The West Central District Health Department conducted a health impact assessment (HIA) on proposed changes to North Platte City ordinances that govern mobile home housing conditions. The proposed policy changes would consolidate into a single ordinance language that is currently spread among different sections and ordinances. Under the proposed policy changes, mobile homes brought into North Platte would be subject to existing requirements; this is not currently the case. Other changes include reducing the grace period to obtain a permit from six months to 30 days, requiring that all mobile homes meet housing standards that ensure structural integrity and safety of the mobile home, bear a HUD label, and pass inspection by an approved official or agency. These proposed changes would not be applied to mobile homes already in North Platte but any time a set down (an unhook and move) is required, the mobile home must comply with the ordinance within 30 days of placement on the lot.
The HIA found that the proposed policy changes would likely result in housing that is more physical stable, has fewer pests, and contains less moisture and standing water. Less exposure to these conditions would likely have positive health impacts, particularly on respiratory illnesses.
The HIA recommended that the City of North Platte approve and adopt the proposed policy changes. The HIA also recommended that the City track and periodically report on mobile home inspection results.
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This Health Impact Assessment Report first appeared in The Cross-Sector Toolkit for Health. The Cross-Sector Toolkit for Health was originally developed by the Health Impact Project, formerly a collaboration of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts. The creation of this resource was supported by a grant from the Health Impact Project. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Pew Charitable Trusts, or the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
