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El Mirage extends inspection agreement with Arizona Department of Housing for manufactured-home installations
Summary
The council approved a multi-year extension of the city's inspection agreement with the Arizona Department of Housing to monitor installation standards for manufactured and factory-built homes. Staff described common foundation systems, inspection volumes and permit fees.
The El Mirage Common Council on Jan. 20 approved an extension of the inspection-services agreement with the Arizona Department of Housing (ADOH) that authorizes the city to monitor and enforce installation standards for manufactured homes and factory-built buildings.
City staff said the agreement allows local inspectors to process plans, perform inspections and verify utility hookups and life-safety elements for manufactured-home installations, enabling faster local service than routing all permits through state offices in Phoenix.
Building-safety staff member Brigham Bennett detailed the common foundation systems used locally and the volume of permitting. He said the state-authorized foundation methods now frequently include helical pier and cable systems and that, in 2023, the city issued permits for 24 manufactured homes (one at Rosewood Estates, three at Coppersun and 20 at Pueblo El Mirage) and in 2024 permitted 16 manufactured homes (14 at Pueblo El Mirage, one at Rosewood and one on El Mirage Road). Bennett also described permitted set types: above-grade sets with skirting and stairs and grade sets with stem walls that provide 0-entry access.
Bennett noted a permit fee change the city follows as the state specifies: “In 2023, we charged $450 for a permit. This last fiscal year, we charged $650 for a permit,” and said the city will charge whatever amount the state sets for subsequent years. He summarized regulatory roles: manufactured homes are built to a federal HUD standard and the Arizona Department of Housing regulates them in-state; the local agreement allows El Mirage to act as the local permitting and inspection authority.
Council discussion focused on clarity about definitions (manufactured, factory-built, mobile home), foundation methods, and resident concerns about installations in established neighborhoods. The council approved the extension by voice vote; staff recorded that the motion passed and thanked the attendees for questions.
Staff said the extension keeps plan review and inspections more local and responsive and avoids delays from limited state inspection staff.
