This is the time to seek some changes that would serve the industry well for decades to come, says MHProNews publisher, L.A. “Tony” Kovach.
“Part of the problem with statistics being used by researchers, be it weather or other reporting, is the fact that manufactured homes are lumped in as mobile homes by the Census Bureau,” Kovach said. “That’s what a university researcher told us, and that researcher made an interesting point.”
“He [the researcher] said that the industry should get the U.S. Census Bureau to make the proper legal distinction in the next census. It was a brilliant point he made. If a factory built home is built before June 15, 1976 – and it is in fact a mobile home – then those and only those pre-HUD Code homes should be so designated by the Census Bureau,” Kovach said.
“The researcher also told MHProNews that by breaking out the post-HUD Code manufactured homes separately from mobile homes, tornado and other research by third parties will better reflect the construction, safety, and quality standards of modern manufactured homes.”
“So, we are hereby calling on ALL manufactured home associations to make that case. That should act now, while that opportunity with the Census Bureau can still be impacted. We’d also ask for copies of all such correspondence, so as to document who has made that effort, the Bureau’s responses, and who has failed to do so,” Kovach said about his challenge.
The bottom line – the industry consultant and publisher said – would be better data, which could lead to better research and reports. That in turn should result in more sales as proper understanding of the industry grows, Kovach stated.
The publisher of MHProNews also reminded readers to “stay tuned” for some of MHProNews’ latest research discoveries on the weather-related research and manufactured housing front. ## (News, analysis, commentary.)
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