But one must give credit where it’s due.
CNN gave solid coverage recently on the growing factory-built home movement. They even got (most) of the facts and nomenclature right. What was missing was in their recent article discussion of manufactured homes, but their coverage of modular and “prefabricated” or “prefab” housing was quite solid.
Pour Gas on the Blaze
CNN noted Japanese prefab builder Muji, which MHProNews has profiled several times, among them the column by Sandra Lane, at this link here.
They also drew attention to Joseph Tanney, who’s Resolution: 4 Architecture firm exemplifies the sustained interest in prefab, one paralleling the kinds of higher-end designs by famous designer, Antonio Robbie, PreFab Leader & how Revolution PreCrafted, linked here.
“The interest or the promise of prefab is nothing new, but it’s been reignited, and gasoline continues to be poured on the fire,” says Tanney, a New York-based firm that’s developed modular housing systems since 2002. “And because more architects are participating in this base, the level of design is increasing across the board.”
“While many prefab companies focus on both affordable and high-end primary residences, others advertise them as country retreats, backyard workspaces, guesthouses, and in-law suites,” writes Elizabeth Stamp for CNN.
“The designs are only limited by the maximum dimensions allowed to be shipped on the highways, which in the United States is 16 feet,” Stamp wrote, nailing a detail often missed by others covering the factory-built home industry.
Here’s where Stamp might have pointed to the residential side of HUD Code manufactured homes, but overall, her coverage was solid.
Among the points that Stamp’s CNN column made is that Japan and other nations are doing more in prefab than the U.S. is doing. This echoes a point made by Sunshine Homes, John Bostick, part of the video below, which featured a veterinarian who purchased a residential style manufactured home in a nice land-lease community.
MHLivingNews has long pointed out that frugal millionaires are buying manufactured homes, as well as the higher priced modular and prefab housing options Stamp’s column covered.
By focusing on stories about the rich, famous and upwardly mobile – not just the lower end of affordable housing, as important as that is and should be – the factory-built home industry elevates its brand by spotlighting ‘good news.’ Being socially accepted and celebrated is valuable.
Thus stories like Stamp’s on CNN should be acknowledged by all segments of the factory-built housing. ##
(News & commentary. Image credits are as shown above.)
