We urge you to support the immediate reversal of the Lee County Board of Supervisors' decision to impose restrictive regulations on manufactured housing. These new policies—requiring over $20,000 in additional costs per home and mandating a minimum of 2 acres per lot—are not only unjust but effectively deny homeownership to working-class families in our community. This decision disproportionately impacts those with limited financial means, particularly in a county where the average household income hovers around $50,000 per year. 

Key Issues Impacting Our Community
1. Financial Barriers to Homeownership: The Board's decision imposes significant financial burdens on families who aspire to own a home. With the average income in Lee County at approximately $50,000, these additional costs are prohibitive for many. This move disproportionately affects blue-collar workers and families who already commute to Lee County in search of affordable living options. These new policies ensure that only the wealthier residents can afford to purchase land and housing within the county, pushing working-class families into increasingly unaffordable rental markets.

2. 2-Acre Minimum is Expensive and Unnecessary: The imposition of a 2-acre minimum lot size is both unrealistic and unnecessary. Historically, land listings in Lee County have shown a scarcity of available and affordable land for residential development, specifically the placement for manufactured housing. By enforcing this requirement, the Board makes land acquisition even more difficult for average-income families. This policy creates an artificial barrier to homeownership, with no legitimate safety justification to back it. 

3. Safety Concerns as a Hollow Justification: The Board has claimed that these restrictions are necessary for "safety," yet they have failed to provide any substantive evidence to support this assertion. Manufactured homes are already subject to stringent federal safety standards under the HUD Code (24 CFR Part 3280), which ensures that they meet national safety and performance guidelines. It appears the true motivation is NOT safety but rather the protection of aesthetic values and alleged property resale interests. Meanwhile, numerous more urgent safety concerns—such as infrastructure improvements and billions of dollars worth of  hazard prevention services overdue—are being ignored.

4. Broader Economic and Social Impact: Restricting affordable manufactured housing has broader economic and social implications. It limits housing options for potential tax-paying residents, reduces the availability of workforce housing, and exacerbates socioeconomic inequalities in our community. By making homeownership unattainable for the working class, Lee County risks driving away the very residents who contribute to its growth and vitality. Furthermore, this policy increases reliance on substandard rental properties, many of which are controlled by absentee landlords and fail to meet basic living standards when labeled within the realm of “affordable”.

5. Land Availability and Market Realities: The 2-acre minimum is particularly unjustifiable in light of land availability and market realities in Lee County. The scarcity of affordable land for development has long been a documented issue. Imposing further restrictions only serves to exacerbate this problem, pricing out potential homeowners and contributing to a housing shortage. The Board's decision appears to prioritize the interests of a select few property owners over the needs of the majority of citizens.

Public Concerns Ignored
It is crucial to recognize that this decision was passed against public interest, despite numerous voiced concerns from residents regarding the pricing and accessibility of affordable housing options. Community members expressed their worries about the impact of these restrictions during public meetings, yet their concerns were dismissed, revealing a troubling disconnect between local leaders and the needs of their constituents. This lack of responsiveness to community input is not only disheartening but also indicative of a governance approach that prioritizes the interests of a few over the collective welfare of the community.

Legal and Ethical Concerns
These restrictions may also violate federal housing policies that promote fair and affordable access to homeownership. The Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 3601-3619) prohibits local policies that disproportionately impact low-to-moderate-income households, particularly when such policies lack a legitimate safety or welfare justification. The Board’s actions could be viewed as discriminatory and designed to preserve socioeconomic divides, rather than protect public safety. 

Call to Action 
We demand that the Lee County Board of Supervisors overturn these unnecessary and unjust restrictions on manufactured housing. By signing this petition, you are standing up for fair housing policies, economic opportunity, and the right of every citizen to pursue the American Dream of affordable homeownership. We must ensure that the policies governing housing in Lee County are inclusive, equitable, and free from conflicts of interest.

Please sign this petition to support the reversal of these harmful restrictions and promote fair housing for all residents of Lee County, Mississippi.