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.

Sluggish Economy May Be Due to Frigid Winter

Bloomberg News reports the producer price index moved up 1.6 percent in February, the most since June 2009, according to Labor Department figures.  The article says the combination of higher fuel and food prices coupled with a struggling housing market put a strain on disposable income.  The consumer price index …

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Senior Manufactured Home Community Votes to Buy Homesites

BClocalnews.com from British Columbia, Canada, says the residents of a  manufactured home community no longer fear a bare-land strata that they thought would force them to leave their homes.  The provision would give them the opportunity to buy the land their homes sit on, and maintain their access to communal …

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Housing Starts and Permits Issued Fall in February

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reports that housing starts fell 22.5 percent in February, the second slowest pace on record.  Permits to build new homes dropped 8.2 percent.  Chief economist of NAHB David Crowe, said, “We need to see several months of consistent improvement in economic factors, plus …

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HAMP Program Not Yet Terminal

According to HousingWire.com, the Republican leadership in the House of Representatives said they could not find time on the floor to bring a vote to end the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP).  Intended to reach three to four million troubled homeowners by 2012, servicers have begun only 600,000 applications in …

HAMP Program Not Yet Terminal Read More

Legal Wrangling Besets Proposed Manufactured Home Community

Leagle.com, a website devoted to court cases, reports Stephen Scott Edwards bought 11.34 acres of agriculturally-zoned land in Bladen County, North Carolina, three and one-half years ago to establish a manufactured home community.  The Planning Board turned down his request to rezone the land, saying while it met safety and …

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Obama Administration Wants Affordable Housing Soon

HousingWire.com reports HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, in testimony before the Senate Banking Committee Tuesday, spoke of a financing mechanism to replace Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  “The funds could be used to scale up support for proven nonprofit partnerships for affordable housing production and preservation …

Obama Administration Wants Affordable Housing Soon Read More

Wisconsin’s Double Taxation Needs to Change

In a follow-up to a story we ran March 10, the WausauDailyHerald.com confirms that Wausau Homes of Wisconsin does not benefit from a tax exemption law proposed by Governor Scott Walker.  The earlier report had stated Wausau Homes donated $25,000 to the governor’s campaign, and in return received an exemption …

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George Allen Sounds Off in Exclusive Interview on Key MHC and Industry Issues

MHMSM.com Industry In Focus Reporter Matthew J. Silver spoke with land-lease community owner and Industry consultant George F. Allen.  The conversation produced some perceptive insights into some of the most pressing issues in the manufactured housing industry today.  Allen shared his view with MHMSM.com that community ownership is one of …

George Allen Sounds Off in Exclusive Interview on Key MHC and Industry Issues Read More

District Court Judge’s Office Going Modular

From Pennsylvania, TribLive.com reports a district judge’s office will soon be replaced by a 2,400 square foot modular unit.  The original pole building in Westmoreland County needs to be torn down because of mold problems.  Route 422 Homes in Delmont was the lowest bidder, and is expected to deliver the …

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Proposed Texas Law to Reinforce Federal Protection

As documented on HousingWire.com, a Dallas Homeowners Association (HOA) was scolded for foreclosing on a National Guard captain’s home while he was serving in Iraq.  He owed delinquent neighborhood dues of $3,500 on a $300,000 house that was paid off.  Both houses of the Texas legislature have bills pending that …

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Renew Your Lease Now – Rental Rates Starting to Climb

CNNMoney.com says the rental vacancy rate has dropped below 10 percent, and by 2012, may be as low as five percent, according to Peggy Alford of Rent.com.  The Commerce Department statistics report that rents have averaged an increase of below one percent a year for a decade.  Alford expects them …

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Modular Design Firm Has New CEO

The Boston Business Journal reports that Westchester Modular Homes of Greater Boston (WMHGB) has a new CEO, Scott Jones.  As reported by MHMSM.com on March 9, WMHGB recently installed a three-story modular home in tightly-packed Boston, on a site only 20 square feet larger than the structure.  The Lynnfield, Massachusetts, …

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Rising Expectations for NAHB

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) is anticipating an improved demand for new single-family housing this spring.  Their Housing Market Index (HMI) in March showed an increase to 17, one point better than it’s been the last four months, and the highest since May 2010.  The NAHB/WellsFargo HMI monthly …

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Modular Homes May House Homeless in Christchurch

Stuff.CO.NZ in New Zealand reports that as many as 500 modular homes may be set up in Christchurch following the massive earthquake Feb. 22.  The Department of Building and Housing said the homes would be fully functional with water and electricity, but available only to those whose homes were uninhabitable. …

Modular Homes May House Homeless in Christchurch Read More

Short Refi Plan Applicants Rise as House Votes to Terminate

Even though the House of Representatives voted to end HUD’s Short Refi program, according to a report on Housingwire.com, 23 lenders have signed up to participate in the program.  This includes five of the largest lenders in the U.S.  HUD had received only 44 applications when the House decided to …

Short Refi Plan Applicants Rise as House Votes to Terminate Read More

Waterproof Housing Makes a Splash in Australia

The Coffs Coast Advocate in Australia reports that Stonelake Design and Construction spent five years developing its Memod series of two-bedroom manufactured housing cottages that it unveiled last week at Park Beach.  The affordable housing has a waterproof floor, and due to its comprehensive tight construction, could float if it …

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Canadian Builders Tout Modular Building Equal to Conventional

Canada’s Journal of Commerce says that modular housing can qualify for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification just as much as stick-built construction.  Tom Hardiman, executive director of the Modular Building Institute (MBI), says, “Any project that can be site built can be more efficiently built off site.” …

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