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Tiny Home Features in Clayton Built® Homes
Home Building: Innovations
A Quick Look at Manufactured Housing Through The Decades
From housing that could move with people across the U.S. to today's affordable housing of choice, check out how manufactured housing has evolved!
Everyone knows that manufactured homes, formerly known as mobile homes, have evolved significantly over the years. But, not everyone knows how those changes have shaped the manufactured homes you see today.
Let's take a journey back in time to see how today’s manufactured housing came to be!
Pre-1950s
Beginning in the WWII era, manufactured homes were originally used as temporary housing for workers who needed to travel far distances for the war effort. Later, after the war, manufactured homes were used as a quick and affordable option for soldiers returning home to their families.
1950s and 1960s
Once it became apparent that manufactured homes were the affordable housing option, the public demand began to grow. During this time, these homes were typically 8 ft. wide because they needed to be easy to move to areas where more housing was needed for workers. This is where the term "mobile home" came from.
1976
Next came an important date in the manufactured housing industry, June 15, 1976. On this day, the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Code regulations went into effect due to Congress implementing the National Mobile Home Construction and Safety Act.
There weren't regulations in place before this act was passed, so the HUD Code was a crucial to increasing the quality and safety of manufactured homes.
1980s
During the 1980s, the mobile home industry saw a shift in terminology. The Housing Act of 1980 instructed that the term "manufactured" should be used in place of "mobile" in all federal laws and literature referencing homes built after the National Mobile Home Construction and Safety Act went into effect.
Today
Today, Clayton Built® homes are constructed with the highest quality materials and we're always continuing to improve our home building process to maximize cost efficiency!
Our manufactured homes offer numerous customization options from floor plans to beautiful finishes to match your style because today's manufactured homes are built for you and your family to enjoy them as lifelong homes!