As masks increasingly come off of faces, the realization is hitting numbers than masks are a fine metaphor for whatever has gone wrong in America — and in our underperforming profession. As rich a blessing as living in America obviously can be, aspects of the American Dream are also clearly under assault from outside and from within. It’s not just a matter of speculation – or what some might think is vacuous fear – that new storms are brewing. No less a figure than William “Bill” Gates III and Warren E. Buffett have TOLD Americans in on video in so many words to expect – for example – some new pandemic. They have told us more than once to expect another financial shock.
Given what tens of millions have endured in terms of shift that upset their lives and livelihoods in the course of the last 30 months, to ignore the recent rear view mirror is equivalent to burying one’s head in the sand. Indeed, given the numbers of pundits who are speaking and writing about ‘a great reawakening’ in the U.S., perhaps that ‘revival’ is the silver lining to a dark cloud.
The markets are tracked day by day on MHProNews. We have done so for years. There is no other known manufactured housing trade media or blogger that has monitored the manufactured home connected equities as closely, objectively, or for as long as MHProNews. That noted, look at what the 6-month and 1 Year Dow market track looks like (see illustration below). These periods are both during the Biden White House era.
The 5-year Dow average tracked period that follows covers most of the four years of the President Donald J. Trump White House and the 13 months of the Biden White House.
Some big brands like Disney, Netflix, or Twitter are among the tech and entertainment stocks that are taking a pounding as investors who are ‘holding’ are watching their share values dwindle. It seems that woke and leftist brands are not necessarily invincible, are they?
But it isn’t just ‘woke’ brands that are taking a hit.
As a pair of random stand-ins for other manufactured housing equities, consider Cavco Industries (CVCO) and Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS). Both are prominent MHI members. While Leo Poggione is the chairman of MHI this year, recall that his Craftsman homes is 50 percent owned by Cavco, with the balance in the reported plan to become Cavco’s property later. Restated, Cavco owns the ‘follow the money’ strings on the current and a prior chair for MHI.
Note that Cavco is worth less today on a price-per share basis that it was 6 months ago. This despite what numbers of pundits are calling “Bidenflation.”
ELS is a Sam Zell brands. As a promo, a special report on Zell and ELS are in the works at MHProNews. Some have been led to think that the community sector in manufactured housing can do no wrong in terms of an investment. Really? Seriously? Look at the facts in the 6-month stock performance track from ELS, reflected below.
While others claim to track stocks and investments in manufactured housing, why are they ignoring such bracing facts? Why have they ignored the point that when adjusted for inflation, there are manufactured home communities that have lost value in terms of their relative return from their revenue stream.
And what does the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) have to say about such matters? What does bloggers like Frank Rolfe, Dave Reynolds, George Allen, or the TMHA say? What does MHReview, ManufacturedHomes, or MHVillage’s MHInsider say?
In many cases, they are still busy generating what a MHEC Executive fascinatingly referred to as ‘razzle dazzle.’
Let’s look at MHI’s latest as a case in point.
MHI is busily straining their arm to pat their own back over their self-proclaimed ‘great success’ of their ‘almost’ 1500 attendees for their 2022 Congress and Expo C&E). Hmm… If C&E was such a great success, and MHI is doing such a fine job – first ask yourself and seek the objective answers to – these questions.
- Did MHI announce a genuine educational and marketing program to address the ongoing public lack of understanding of modern manufactured housing? Recall that when MHI announced at one of their events their promotion for the ‘new class of manufactured homes’ that was eventually rebranded as CrossModTM homes (2018), that following their announcement, new manufactured home sales and therefor production declined for some 2 ½ years. That absurd but true outcome screaming for sarcasm, isn’t it?
- Did MHI announce at C&E that they have finally convinced Fannie, Freddie and FHFA to fully and robustly endorse a chattel lending program useful for ALL HUD Code manufactured homes?
- Why is MHI ‘throwing an unmerited lifeline’ – as the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR) has alleged – to the DOE, on a rule that MHI itself admits is costly and harmful?
- Why hasn’t MHI publicly corrected the record with HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge on enhanced preemption under the Manufactured Housing Improvement Act (MHIA) of 2000 that MHI claims to want?
That list of common-sense questions and answers can go on. Isn’t it obvious why MHI is busy doing razzle dazzle? If MHI had authentic and measurable results – for instance, by selling some 500,000 or more HUD Code manufactured homes in a year – then they wouldn’t need what a longtime insider called BS head-fakes. Recall that the criminal justice groups have said that the Razzle Dazzle can be a ‘con artists trick.’
The harsh answers to the MHI reality-check questions speak volumes, don’t they? By patiently and painstakingly documenting what has actually occurred vs. MHI’s seemingly endless list of ‘razzle dazzle,’ the true state of manufactured housing and the low quality of post-production trade representation become obvious.
A gentleman who some years ago was an MHI VP called MHProNews last week. During a roughly 45-minute conversation, one of the comments he made was this. He stressed that his and this writer’s professional “relationship wasn’t based on bull sh-t,” like so much that occurs at MHI arguably happens to be BS.
