You’re taking personal anecdotes for normality as I am.
Yet, I am going by what I’ve seen in 40 years of living in the same areas (except for 8 years overseas) and what rental houses, trailers and condos mean. 20% of the residents in my county are on SNAP, and damned near everyone of them are in rented trailers.
Yeah, mobile homes in CA could be nice, even in Vegas or Oregon but that ain’t Georgia, Alabama or Mississippi.....even your SV relative is doing what he’s doing because the circumstances are planned transition.
My best friend once was concerned about his son being in trouble at school, doing badly, etc. and he drove him by the trailer park and parked in the middle, and he told his son “Take a look around, look at them closely, pick one out, because that’s where you’re gonna end up if you don’t get your act together.”
I did that to a bunch of my high school daughters friends a few years ago - all middle class suburb living white, black, and mixed girls all talking ghetto in my house. I got to a breaking point and told them to all pile in the car for a "field trip". I took them to Walnut Park in north St. Louis. Got there, put the car in park and unlocked the doors. Told them if they wanted to continue to talk that way, get out and live here. They couldn't lock the doors fast enough and I have never heard ghetto speak again. I even had their parents thank me for the eye opening experience, as it was driving them crazy too.