The following is data collected by the IBTS – Institute for Building Technology and Safety – gathered on behalf of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The report is from the Washington, D.C. based Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR).
The MHARR report and analysis is followed by additional information, data, and relevant reports and analysis by MHProNews.
COVID-19 Continues to Suppress Manufactured Home Industry Production in May 2020
Washington, D.C., July 6, 2020 – The Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR) reports that according to official statistics compiled on behalf of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), HUD Code manufactured housing industry year-over-year production fell in May 2020. Just-released statistics indicate that HUD Code manufacturers produced 6,647 homes in May 2020, a 22% decrease from the 8,569 new HUD Code homes produced during May 2019. Cumulative 2020 production at the end of May 2020, stands at 38,597 homes as compared with 38,921 homes produced over the same period in 2019, a decrease of 0.8%. This May 2020 production decrease comes amidst continuing disruptions due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
A further analysis of the official industry statistics shows that the top ten shipment states from the beginning of the industry production rebound in August 2011 through May 2020 — with cumulative, monthly, current year (2020) and prior year (2019) shipments per category as indicated — are:
The May 2020 production data does not result in any changes to the cumulative top-ten list.
The Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform is a Washington, D.C.-based national trade association representing the views and interests of independent producers of federally-regulated manufactured housing.
— 30 –
May 2020 data from Texas
Compare to April national data.
Manufactured Housing Industry Production Drops During COVID19 Closures
While the need for affordable housing continues to grow, manufactured housing continues to struggle. Which begs the question: Why?
The total for year to date 2020 is reportedly now under 2019, which was under the 2018 production totals.
Mainstream housing is recovering in some ways at a brisker pace than manufactured housing. Which begs the question, where is the vaunted, self-touting Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI), Clayton Homes, Skyline-Champion or Cavco Industries “leadership?”
The data from third-party American Enterprise Institute (AEI) Housing report, along with other mainstream housing data, should be reasons why our industry ought to be roaring instead of snoring.
But there is more to know.
MHProNews Postscript
Comparisons and background are important to discern the meaning of data.
Since its inception, what is now called Manufactured Home Pro News (MHProNews) has obviously focused on manufactured housing industry related issues. Since early on, certain political and other topics have periodically been woven in, especially during election years.
From rank and file, or mom-and-pop businesses, to the largest businesses and nonprofits in our industry are readers here. What is read should be of interest to many.
In June 2020, the most-read article on MHProNews is also the top read so far in July. In an industry of some 75,000 full time workers, the highest read shattered the million mark, with over 1.12 million hits in June. To put that in perspective, some articles on mainstream business sites such as Forbes doesn’t get that level of readership. To have even one article over 100,000 hits is significant. To have multiple is pleasantly surprising.
Forbes states that they have “122M. Monthly U.S Visitors (May 2020 comScore),” or about 122 million visits monthly. Forbes.com “is ranked #55 for News and Media and #326 Globally,” says rating service SimilarWeb.
Here is another example today from Forbes. Above and below, note their publicly stated views or readership data.
On a manufactured housing industry specific topics, Forbes report on Clayton Homes has not yet broken 18,000 views, according to their own site-counter. By contrast, MHProNews has had articles on Clayton Homes that have dwarfed that in a single month, and then continued to attract readers for months on end.
From time to time we get the comment from readers that some of our reports are ‘long.’ That’s certainly true. But when the list of the top 20 that follows is considered, while there are ‘shorter’ reads in that mix, many are longer reports with detailed analysis.
A fair reading of those facts would be that professionals and others value well documented fact-checks, following the money-trail, and related analysis that fits that and illuminates the facts. While MHProNews reports are certainly not for everyone, they are widely engaged. That speaks volumes.
Stating the Obvious
Who reads what, who shares which links, those are decisions obviously made by readers.
Each of these articles that follows has at least an indirect connection to our industry, given that what happens in our nation impacts our profession.
The top – #1 – is the most read and they are in the actual sequence from the main cPanel on MHProNews, per Webalizer’s data this morning. Additional insights will follow this listing as of this morning.
