TMHA Members of Odessa Stand Up for Manufactured Housing
In a previous post we outlined the City of Odessa's consideration of removing manufactured housing from eight of the ten zoning districts that they are currently allowed in, and now TMHA would like to highlight the efforts of our Odessa members who organized and rallied with their customers, affected residents, and each other to show up in mass at the first formal consideration of the zoning change at the May 1st planning and zoning commission meeting.
The meeting lasted over two hours as TMHA members and residents all testified voicing their opposition to the removal of manufactured housing as a permitted use and advocating that it provides the most affordable pathway to homeownership that there is.
After hearing hours of testimony the Planning and Zoning Commission voted 6-1 to recommend that Odessa City Council not adopt the zoning change and then went further with a 6-1 vote to recommend that council table the issue altogether.
This week Odessa Council Member Mitchell who had originally proposed the ordinance change held a press conference to announce that he would lead a motion to table the issue at the May 13th council meeting.
TMHA would like to thank Council Member Mitchell for announcing his intention to table the change and preserve Odessans right to purchase and place manufactured homes on their property.
TMHA would also like to thank all of our members that came out and testified at the planning and zoning hearing and all those that reached out to their customers to let them know about their potential loss of property rights. The planning and zoning hearing can be watched on youtube and in it you will see excellent testimony from the following TMHA members in this order:
- Phillip Harris, Titan Factory Homes
- Dimas Avalos, Fiesta Homes
- Maritza Gomez, Clayton Homes
- Moises Contreras, Palm Harbor Homes
- Bo Shomansuroff, Mobile Home Concepts
- Ed Lasater, A-1 Homes
- Greg Burnett, Burnett Homes LTD
- MEF Properties
- Shawn Fuller, MOS LLC
- Miguel Sanchez, A-1 Homes
Residents also shared great stories about wanting to place manufactured homes for their grandchildren, a young man who grew up in a manufactured home and then later starting a small business out of it, and a property owner providing affordable housing for a pre-K teacher and a senior living facility attendant working the night shift, and many more great stories.
Our Ongoing Commitment to Education and Representation
As TMHA continues to advocate with state legislators for policies that preserve by-right placement of manufactured homes, we are also focused on ensuring that every city—like Odessa—recognizes the value and necessity of manufactured housing in solving the state's housing affordability crisis.
Our goal is for every council member—and any official unfamiliar with the modern manufactured housing industry—to become informed about the high standards, adaptability, and affordability our homes provide. We stand ready to educate, support, and collaborate with policymakers so they can make fully informed decisions that reflect the needs of their communities.
This successful effort in Odessa is a clear reminder that when our members, customers, and community stand united, we can and will make a difference. By working together with purpose, professionalism, and a firm yet respectful voice, we protect not only property rights—but the future of affordable homeownership across Texas.
Maritza Gomez and Moises Contreras contributed to this article.