Presenter urges New Bern to allow newer manufactured homes to expand affordable homeownership

John Ford, general manager of Downeast Realty and Custom Homes in New Bern, told the redevelopment commission that modern manufactured homes are built to substantially different standards than the older units many residents imagine and could expand routes to affordable homeownership in the city.

Ford, who said his company has operated in Eastern North Carolina for more than 27 years, described construction upgrades such as 2-by-6 exterior walls, full sheetrock interiors and options like 8- and 9-foot ceilings and ceramic-tile showers that, he said, make many new manufactured homes indistinguishable from site-built houses. "It's not like the old trailers," Ford said. He added that manufactured homes are built to a HUD code, while modular units are built to the North Carolina building code.

The presentation emphasized cost and financing differences. Ford gave price ranges and examples: turnkey single-wide entry-level models typically start around $80,000, higher-quality single-wides near $120,000, and double-wide entry models around $110,000; he said some higher-end double-wides are priced in the $220,000–$240,000 range. Comparing product types, Ford estimated the same floor plan built as a modular can cost roughly $50,000–$70,000 more than a manufactured unit. He also noted lenders now offer long-term mortgage products for manufactured homes, including 30-year terms and VA, FHA and USDA financing, and said his sales center works with a mortgage partner, Federal Savings Bank.

Commissioners asked technical questions about foundations and installation; Ford said modular units typically require continuous brick-and-block foundations and cranes for placement, while manufactured homes are often set on interior piers and perimeter footers, which lowers installation costs. He recommended permitting allowances that focus on new manufactured homes rather than used units as a way to prevent older, lower-quality units from entering areas the city would like to protect: "My recommendation would be, yeah, new homes," Ford said, adding that local design standards (for example foundation finish or prohibiting wooden steps) could preserve neighborhood character.

The city attorney told the group that land-use rules are set by the city's ordinance and that the commission could recommend an ordinance amendment to the governing board. She said the commission could either ask the board of aldermen for a citywide change or propose an amendment limited to the redevelopment overlay and that limited design standards are sometimes permissible under local law.

No formal action was taken because the meeting lacked a quorum; Ford invited commissioners and staff to tour model homes and existing projects in New Bern so members could evaluate the product firsthand. Commissioners requested follow-up materials and comparative examples showing how older units have aged, which Ford said he could provide.