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Council approves extension of manufactured‑home inspection agreement with Arizona Department of Housing
Summary
El Mirage approved a multi‑year inspection services agreement with the Arizona Department of Housing to monitor installation standards for manufactured homes. City staff described permitted foundation types, permit fees, and where manufactured homes are concentrated in the city.
The El Mirage Common Council voted to extend an inspection services agreement (ISA) with the Arizona Department of Housing to allow the city to monitor and enforce installation standards for manufactured homes and factory-built buildings.
Staff said the agreement streamlines permitting by enabling El Mirage inspectors to review plans, inspect installations and submit monthly permitting data to the state through a portal, rather than routing every submission to the state office in Phoenix. Building official Brigham (last name not specified) said the arrangement improves customer service and timeliness because the state has limited inspectors statewide.
Council discussion addressed a change in contract term (the item listed a three‑year term in the current packet after a prior five‑year contract), clarifications on terminology, and the distinctions among mobile homes, manufactured homes and factory-built buildings. Brigham explained that a “mobile home” refers to units built before 1974 and that such structures generally are not permitted for new installation in the city. Manufactured homes are built to HUD standards and typically require approved foundation systems to resist uplift in wind events; staff said helical piers with tension straps are the most common foundation method in current use locally.
Staff reported permit volumes and locations: in 2023 the city issued permits for 24 manufactured homes (one in Rosewood Estates, three at Coppersun, 20 at Pueblo El Mirage) and in 2024 issued 16 permits (14 at Pueblo El Mirage, one at Rosewood, one on Elm Mirage Road). Permit fees were described as set by the state; staff said El Mirage charged $450 per permit in 2023 and $650 in the most recent fiscal year, and that the city will adopt the state‑specified fee for subsequent years.
Councilmember Scottie Gentry asked for clarity on contract language and the change in term length; staff said they would provide additional detail on verbiage and had arranged for building safety staff to answer technical questions. The council approved the extension by voice vote.
The action preserves local permitting authority under state‑delegated inspection agreements; no new financial appropriation was recorded in the meeting minutes for this action.
