“What a bunch of BS about working with Dana Wade. Blow their [MHI] cover, as they didn’t do a damn thing to replace Pam Danner. In fact, they [MHI] wanted her [Danner] to stay and they are on record in the Washington Post saying it.”
That comment came from an informed and well-placed source in connection with the email that they sent to MHProNews from the Manufactured Housing Institute in support of the nomination of Dana Wade at HUD.
The second part of that MHI missive reads as follows.
“In addition to the letter, as in prior nomination hearings for HUD leaders, MHI provided our champions on the Committee with information about issues of importance to the manufactured housing industry, including creating a separate regulatory path for a more regular cadence of HUD Code updates and elevating the Office of Manufactured Housing Programs within HUD’s bureaucracy,” said MHI.
The tipster said, “Double talk, deception and mendacity are these creeps’ [MHI] modus-operandi…as simple as that.”
That tipping party apparently didn’t see our most recent report on Dana Wade and the Washington Post. The report linked below has already ‘blown MHI’s cover’ by retracing the facts. Indeed, the source of the comment was quite accurate in saying that the Washington Post made it clear – quoting MHI’s then EVP, now CEO Lesli Gooch – who made it clear they had nothing to do with Danner’s removal.
But a fascinating feature of the tipster’s comment is this point. What MHI said in their message to members serves to prove that their effort “elevate” and re-arrange the structure at HUD has been ongoing for at least two years. Where is MHI’s self-proclaimed clout? Where are the MHI “champions” pushing for the change they pat themselves on the back for sending mere letters?
As a disclaimer, MHProNews only watched a few minutes of the Wade and Brian Miller confirmation hearing. But a different source present for the entire mixed in person and virtual event also tells MHProNews that manufactured housing was never mentioned.
The following is from CSPAN.
“Confirmation Hearing for Special Inspector General and Treasury and Housing Departments
The Senate Banking Committee held a confirmation hearing for Brian Miller to be the special inspector general for the Treasury Department pandemic recovery funds and Dana Wade to be the federal housing commissioner and Housing and Urban Development Department assistant secretary for housing. Throughout the hearing, Democratic members questioned Mr. Miller about his role as associate counsel to President Trump and his ability to be independent of the White House if confirmed. In his opening statement, Mr. Miller stated, “If confirmed, I will conduct every audit and investigation with fairness and impartiality.” Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the committee followed social distancing guidelines and many senators participated remotely by video teleconference.”
Frustrated, Angry, and Testy
In fairness, there are those that think MHI is doing a fine job, only they tend to be those who benefit from consolidation or are beholden to consolidators.
See the reports above and below
But others are like the tipster. They are tired of “Double talk, deception and mendacity are these creeps’ [MHI] modus-operandi…as simple as that.”
MHProNews Analysis and Commentary
It is de rigueur for associations to send letters of support, especially if they think the confirmation is what the French call a fait accomplis, or a ‘done deal.’
Perhaps unlike MHI, MHARR sent a letter of sincere support for Wade. They are well aware of the role Wade played in Danner’s removal. MHARR’s letter is linked here.
Step-by-step, day-by-day, the history of actual behaviors by MHI and their big boy backers makes it more difficult for MHI to defend their own track record.
A case in point is the frustration from MHI and others on the clearly failing “new class of manufactured homes” plan renamed as “CrossModTM.”
The industry might in theory benefit from this or that piece of proposed legislation. But what should be abundantly clear is that if existing laws aren’t fully enforced, what is the point of pursuing new laws until the good ones on the books are fully enforced?
Questions, Questions…
Some messages and calls that come to MHProNews are comments or tips. Others are questions. An example of the later are the following from a multi-year manufactured home involved personality known to several.
That party sent four questions, concluding by humbly admitting that they didn’t know the answers.
Why haven’t you or the MHARR been able to get congress to request enforcement?
Why haven’t executive branch teams, led by both parties, not followed through?
What is working against enforcement?
I don’t know any answers to those questions.”
That was posed in relation to the new and ‘read hot’ report linked here.
MHProNews provided the following, with this partial snippet of our reply.
“Your questions merit answers. Here they are.
That’s plenty to get you started, but one more from MHARR.
I think those will serve your astute questions well.”
Perhaps what should have been added for that reader is the following observation. Once someone cries wolf time and again without a wolf appearing, that party among normal people would no longer be trusted without evidence. MHI has been all talk and not much demonstrable result beyond more consolidation. The industry shrank in 2019 vs. 2018, even though MHI claimed “momentum.” The problem for MHI – as often true of deceivers? – is that MHI hypes so much it begs for a reality check. After MHI claimed millions of readers of their promotional items, why did the industry’s shipments decline?
Without MHARR’s efforts, several of the initiatives to consolidate the industry would logically be far more advanced. It is victories on issues such as the DOE issue that demonstrates that push-back by the smaller trade group has proven useful in a practical way.
The industry has been weaponized from within with coordinated attacks from without. The evidence for that claim is found in the report linked herein.
It is worth mention that MHARR’s letter was placed on their website without fanfare or self-congratulations. Compare that with what MHI did, message their members but Dana Wade’s name is otherwise not found on the MHI website. Why is that so? By contrast, at the time this report is being written, there are 9 results for “Dana Wade” on the MHARR website.
Sadly, much of what MHI does can be summed up in two words “head fakes.” Or as the inside tipster said, “Double talk, deception and mendacity are these creeps’ [MHI] modus-operandi…as simple as that.”
The links below the byline are relevant to this topic. © ## (Affordable housing, manufactured homes, reports, fact-checks, analysis, and commentary. Third-party images or content are provided under fair use guidelines for media.) (See Related Reports, further below. Text/image boxes often are hot-linked to other reports that can be access by clicking on them.)
By L.A. “Tony” Kovach – for MHLivingNews.com.
Tony earned a journalism scholarship and earned numerous awards in history and in manufactured housing. For example, he earned the prestigious Lottinville Award in history from the University of Oklahoma, where he studied history and business management. He’s a managing member and co-founder of LifeStyle Factory Homes, LLC, the parent company to MHProNews, and MHLivingNews.com. This article reflects the LLC’s and/or the writer’s position, and may or may not reflect the views of sponsors or supporters.
Connect on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/latonykovach
Related References:
The text/image boxes below are linked to other reports, which can be accessed by clicking on them.
Surprising March 2020 Manufactured Housing New Home Production, Shipment Data
“MHI Lies, Independent Businesses Die” © – True or False? – Berkshire’s Joanne Stevens Strikes Again
Prosperity Now, Nonprofits Sustain John Oliver’s “Mobile Homes” Video in Their Reports
Are Manufactured Housing Supply Chains in China Threatened by Coronavirus?
