I can probably help you to understand this, at least in Indiana. A good portion of trailers in parks are owned by the resident. They simply pay lot rent, which

I can probably help you to understand this, at least in Indiana. A good portion of trailers in parks are owned by the resident. They simply pay lot rent, which is usually around 1/3 of the price of rent. The folks that rent usually find the place is often larger, cleaner, and/or more private (in the form of physical space between neighbors) for a similar price. Additionally, it is easier to find in a rural location. The sorts of places you speak of are often unaffordable to a lot of folks as they tend to be newer and in cities. Most do have green space, but few shops and few parks. My understanding is that the squat buildings are cheaper to build partially because it is simpler to follow the building codes: Higher buildings have more codes due to fire safety and such things. This is the main reason most apartment buildings in Indiana are only 2-3 stories. They also fit in a medium sized college town of 50-100k people.