Why New Mobile Home Parks Are Rarely Built in Pennsylvania

3/14/2026

Why New Mobile Home Parks Are Rarely Built in Pennsylvania

Understanding the Development Barriers for Manufactured Housing Communities

Manufactured housing communities — commonly referred to as mobile home parks — play an important role in providing affordable housing across Pennsylvania. These communities provide housing for thousands of residents in rural towns, suburban areas, and small cities throughout the Commonwealth.

Despite their importance in the housing market, very few new mobile home parks are developed today. In fact, most manufactured housing communities currently operating in Pennsylvania were built decades ago, often between the 1950s and 1980s.

Today, developers rarely build new manufactured housing communities, even though demand for affordable housing continues to increase.

Understanding why new mobile home parks are rarely built helps explain why existing communities have become increasingly valuable real estate assets.

Historical Development of Mobile Home Parks

During the mid-20th century, mobile home parks became a popular form of affordable housing across the United States.

During the 1950s through the 1970s, many communities were developed to provide housing for: 

• manufacturing workers 
• agricultural laborers
• energy and mining employees
• military families

During this period, zoning regulations were often less restrictive, and land development costs were relatively low. As a result, developers were able to build large manufactured housing communities across many parts of Pennsylvania.

However, development conditions have changed significantly over the past several decades.

Zoning Restrictions

One of the primary reasons new mobile home parks are rarely built today is local zoning regulations. Many municipalities have adopted zoning ordinances that limit or prohibit manufactured housing communities.

Common zoning restrictions include:

• prohibiting new mobile home parks entirely
• requiring extremely large minimum lot sizes
• restricting manufactured housing to small zoning districts
• limiting the number of homes allowed per acre

Because zoning approvals are controlled by local governments, these regulations often make it extremely difficult to develop new manufactured housing communities.

Community Opposition

Community opposition — sometimes referred to as “Not In My Backyard” (NIMBY) sentiment — is another major barrier to new mobile home park development.

Residents of surrounding neighborhoods sometimes oppose new manufactured housing developments due to concerns about:

• property values
• traffic impacts
• school district costs
• perceived neighborhood character

As a result, developers proposing new mobile home parks often face strong resistance during the local approval process.

This opposition can make obtaining zoning approvals and development permits very challenging.

Infrastructure Requirements

Modern land development standards often require significant infrastructure improvements.

Developing a new manufactured housing community typically requires:

• water systems
• sewer systems
• electrical infrastructure
• stormwater management facilities
• paved roads and drainage systems

These infrastructure systems can significantly increase development costs.

In many cases, the cost of installing this infrastructure makes it difficult for developers to build new mobile home parks while maintaining affordable lot rents.

Rising Land Costs

Land prices in many parts of Pennsylvania have increased substantially over the past several decades.

Higher land costs can make it difficult for developers to build manufactured housing communities while keeping lot rents affordable.

In many cases, developers may find that other types of development — such as apartment complexes or single-family housing — generate higher returns on the same land.

This economic reality discourages the development of new mobile home parks.

Regulatory Complexity

Developing any residential community involves navigating a complex regulatory process.

Developers must often obtain approvals related to:

• zoning changes or special use permits
• land development plans
• environmental regulations
• stormwater management requirements
• utility infrastructure approvals

These regulatory requirements can add significant time and cost to the development process.

For manufactured housing communities, these regulatory challenges can be particularly difficult because many municipalities are unfamiliar with modern manufactured housing development standards.

Changing Perceptions of Manufactured Housing

Public perception of manufactured housing has also influenced development patterns.

While modern manufactured homes are significantly higher quality than earlier mobile homes, some communities still associate mobile home parks with outdated stereotypes. These perceptions can influence local political decisions about zoning and development approvals.

As a result, some municipalities may be reluctant to approve new manufactured housing communities.

The Impact of Limited Supply

Because new mobile home parks are rarely developed, the number of manufactured housing communities in Pennsylvania has remained relatively stable for decades.

This limited supply has several important consequences.

Strong Occupancy Rates

Many mobile home parks maintain high occupancy levels because there are relatively few new communities available to absorb housing demand.

Increasing Investor Interest

Investors have increasingly recognized that manufactured housing communities are a limited supply asset class.

Because new parks are difficult to develop, existing communities often become valuable long-term real estate investments.

Long-Term Housing Demand

Manufactured housing communities provide one of the most affordable housing options available.

As housing affordability continues to be a major issue across the country, demand for these communities is likely to remain strong. 

Alternatives to Building New Parks

Because building new manufactured housing communities is difficult, developers sometimes pursue alternative strategies.

These may include:

• expanding existing mobile home parks
• redeveloping older communities
• converting underutilized land within existing parks into new homesites

These approaches allow developers to increase housing supply without navigating the full approval process required for entirely new parks.

The Role of Manufactured Housing in Affordable Housing Policy

Manufactured housing communities are increasingly recognized as an important part of the affordable housing solution. Many housing experts believe that expanding manufactured housing options could help address housing shortages.

Some states and municipalities have begun exploring policies that support the preservation and modernization of existing manufactured housing communities.

The Future of Mobile Home Park Development in Pennsylvania

Although new mobile home parks are rarely built today, manufactured housing communities are likely to remain an important part of Pennsylvania’s housing market.

Several trends may influence the future of manufactured housing development:

• growing demand for affordable housing
• rising home prices and rental costs
• increased recognition of manufactured housing as a housing solution

While zoning and development barriers may continue to limit new construction, existing manufactured housing communities are likely to remain valuable housing assets.

Final Advisory Perspective

Mobile home parks provide an essential source of affordable housing across Pennsylvania, yet very few new communities are developed today. Zoning restrictions, community opposition, infrastructure costs, and rising land prices all contribute to the difficulty of developing new manufactured housing communities.

Because new parks are rarely built, existing mobile home parks often become valuable long-term real estate assets. Investors recognize the limited supply of these properties and the stable income they can generate.

For mobile home park owners, this limited supply environment often creates strong demand from investors interested in acquiring existing communities.

As housing affordability continues to be a major concern across the country, manufactured housing communities are likely to remain an important part of Pennsylvania’s housing landscape.