- https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/dark-money-billionaires-buffett-gates-soros-funding-black-lives-matter-antifa-named-by-ag-barr-in-riots-looting-hijacking-peaceful-george-floyd-death-racial-justice-protests/
- https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/arrest-indictment-of-ghislaine-maxwell-jeffrey-epstein-madam-returns-bill-gates-warren-buffett-gates-foundation-donald-trump-bill-clinton-others-to-sexual-predator/
- https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/we-are-trained-marxists-black-lives-matter-blm-co-founder-patrisse-cullors-deception-and-misdirection-capital-research-center/
- https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/leaked-secret-democratic-memo-on-black-lives-matter-emerges-havent-seen-sh-t-like-this-before/
- https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/never-let-a-serious-crisis-go-to-waste/
- https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/masthead/the-party-is-over-so-whats-next/
- https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/chaz-few-dare-call-it-conspiracy-revolution-seattles-police-free-capitol-hill-autonomous-zone/
- https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/warren-buffett-declared-class-warfare-buffett-says-fellow-billionaires-were-winning/
- https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/bar-lives-matter-business-worker-protest-order-to-reclose-businesses-plus-manufactured-home-investing-stock-updates/
- https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/case-against-clayton-homes/
- https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/warren-buffett-buddy-bill-gates-says-i-made-a-mistake-meeting-convicted-sex-criminal-jeffrey-epstein-plus-manufactured-home-investing-stock-updates/
- https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/clayton-homes-skyline-champion-cavco-industries-other-leading-hud-code-manufactured-housing-industry-market-share-data/
- https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/wordsofwisdom/sorry-but-the-world-doesnt-revolve-around-you/
- https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/home-prices-may-experience-unsustainable-growth-aei-housing-center-director-edward-pinto-and-research-director-tobias-peter/
- https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/clayton-homes-21st-mortgage-corp-vanderbilt-mortgage-and-finance-investor-lessons-learned/
- https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/giant-rhp-properties-manufactured-housing-institute-national-communities-council-member-facing-senators-claim-theyre-violating-state-law/
- Link omitted for proprietary reasons. But this report has a direct manufactured housing connection.
- https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/history-financial-ties-black-lives-matter-antifa-billionaires-warren-buffett-bill-gates-george-soros-economic-political-upheaval-spotlighted-by-mary-walter-tony-kovach-on-brian-kilmead/
- https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/how-to-stop-the-monopolization-of-america-quotable-antitrust-anti-monopoly-quotes-plus-manufactured-home-investing-stock-updates/
- Link omitted for proprietary reasons. But this report has a direct manufactured housing connection.
Additional Facts and Data Analysis
During the course of a month there are routinely well over 12,000 “referrer paths” to articles on MHProNews, per third-party Webalizer. By months end, often 15,000 out of over 20,000 articles published on MHProNews are accessed. It is worth noting that unless someone gives ‘access’ to their server to a third-party metrics service, the most that can be expected is a guestimate. By contrast, Webalizer software is nested on the MHProNews servers and cPanels. It is by far the more accurate way to generate objective data.
Normally, almost all of the top reads on MHProNews are directly related to manufactured housing or broader housing issues and how that relates to affordable manufactured homes. But in recent months, that pattern has shifted. So far this month, 11 of the top 20 accessed reports are issues that involve macro issues including Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, Black Lives Matter, Antifa, CHAZ, Monopolization, and so on. They certainly matter to manufactured housing professionals and investors. But they also matter to the broader population.
Those in the Omaha-Knoxville-Arlington axis and their allies no doubt have taken note, because public officials have too.
The most-read story in all of manufactured housing for 2020 are among the reports below the byline and notices, in the related, and recent reports. Our industry is underperforming. There are reasons that explains that reality. To grasp those reasons, one needs objective information.
That’s a wrap on this installment of manufactured housing “Industry News, Tips, and Views Pros Can Use” © where “We Provide, You Decide.” © ## (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
Recent and Related Reports:
The text/image boxes below are linked to other reports, which can be accessed by clicking on them.
Warren Buffett Declared “Class Warfare,” Buffett Says Fellow Billionaires – “We’re Winning”
The Runaway Top Read Story in 2020 in
Manufactured Housing Trade Media Is Linked Below.
