an average annual income of $37,856 and a household size of three people. According to the study, 43% of residents are children. The study noted that units in the city's eight manufactured housing communities were manufactured between 1960 and 1980, with the average unit being 49 years old. Common issues in the units caused by age, according to the study, included leaking rooves, rotten flooring, broken HVAC units, issues with plumbing and electricity, as well as leaking doors and windows. "Because these homes are built to the HUD Manufactured Housing Code and not the Residential Building Code, it is difficult or impossible for local building departments to issue permits or inspect renovation work at the unit other than the mounting of the unit and any porches or structures that are adjacent to it," the study said. When comparing the cost and logistics of repairing or replacing units, the nonprofit said it determined that focusing on unit repairs is a "more effective and responsible use of grant funding." In addition to the study's findings, the nonprofit made the following recommendations for the Richmond Department of Community Development: Until there is some kind of formal commitment to sustained affordability from the owners of the city’s manufactured housing communities that is incentivized and enforceable by the City of Richmond, all grant investments should be directed only to the owner-occupants of the existing manufactured homes through repairs and support services. Unconditional investments in park infrastructure were not recommended. Zoning and building code enforcement efforts in the eight parks should continue with careful consideration to the impact and welfare of current occupants and coordination with unit repair and relocation programs. Any new development involving manufactured homes should be mission or resident-owned to ensure sustained affordability. Until better financing options become available for owners or purchasers of single-section mobile homes on non-permanent foundations, the city should not approve zoning of any additional land for manufactured housing communities. The report was funded by three grants awarded to the nonprofit and administered by the department for fiscal years 2024, 2025 and 2026. ...read more read less