How To Combat The Mobile Home Stigma In Your Mobile Home Park

There’s a certain stigma that drips from the mere mention of the words “mobile home” or “mobile home park.” Visions of dilapidated used and abused manufactured homes surface.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can fight off the stigma and keep it miles away from enveloping your mobile home park. The stigma doesn’t have to own your mobile home park. All you have to do is follow some of our tips and you’ll be on the right path to de-stigmatizing your park.

What is the mobile home stigma and where does the stigma come from

Before we continue with the stigma-combatting tips, we’d like to look at the cause of the dreaded mobile home stigma. What is it? And where does it come from?

First of all, the stigma arises from two points of interest. The first being the low-quality manufactured home of the 1970s. These homes were built of aluminum and other cheap and low-quality materials.

The mobile homes of today are more house-like than ever before. Much has changed in the evolution of the mobile home, including the quality of material and the quality of construction. Thanks to federal mobile home codes and required inspection, mobile home manufacturers have risen above the stigma.

Second of all, we have the homeowners themselves to take gripe with. Homeowners that neglect to maintain their home and mobile home lot provide weight to the stigma.

How to combat the mobile home stigma in your mobile home park

There are things that the mobile home park manager can do to stave off the neglect that contributes to the stigma.

Clean yard space

In your lease agreement, lay out the responsibilities of your mobile home park residents. Require a clean yard space, clear of debris. Stress that abandoned, broken vehicles are not allowed to become part of the everyday look of the mobile home park.

Fencing, if any, must be cared for. It can’t be in a run-down state. The grass must be mowed and not left to grow into a jungle, which can give off an unkempt look.

Clean and fresh exterior

Another way to combat the mobile home stigma is by ensuring each mobile exterior looks fresh. Rust spots? Those need to be dealt with. Paint worn and faded? Time for a fresh coat. Siding falling off? Fix that as well.

Sometimes a fresh coat of paint on a door will freshen up the place too.

Skirting is a must

In addition to paint, the simple act of installing skirting gives quite the facelift. Exposed mobile home tires and trailer frames cheapen the look. And thus the stigma permeates the air. Skirting can come in white panels or faux brick and stone. You can go for a fancy look that appears much like the visible foundation at the base of a stick built home.

Litter pickup

Along the roads in your mobile home park, it’s important to keep an eye on litter. Litter can quickly take any neighborhood from classy to dingy in a minute. You don’t want it accumulating and the quicker you deal with it, the better. Encourage your community to take pride in their homes and park. In turn, they will help you keep the streets clean.

Neighborhood watch

In your neighborhood, you don’t want crime to run rampant. Crime is also part of the mobile home stigma. Low-income residents or affordable housing do not need to equate to a crime. No one should live in a crime infested neighborhood. Take problems and complaints seriously. Encourage the community to develop a neighborhood watch group.

Neighbors working together can stave off mischief.

Rules > Stigma

As you combat the mobile home stigma in your mobile home park, it’s smart to implement rules. Without rules, anarchy rules the day. Anarchy in a mobile home park can quickly turn into a wild west scenario and repel potential tenants from moving into the park.

This is why mobile home community rules matter. Rules will help your park stay above the stigma and on a positive course. Potential tenants will see that you care about encouraging a safe community atmosphere. Current residents will appreciate that you care about the place they live — and word of mouth advertising will happen as a result.

Mobile home community rules can bring a sense of unity to your park. So why not shake off that stigma and set to work on chasing off the things that contribute to it? You’ll be glad you did as you see a change come over your park.