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60 especially at the local level, could help satisfy housing needs in energy- impacted communities. The practices of the housing industry are not stand- ardized throughout the country. Builders must deal with every community on an individual basis. Each community represents a specific set of re- strictions--from climate and soil conditions to zoning and building re- quirements. It can become costly for builders to modify plans and propo- sals to meet the various standards set by individual localities. This problem becomes particularly acute in areas impacted by energy develop- ment. For example, some localities have their own building and zoning inspectors, some rely on county or state inspectors, and in others county clerks issue building permits. Efforts should be made to align and,sim- plify codes and regulations and increase local private housing construc- tion capabilities so as to facilitate orderly development of all types of housing--stick built, factory built, as well as mobile homes. Communities should examine their codes and regulations to determine how they affect the cost of housing production. For example, large lot zoning inhibits the development of low cost housing and setback requirements limit the use of zero lot line development, An important housing form in energy-impacted areas is the mobile home. Mobile homes, unlike on-site housing construction, now have nationally recognized design standards.*' These standards are in effect in every state. Unfortunately, national standards do not always accommodate unique situations. Some problems peculiar to Colorado include: special provisions for furnace output at high altitudes and increased snow and wind load capabilities. While the federal government has stipulations on mobile home designs, the community is still responsible for setting up site criteria and park regu- lations. Many communities have restrictive zoning regulations related to mobile homeso Others prohibit them altogether. Mobile homes are a viable source of easily acquired, lower cost housing. They playa major role in *Federal Register, Mobile Home Construction and Safety Standards, Decem- ber 18, 1975.