NORFOLK, Neb. -- To address America’s housing crisis, Nebraskans from the Columbus, Lincoln, Norfolk, and West Point areas were welcomed by U.S. Congressman Mike Flood to Hagerstown, Maryland. They were given a briefing on manufactured housing led by the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce.

“Manufactured housing offers a unique and cost-effective solution in a marketplace where homebuyers are facing lots of pressures and need affordable solutions. These homes will be priced between $260,000 and $375,000, significantly lowering the cost of homeownership without relying on heavy-handed government interventions,” said Flood.

Not having a clue what to expect, Norfolk Chamber President & CEO Austen Hagood said, “The quickest way to address the housing shortage is to build more housing and manufactured seems the way to go.”

“Some may think manufactured housing is trailers, apartments, or possibly duplexes, but the housing displayed in Maryland was a perfectly manicured neighborhood," Hagood continued. "We saw green lawns, wide streets, and if you didn’t know it was manufactured housing, anyone would think it was stick-built.”

Hagood said that we want manufactured housing as quickly as possible, but there are still a lot of unanswered questions as we try to work with banks, Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, and the manufacturers on how we can make affordable housing for everyone. He said it’s all about having more discussions, taking the Maryland visit’s East Coast idea, and making that into a Nebraska solution for Norfolk residents.

The delegation toured Kilpatrick Woods, a newly built manufactured home community in Hagerstown, Maryland.