Matthew Silver

Following a 25-year career operating a custom hardwood furnishing business and occasional writing, Matthew Silver has been writing professionally for over a dozen years, six of those for the factory-built housing industry. Otherwise, he may be found performing folk music in the Indianapolis area.

Second Half of Year Starts with a Bang

A key index of manufacturing activity and a rise in construction spending spurred investors to drive all three indexes higher to begin the second half of the year. CNNMoney reports the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained +65.36 points, +0.44 percent, to begin the second half at 14,974.96. The Nasdaq gained …

Second Half of Year Starts with a Bang Read More

Modular Units Transform into Hotel in Japan

Factory-built homes in Japan are a rarity, in part because Japanese roads are narrower and strict regulations govern size of cargo that can be moved on them. One man in Ibaraki Prefecture has a part-time operation importing very basic modular homes from Canada. Though very plain looking, they were built …

Modular Units Transform into Hotel in Japan Read More

Modular Housing part of Refinery Expansion in Middle East

The expansion of an oil refinery in Rabigh, Saudi Arabia will make it the world’s largest integrated oil refinery and petrochemical production facility, and modular builder Red Sea Housing will provide housing for the 9,000 employees working on the expansion. The 527,000 square foot facility will include accommodations for all …

Modular Housing part of Refinery Expansion in Middle East Read More

National Homes Prefab flickr

National Homes Sold Thousands of Prefabricated Dwellings

After World War II prefabricated home builder National Homes of Lafayette, Ind. supplied affordable homes for thousands of people between 1945 and 1965. Two to four-bedroom homes with 1,000 to 1,600 square feet costing $7,000 to $16,000 with down payments of $900—less for veterans—put homeownership within range of the majority …

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Modular Residential Housing Ramping up in Australia

For years in Australia, mining and construction companies used dongas, transportable single-room aluminum buildings for workers, which have now evolved to modular housing, but few modular structures were made for residential housing in the last ten years. Ausco Modular has supplied thousands of units of modular workforce housing over its …

Modular Residential Housing Ramping up in Australia Read More

Manufactured Housing Slum Finally Closed

Updating a story MHProNews last covered March 25, 2013 regarding the closure of a manufactured housing community slum in California, after a decade of legal battles the 4,000 resident community is set to finally close June 30, 2013. Located in the Coachella Valley just west of Joshua Tree National Park, …

Manufactured Housing Slum Finally Closed Read More

House Committee to HUD: Hire Manufactured Housing Administrator or Else

The 2014 fiscal year House Appropriations Committee measure that outlines budgets for the Dept. of Housing and Urban development (HUD) contains a provision that HUD must choose a permanent administrator of the Office of Manufactured Housing within 120 days of the legislation’s enactment. Introduced by Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.), if …

House Committee to HUD: Hire Manufactured Housing Administrator or Else Read More

Sun Communities gets Slapped with Discrimination Complaint , Settles

A complaint lodged against Scio Farms Estates that their policies violated the U. S. Fair Housing Act has resulted in a $39,500 out-of-court settlement that will go to two non-profits in southeastern Mich. Renaissance Community Homes helps developmentally disabled and mentally ill people find housing and live independently, and Scio …

Sun Communities gets Slapped with Discrimination Complaint , Settles Read More

Three Major Indexes Finish Half Year Up; Housing Stocks Today Close Mixed

Although June has been a topsy turvy month for investors, the three major indexes gained two to five percent for the month, and have risen 12-14 percent for the first half of the year. CNNMoney reports the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell -114.89 points, -0.76 percent, to end the month …

Three Major Indexes Finish Half Year Up; Housing Stocks Today Close Mixed Read More

Consumer Sentiment Rising

A survey released today (June 28) indicated consumer sentiment among higher-income families nearly rose to its highest level in six years, hitting 84.1 in late June, 2013, just below the 84.5 six year high in May. Economists surveyed by Reuters had forecast 82.8 for June, as MHProNews has been informed …

Consumer Sentiment Rising Read More

Harvard’s Housing Study: Affordable Senior Housing may be Scarce

Although the aging-in-place movement for seniors is very strong, an estimated 16 million senior households will be relocating within the next decade, while the number of 65-and-older households is estimated to increase by 9.8 million in the same time span. “Most of these households will opt to age in place …

Harvard’s Housing Study: Affordable Senior Housing may be Scarce Read More

Energy Department Seeking Comment on Air Quality Standards

The U. S. Dept. of Energy is developing energy standards for manufactured housing, as required by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), and wants input from interested parties. The focus is on the relationship between energy efficiency and indoor air quality, incentives to install energy-saving devises in …

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Affordable Rental Units becoming More Scarce

The competition for affordable rental housing resulting from the recession, itself partly a product of the roughly 4.4 million people who lost their homes to foreclosure, has led to a shortage of homes for the extremely low-income sector. Defined as those earning less than 30 percent of the median income …

Affordable Rental Units becoming More Scarce Read More

Fannie Mae: Manufactured Housing has Challenges to Overcome

In its latest Housing Insights report, Fannie Mae notes that while overall home construction fell by 70 percent between 2006 and 2011, manufactured housing (MH) began declining in 1998, falling nearly 90 percent. In 2012 MH accounted for 7.4 percent of total home construction, a substantial drop from 20.2 percent …

Fannie Mae: Manufactured Housing has Challenges to Overcome Read More

Three Major Indexes Rise, as do Most Tracked Housing Stocks

The Dow had its third-triple digit gain in a row as fears of the end of the Federal Reserve’s stimulus waned. CNNMoney reports the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 114.35 points, +0.77 percent, to end the day at 15,024.49. The Nasdaq advanced +0.76 percent, +25.64 points, to end the session …

Three Major Indexes Rise, as do Most Tracked Housing Stocks Read More

In the Beginning…from Travel Trailers to Manufactured Homes

Metal travel trailers evolved as an interesting, inexpensive way for a family to take a vacation, but the Great Depression transformed them into dwellings as people lost their homes. During WWII, the units provided portable quarters for the military as well as housing for factory workers that were part of …

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Modular Housing Provides Shelter for Homeless Men

As many as 120 men once again faced homelessness after the Haven of Rest, which operated for 25 years, providing emergency and transitional housing, closed its doors this month in Tallahassee, Fla. Last week modular housing was delivered to the new Westgate Community residential campus as temporary shelter until a …

Modular Housing Provides Shelter for Homeless Men Read More

Community Owner will pay Cash for used Manufactured Homes

A manufactured housing community is offering to pay cash for single-section manufactured homes 1990 or newer. Rolling Hills Estates in D’Iverbille, Miss., just outside Biloxi, is also offering newer homes for people who want to trade up their older manufactured home and live in the community. As newswire informs MHProNews, …

Community Owner will pay Cash for used Manufactured Homes Read More

Survey Respondents want Manufactured Homes Restricted

In an unscientific survey conducted in Magnolia, Ark. in the southwest corner of the state, 45.12 percent of the respondents say a landowner should be able to site a manufactured home on their property without hindrance. 28.45 percent state manufactured home locations should be controlled and their appearance regulated so …

Survey Respondents want Manufactured Homes Restricted Read More

Hope for Continuing Stimulus Sparks Indexes; Tracked Housing Stocks Mixed

Following news the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew only 1.8 percent in the first quarter, well below the 2.4 percent analysts were hoping for, stocks rallied as investors bet the Federal Reserve will keep the stimulus intact. CNNMoney reports the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 149.83 points, +1.02 percent, to …

Hope for Continuing Stimulus Sparks Indexes; Tracked Housing Stocks Mixed Read More

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