He also said there was mutual respect between this writer, our platform’s pro-industry work, and himself.
But hasn’t MHI red-herring deflectors said or implied that if all don’t bow to MHI and kneel and sing from the same MHI hymnal, that voices such as ours should be deemed harmful to manufactured housing? Seriously? How is it harmful to speak the truth by providing the facts?
In fairness, it could be harmful, but only to those who claim to be leaders of the industry who are leading the industry into what potentially could be the next blind alley that resulted in the mugging of so many once successful companies. Never forget what Kevin Clayton – CEO of Berkshire Hathaway (BRK) owned Clayton Homes – said to Congress.
To learn more on that topic, see the headline for the week on Clayton Homes as seen through the lens of their own annual report. It is yet another reality check for those who look with clear eyes instead of artificially rose-colored glasses.
As usual, the headlines for the week that was are pro-industry and pro-consumer in this specific sense. Only the truth can set someone free. Lies and half-truths are often techniques of manipulation and control. While not ever half-truth is a deliberate act, the effect of spin, half-truths, paltering, deception, and misdirection are the same. Someone can innocently share some comment or link to another, with no ill intention in mind.
But any time incorrect information is repeated, it is an opportunity to mislead professionals, press, politicos, or the public on things that are often different than what they are made to appear. It wasn’t MHProNews, but God’s own Biblically revealed Word that said that: “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32, NIV. But what did Jesus say in the verse just before that famous one? “To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.” John 8:31 NIV. Some translations say, if “you abide” or ‘you keep’ or ‘you live’ in the Divine teachings, that is when knowing the truth can set you free.
Given a choice between believing Buffett, Gates, Clayton or MHI, who are you going to believe? Them? Or Biblical truth and objective reality?
For those who haven’t figured it out yet, yes, even the vaunted manufactured home community sector could experience another crash, not unlike the one that brought the Richard J. “Dick” Klarchek and Capital First Realty, Inc., empire crashing back to earth. Even visionary thinking, if it jumps the tracks, can result in harsh impacts with cliffs or brick walls.
Don’t miss the announcement in today’s postscript.
With no further adieu, here are the headlines for the week that was, from 4.17 to 4.24.2022.
What’s New on MHLivingNews
What’s New from Washington, D.C. from MHARR
What’s New on the Masthead
What’s New on the Words of Wisdom, by Tim Connor, CSP
What’s New on the Daily Business News on MHProNews
Saturday 4.23.2022
Friday 4.22.2022
Thursday 4.21.2022
Wednesday 4.20.2022
Tuesday 4.19.2022
Monday 4.18.2022
Sunday 4.17.2022
Postscript
MHLivingNews is planning a report that will aim at sharing the key insights residents and resident groups should be mindful of in dealing with the problems caused by so-called predatory brands. It will go into areas that are indented to intellectually arm them to go on the offensive with predators, who are arguably often members of the Manufactured Housing Institute and/or an MHI state association. Stay tuned.
On MHProNews, we plan a similar report on what are the tools that white-hat professionals, or white hat businesses, can, should, or ought to do to secure their own future in the face of predatory brands that are arguably undermining the current and future potential of honorable manufactured home sales, communities, production, finance, etc. Watch for that, plus for an exclusive report on Clayton Act.
These are the topics and issues that are either ignored, glossed over, or are smeared by those who lack the guts to debate the evidence we present day by day. We are believers in the American Dream. We are believers in manufactured housing done right and honestly, as opposed to manufactured housing done wrong.
Since even a stop clocked can be correct twice a day, the following somehow was typed by blogger and apparent MHI defender/deflector, George Allen.
Gee, thanks for that much, George.
As a closing thought. The Holistic Success Network ® says the following about themselves: “The Holistic Success Method ® is a multi-faceted approach to business success that relies on key aspects of one’s life working healthily together: personal, professional, physical, and mental well-being.” That’s close, but if we were to make the case, it is arguably no cigar for this reason. Where is the mention of the spiritual component of life? When someone buries the truth, for politically correct, go along to get along, or any other poor excuse or less than candid reasoning, something is bound to go wrong. Success isn’t always financial, nor is financial success always sustainable. Don’t believe it? Just look at Enron, Theranos, WorldCom, or Madoff. When the Good Book tells us to “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness, and all other things will be given to you as well,” (Mt. 6:33 NIV) take what God said through his Word seriously. Some today may seem to be riding high in their respective saddles. But when enough of we the people are roused by the evidence to the truth, the potential fall for once seemingly invincible organizations, billionaires, and other leaders is underway. Even if death seems to allow someone to escape earthly judgment, God isn’t fooled or mocked.
Ever. ##
Again, our thanks to you, our sources, and sponsors and God for making and keeping us the runaway number one source for authentic “News through the lens of manufactured homes and factory-built housing” © 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 MHProNews.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
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