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City staff previews state law forcing parity for "qualified manufactured homes" in single-family zones
Summary
City staff told the Erlanger City Council caucus that House Bill 160, effective this July, requires cities to treat defined "qualified manufactured homes" the same as single-family dwellings in zoning and design standards; the city expects to make ordinance adjustments before the June 1, 2026 compliance deadline.
Andy, a city staff member, told the Erlanger City Council caucus on July 15 that House Bill 160 — legislation signed in April — creates a new, narrow category called a “qualified manufactured home” and requires cities to treat those homes the same as single-family residences for zoning and permitting.
The change takes effect in July, Andy said, though local code revisions are not required to be implemented immediately; the city is targeting revisions well before the statutory compliance deadline of June 1, 2026. “A qualified manufactured home can’t be treated any differently than a single family home,” Andy said during the presentation.
Why it matters: the statute prohibits local zoning rules from excluding qualified manufactured homes from any zone that allows other single-family homes and forbids additional application or architectural requirements that would not apply to site-built single-family houses. Andy said the law also requires that the homes be placed on a permanent foundation and meet architectural-compatibility standards similar to other single-family homes.
Erlanger staff told the caucus they believe the city is already closer to compliance than many jurisdictions because the local code currently allows manufactured homes in locations that permit single-family housing. The staff presentation listed local ordinance provisions that may need review or elimination, including assessed-value thresholds, minimum floor area, siding and exterior-material rules, roof-pitch standards and similar architectural provisions that could be interpreted as applying only to some housing types.
Andy said the Kenton County Planning Commission and the Planning & Development Services (PDS) office are positioned to lead a countywide approach so municipalities can adopt coordinated text amendments rather than each city filing separate applications. He outlined a multi-month approach that includes drafting options, staff and city-attorney review, outreach and hearings; the schedule conservatively targets planning commission hearings in February–March and final local actions afterward.
Council members asked clarifying questions about what constitutes a “permanent foundation.” One council member asked whether common foundation types — slab, crawl space or basement — would qualify; Andy said he would confer with the building official and follow up with a definitive answer. City staff also noted that private restrictive covenants and homeowner-association rules may still impose limits beyond zoning; those covenants would remain enforceable by the HOA rather than by the city.
No formal council action was taken at the caucus; staff said they will return with draft ordinance language and further information. The city expects to propose changes and work with county planning staff to reduce duplicative review and application fees across jurisdictions.
Ending: Staff will follow up with building‑code clarification on foundation types and present draft amendments for council review and public hearings ahead of the June 1, 2026 deadline.
