To understand the confusion and lack of progress in solving the U.S. affordable housing crisis let’s start with an insight from the 1963 classic movie Charade. Author Robert Ringer explained a famous and wise piece of dialogue from that movie (italics added). “When Regina Lampert (Audrey Hepburn) asks Peter Joshua (Cary Grant) why people lie, he answers, “Usually it’s because they want something. They are afraid the truth won’t get it for them.” Politicians are purveyors of charades because they know that telling the truth won’t get them the votes, power, perks, and adulation they so desperately want.” While those perceptive insights are from Ringer are apt, they missed mention of a point that centi-billionaire Warren Buffett made to CNBC – that big corporate elites and politicos alike both seek more power. Business professionals, nonprofits, and others can and do engage in their own charades. Which explains why the Harvard Business School (HBS) and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government each have research on the subject of paltering. HBS stated: “Paltering is the active use of truthful statements to convey a misleading impression.” The American Psychological Association (APS) elaborated: “Paltering is the ability to deceive someone by telling the truth, which is seen as the equivalent to intentional lying.” Wikipedia said: “Paltering appears to be common in negotiations. More than half of 184 business executives surveyed in a study by the Kennedy School admitted that they had paltered.”

The APA’s article: “True Lies: People Who Lie Via Telling Truth Viewed Harshly, Study Finds” explains that people view deception via paltering “harshly” obviously only occurs after someone realizes the paltering party spoke a half-truth, engaged in paltering, or a ‘true lie.’

Restated, people palter because they may not get caught, and if someone who palters is caught, they may have plausible deniability. It’s a charade, a con job used by those who lack traditional ethics or are willing to violate standards of right and wrong. Paltering and half-truths are methods used by those who don’t think that the truth will get them what they want.

While not everyone may be familiar with the terminology, this practice of paltering – omitting some important piece of information – goes back to the temptation of Adam and Eve by that slippery serpent in the garden of Eden. The devilish serpent didn’t outright lie. Rather, he manipulated the full truth with the intent of misleading the first couple. So, paltering, lies by omission, or the use of half-truth is ancient.

In about three minutes, those insights tee up this research-based notion.

People or organizations that have an agenda may use slippery verbal tactics to deceive others into thinking they are offering or doing something the target audience wants. But the paltering party is intentionally planning or doing something for their own perceived benefit. People palter or try various forms of deception because they think the truth won’t get them what they want.

Hold those thoughts. Because the following letter to the editor of the Washington Post authored by Lesli Gooch, Ph.D., chief executive officer (CEO) of the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) will be first up for in this evidence-based Friday Follies news analysis.

Gooch’s letter to the Washington Post is found on the page linked here and is shown below in Part I. Along with other quoted items later, it is provided under fair use guidelines for media.

Part I

Realizing the American Dream

Regarding Lee E. Ohanian and James A. Schmitz’s May 29 op-ed, “How the wheels came off affordable housing”:

Mr. Ohanian and Mr. Schmitz rightly acknowledged the important role manufactured housing has in addressing the country’s housing supply shortage. It’s a shame that their argument was so negative about the very homes they wanted to champion. We should be clear: Manufactured housing is safe and highly regulated. Just last week, acting Housing and Urban Development secretary Adrianne Todman touted the robust construction requirements for our homes during a speech on the National Mall. The reason to update federal law to allow manufactured homes to be built with or without a chassis is to expand the range of manufactured home designs available to better fit into communities across the country.

Allowing manufactured homes to be built without a permanent chassis offers a new option, not a replacement, for the homes the industry is constructing today. Today’s manufactured homes are the only type of residential housing subject to robust federal compliance and quality assurance regulations for health, energy efficiency and durability, including construction and installation in compliance with rigorous, engineer-approved rules and HUD codes that account for wind zones. Our consumer research consistently shows how much people love living in our homes and we are excited about offering manufactured housing to more people in need of quality homes with design features that meet today’s lifestyle at price points that are within reach.

In contrast to much of the aging stock for sale or rent, manufactured housing offers consumers modern designs, attractive finishes, smart features and energy efficiencies, all with an average purchase price of $125,000.

Our industry supports removing the federal chassis requirement to create more flexibility for manufactured housing to reach its full potential and to allow the industry to continue to innovate.

To do so, the Department of Housing and Urban Development will need to consult with the Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee to establish construction requirements for homes not on a permanent chassis and state laws must be amended to reflect the new definition so that lenders’ and consumers’ rights are not unintentionally compromised.

We all agree that boosting the supply of manufactured housing will strengthen homeownership opportunities and give new options to renters.

Lesli Gooch, Alexandria

The writer is chief executive of the Manufactured Housing Institute. ## 

Part II – Those Pesky Facts

Note that much of what Gooch said is accurate and may seem helpful to the casual observer. But that can be part of the technique of a paltering and posturing professional. Later, this report and analysis will explore the question of why Gooch may have felt the need to slam Ohanian and Schmitz, and in what ways she failed to make a better case for manufactured housing. But first, a series of facts will prove useful.

Based on official data collected for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), from 1998 to 2023, total U.S. manufactured housing production was 3,201,984.

But what if every year since 1998, when total national production of HUD Code manufactured homes peaked at 373,143, if the industry produced that same number of new manufactured housing units? That would have yielded a total of 9,701,718.

Subtract from that 9,701,718 versus the 3,201,984 that were produced during those years. That yields a deficit of 6,499,734.

The National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) 2023 “The Gap” research stated: “The report finds a national shortage of 7.3 million affordable and available rental homes.” The headline for their post: “NLIHC Releases The Gap 2023: A Shortage of Affordable Homes.” Notice how close that 6.5-million-unit deficit of manufactured housing since 1998 is to the needed number of affordable housing units?

Cavco Industries claimed the number of housing units needed in 2023 was 6 million.

Investopedia said on 4.21.2024 that:

• Not enough homes are being built in the U.S. to keep up with demand, and homes are being put up for sale at their slowest clip in recent history.
• This housing shortage has caused ripple effects throughout the economy, affecting jobs, economic growth, wealth inequality, and inflation.

Name a problem with the U.S. economy, and chances are it’s connected in some way to the country’s failure to build enough homes.

In the first two decades of the 21st century, the U.S. built 5.5 million fewer homes than were needed, the National Association of Realtors estimated in a 2021 report.^1″

Note MHProNews has cited that NAR report about that 5.5-million-unit deficit in production in a report linked here.

MHProNews has seen estimates of 10 million housing units needed, while some sources say it is low as under 2 million (which the later claim seems laughably low, given that an estimated 8 million young adults moved back home to their parents in 2022 alone, because of high rents, a desire to save for buying a home, or other reasons).

U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Budget Committee, said earlier this year the following.

Nationwide, the shortage of affordable housing opportunities costs the American economy an estimated $2 trillion each year. High housing costs reduce disposable income and economic mobility, stifling economic opportunities.

Investing in our nation’s housing infrastructure would provide relief to millions of Americans and drive economic growth, particularly in local economies.

Helping families have a safe, stable place to call home should not be controversial. It’s not red state versus blue state, not urban versus rural; Americans in all 50 states struggle with higher housing costs. Today, there is not a state, metropolitan area, or county where a worker earning the local minimum wage at 40 hours a week can afford a modest two-bedroom rental at HUD’s Fair Market Rate standard.”

To the point of paltering, Senator Whitehouse pivoted from those facts to making a pitch for the “Biden-Harris Administration” housing plan but in fairness he admitted: “But it obviously isn’t enough.”

Which is a good place to segue to what the notorious Frank Rolfe had to say on this topic.

Part III – According to Multi-Year MHI Member Frank Rolfe

The following edits out some hyperbole and arguably questionable points, but the full memo is found at this link here and above. Quoting Rolfe should not be misconstrued as an endorsement of his business practices.

A Quick Memo from Frank:

You can’t solve the U.S. affordable housing crisis given the current tools. American incomes cannot support $400,000 homes and $2,000 apartment rents. Not even close. How did we end up in such a mess? The reality is that we are a country that has created a monster when it comes to having a roof over your head.

But there’s nothing more annoying than watching state and federal bureaucrats and non-profits that come up with ideas that don’t have a prayer of working and just throw good money after bad. …

If you want to solve U.S. affordable housing you would have to eliminate all the barriers, …to zoning restrictions, and let the free market take over. …But, of course, that’s not going to happen, and we all know it.

So don’t tell me “we can’t solve affordable housing” because the correct statement is “we don’t want to solve affordable housing”. There are too many special interests – both inside and outside the government – to ever let that happen. …

Sincerely,
Frank & Dave

While interesting and in some ways insightful, as MHProNews’ analysis of those remarks pointed out, Rolfe and Reynolds (“Frank and Dave”) left out several important points. For example, their memo doesn’t mention that they have opposed developing new manufactured home communities, and that they have apparently benefited from private equity themselves. Meaning, that memo is also a potential example of paltering, posturing, and projection for the sake of their audience.

Frank Rolfe has also recently said during a video recorded interview that he “blames MHI” for the lack of more manufactured home production. Rolfe and Reynolds linked enterprises have reportedly been MHI members for some years.

Another community operator, this one apparently linked to SECO and an MHI state affiliate, is David Roden. Dave Roden asked MHI’s Lesli Gooch (CEO), Mark Bowersox (president), some corporate, state association executives, and others this question. Why isn’t there a more visible public push for manufactured housing as a solution to the affordable housing crisis similar to the recreational vehicle industry’s GoRVing campaign or the dairy industry’s Got Milk pitch?

While Mark Weiss, J.D., President and CEO of the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR) responded to Roden. But per Microsoft Bing’s AI powered Copilot, there is no evidence that Gooch, Bowersox, or any other on behalf of MHI responded.

That is fresh evidence that his own apparent paltering, projecting, and pandering aside, Rolfe has a point. There is an evidence-based case to be made that a lack of serious effort to solve the affordable housing crisis exists, even from MHI. But there is more evidence for the core of Rolfe’s contention. It ironically comes from federal officials who work for HUD.

Part IV. HUD Policy Development and Research (PD&R) Pamela Blumenthal and Regina Gray

HUD researchers Pamela Blumenthal and Regina Gray revealed common-sense causes-solutions the agency apparently has not properly implemented. Quoting:

• “The United States needs more housing, and more varied types of housing, to meet households’ needs throughout the country.”
• “The consequences of inadequate supply are higher housing costs for both renting and buying a home.”
• “Without significant new supply, cost burdens are likely to increase as current home prices reach all-time highs…”
• “The regulatory environment — federal, state, and local — that contributes to the extensive mismatch between supply and need has worsened over time.”
• “Federally sponsored commissions, task forces, and councils under both Democratic and Republican administrations have examined the effects of land use regulations on affordable housing for more than 50 years.”

So, per Blumenthal and Gray, 50 years of big government programs and regulations demonstrably didn’t work. Note their report aligns with other research MHProNews has pointed to prior to their own.

So, once the proverbial wheat is separated from the chaff, it seems that a key part of Rolfe’s rant is essentially confirmed by HUD. “So don’t tell me “we can’t solve affordable housing” because the correct statement is “we don’t want to solve affordable housing”. There are too many special interests – both inside and outside the government – to ever let that happen.” Because there has been, as Blumenthal and Gray said: “Federally sponsored commissions, task forces, and councils under both Democratic and Republican administrations have examined the effects of land use regulations on affordable housing for more than 50 years.”

Lawmakers and bureaucrats do, or should, know these facts. They have talked about, and at times campaigned on, such matters for 5 decades. But implementing the ