Manufactured Homes

In Arizona, cities, towns and counties that participate in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) are required to adopt minimum floodplain management regulations per the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 44 (44 CFR) and Arizona Revised Statutes (A.R.S.), Title 48, Chapter 21 for development standards in floodplains, including installation of manufactured homes.

Arizona Department of Housing- Manufactured Housing Division (MHD) does not have jurisdictional authority over floodplain management requirements. It is the responsibility of the local jurisdiction to ensure each manufactured home is designed and constructed in accordance with the requirements of the local floodplain management regulations.

Elevation and Anchoring Requirements

Federal and Arizona law requires that all manufactured homes that are placed on site or substantially improved shall:

44 CFR - Be securely anchored to an adequately anchored foundation system to resist flotation, collapse, or lateral movement. Methods of anchoring may include, but are not to be limited to, use of over-the-top or frame ties to ground anchors. This requirement is in addition to applicable state and local anchoring requirements for resisting wind forces.
A.R.S. - Be elevated to conform so that the bottom of the structural frame or the lowest point of any attached appliances, whichever is lower, is at or above the Regulatory Flood Elevation.

Skirting

Rigid skirting and stem wall foundations must include flood openings if they provide structural support and the enclosure below the manufactured home floor does not meet the Regulatory Flood Elevation. See FEMA NFIP Technical Bulletin 1, titled “Requirements for Flood Openings in Foundation Walls and Walls of Enclosures Below Elevated Buildings in Special Flood Hazard Areas in Accordance with the National Flood Insurance Program, March 2020” in the resources listed below.

Machinery and Service Equipment

All new construction, substantial improvement, and other proposed new development shall be constructed with electrical, heating, ventilation, plumbing, air conditioning equipment, and other service facilities that are designed and/or located so as to prevent water from entering or accumulating within the components during conditions of flooding.

MHD

MHD maintains standards of quality and safety for manufactured homes, factory-built buildings, mobile homes and attached accessory structures.

Plan Review

A completed floodplain plan review application, following the MHD floodplain checklist, to MHD must be submitted with all documents/plans that have been reviewed and approved by the local jurisdiction’s floodplain management regulations. See below for the MHD Floodplain Checklist.

Record Keeping

To finalize the process, a compliant FEMA Finished Construction Elevation Certificate, or equivalent must be submitted to and approved by the local jurisdiction for compliance and repository.