At its June 4, 2025 meeting, the City of Lorain Planning Commission voted to recommend an ordinance amending the city zoning code to allow permanently sited manufactured homes outside manufactured‑home communities.

The change responds to state law and to local interest in using modern manufactured and modular housing for infill and affordable housing, planning staff and commissioners said. The ordinance would permit only manufactured homes that are permanently sited on foundations and meet dimensional and appearance standards; movable trailers and temporary units would remain prohibited.

Planning staff explained the amendment is intended to bring Lorain into compliance with the Ohio Revised Code while allowing a wider range of housing types. “So this is specifically to allow for manufactured homes, permanently cited manufactured homes. They have to be on a permanent foundation,” a planning staff member said during the hearing. Staff said the homes must meet dimensional standards, have pitched roofs and be installed to meet the same appearance and foundation requirements used in the city’s manufactured‑home districts.

Commissioners and council members who spoke said modern manufactured and modular construction can look like traditional site‑built houses and cost less, which could help seniors and lower‑income households. “These manufactured homes have come a long, long way,” Councilwoman Henley said. A planning staff member described three‑bedroom ranch‑style modular homes in Cleveland that, including installation, cost under $200,000.

Speakers stressed the change would not authorize movable trailers or container homes. Planning staff noted the amendment mirrors the district standards where a manufactured home would be sited and reiterated that local permits and inspections would apply once a unit is permanently sited and installed.

The commission voted to recommend the ordinance to City Council. The recommendation does not itself change the code; final approval would come from council and any installation would be subject to building permits and inspections and to continuing Ohio Revised Code requirements.

The ordinance discussion included references to Habitat for Humanity’s local projects and to potential city programs to assist first‑time buyers with down‑payment aid, but no specific funding commitment was made at the meeting.