Especially in Florida, where frequent severe weather brings intense bouts of flooding and powerful winds, good shelter is especially important.
It's one of the reasons some Hillsborough County leaders want to see mobile homes, many of which are crumbling from wear and tear, to be replaced with new and more sturdy housing units.
A proposal to amend Hillsborough County's Code and Comprehensive Plan is going before County Commissioners on Wednesday morning asking staff to look into redeveloping mobile home parks into affordable housing.
The proposal is being put forth by Commissioner Sandy Murman, who points to similar plans done recently in Pinellas County and Sarasota County as examples.
Some mobile homes in Hillsborough County are dilapidated and dangerous to live in, sometimes thanks to shoddy installation in the first place. They are also notorious for being blown apart during natural disasters.
What's more, tens of millions of dollars in taxpayer money goes towards rebuilding or replacing what is essentially disposable housing, and it might be more cost-effective for communities to build taxpayer-supported affordable housing units instead.
The plan in Hillsborough is still in the developmental stage, and would require the public's input before moving forward.
The meeting to discuss the idea is set for July 19 at 11:15 a.m. at the Board of County Commission Room.
