MH Working Group

MH Working Group, is a group of vested stakeholders, including manufactured housing residents, representatives from the Tompkins County Climate and Sustainable Energy Board, local elected officials, city and county planners, contractors, architects, and Cornell Cooperative Extension. We assert that with the right policies and planning, manufactured housing residents can experience the same benefits as those living in site-built homes, with the benefit of a lower overall and monthly cost, significant energy savings, and a lower carbon footprint. The MH Working Group aims to coordinate and collaborate with local entities to develop and implement viable solutions to existing challenges in the manufactured housing sector, with a particular emphasis on HUD priorities, including:

• The development or improvement of infrastructure to support Manufactured Housing Communities (MHCs) and/or units, including roads, sidewalks, water, and wastewater infrastructure, including wells and septic systems, and utility hookups;
• Repair, rehabilitation, or replacement of existing housing units (pre-1976 units, which were referred to as mobile homes); and

• Resilience activities to enhance the safety and stability of MHCs and MHs in the face of increasing frequency and severity of natural hazards (flooding, extreme heat, wildfires, tornados, and other extreme weather events).

The Problem

We recognize MHs are not the only solution to affordable housing, yet they are a key part of the solution. A recent study from Harvard suggests Americans retain a single-family home bias. Although there is significant movement in Tompkins County to address affordable housing in its many forms, the fallback is densification through apartments and multi-family units enabled by zoning changes. Welcome as these are, the residents of MHs remain invisible in housing discussions. For now, we are their voice and their advocates. We are working across sectors to utilize the “wheel estate” in pursuit of affordable housing.

Our Approach

We work across sectors where there is evident commitment to low- and moderate-income people who are cost-burdened. We take a holistic approach and address the full spectrum of needs among MH residents. Secondly, we believe that MH affordability rests heavily on energy interventions that have social and environmental justice benefits. Thus, we provide regular updates to the Tompkins County Climate and Sustainable Energy Board and consult regularly with town planners, contractors and heat pump installers, MHC owners, the County Assessor, the County’s Housing and Economic Development Committee, non-profit housing advocates, and with INHS to ensure our work is complementary to their encouraging efforts in the MH space. We have planted seeds to develop larger, long-term programs with local organizations, local businesses, and municipalities. And we are building trust within the MH community.

Our Team

Danielle Eiseman started the MH Working Group in response to a request from the Tompkins County Climate and Sustainable Energy Board to form a committee to explore energy efficiency in manufactured homes. Danielle currently works at Cornell University in the Department of Public & Ecosystem Health, as the Health Impacts Partnership Program Lead. Prior to joining Cornell, Danielle was a Policy Analyst at ClimateXChange in Edinburgh, Scotland, and Research Assistant at the International Institute for Environment and Development, where she conducted research on the national implementation of climate change programs for the Scottish Government. Danielle further held positions at the Ravenswood Industrial Council, the 2020 Climate Group, and served as the Program Manager for the Cornell Institute for Climate Smart Solutions, where she focused on local and community collaborations; public engagement with climate action planning; and stakeholder engagement in the local, state, national and international policy on adaptation and mitigation. These experiences give Danielle the skills necessary to lead this project successfully.

Contact information

Danielle Eiseman
dle58@cornell.edu