what im thinking at this point 8/20...

ok. here goes...Ive driven through trailer parks and seen possibilities... great density, pedestrian scale and low cost housing. By actually designing these developments i.e. making them walkable, adding community amenities, sitting homes thoughtfully, increasing curb appeal and implementing sustainable technologies trailer courts could become a pretty attractive place to live, especially in today's market. The major problem right now is that a trailer in most cases isnt an investment, you lose when selling because of exorbitant depreciation ... Even when a person owns a trailer they are largely treated like rental property, people dont keep things up as much because there is no monetary incentive to do so. I you can create value for the owner the complexion of these communities will change: value - pride - dignity. right now trailer homes account for a very large percentage of low income housing stock twice making up one quarter of all new home production, and routinely generating more affordable homes than HUD’s entire production. That being said they are still largely unrecognized because of their quasi legitimate zoning... it just seems to me that because of all the stigma and issues surrounding them trailer homes have been under utilized. Perhaps with a few thoughtful changes trailer parks could provide the type of community we need in this country...

questions about thoughts...

1. how do you break the stigma associated with the trailer park?

2. how can amenities be added while maintaining low cost living?

3. Would the affluent class (young professionals) ever consider this? how about retirees?

4. what are the ways of connecting people financially not only to the trailer (which depreciates) but the land it sits on (which appreciates).

5. Are trailers that are being produced today capable of maintaining value better than previous generations? if not what can be done about this?
possible answers to questions about thoughts:

1. this is a tough one... In the end it is all about maintenance; if trailers and the land around them are well maintained perceptions can change. But how can you foster good maintenance through design and policy? to me it all revolves around people having a vested interest in the place they live. Perhaps some sort of community ownership association would provide this, but how is low cost ownership maintained? will owning land provide enough financial stability to justify and or cover the cost of its purchase? Its always good to end an answer with another question....