VALLEJO, Calif. — As policy makers across California search for affordable housing solutions, Sacramento's city leaders are exploring manufactured homes as an option.
Mayor Darrel Steinberg, Vice Mayor Eric Guerra and other city staff toured the FactoryOS home manufacturing plant in Vallejo on Wednesday to check out some of those homes being built.
“In the current system that we have, we’ll never meet that demand," Guerra told ABC10. "We have to look at economy of scale, and what we saw here today, is they’re able to produce permanent supportive housing at a much faster rate and at a much lower cost as well."
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The company FactoryOS manufactures homes inside a massive factory building that once built submarines during WWII. The units are then shipped to their permanent locations and installed.
Owner Larry Pace says the process can build housing more efficient, faster, and affordable than traditional construction methods. More than 200 union carpenters work at the plant, and the process allows for construction inside to happen year round.
A 230-square foot unit costs roughly $70,000 to build, Pace said. The units can be stacked into apartments or even connected together to add bedrooms.
Sacramento City leaders have looked into a number of options for affordable housing and to help house the homeless. The need is great and city leaders say they need to look to innovative approaches as solutions.
Because of that, Guerra said manufactured housing could be an option for some affordable homes in Sacramento.
“So, we have to think creatively and innovatively of how are we going to provide permanent supportive housing for those who are in critical need — faster," Guerra said.
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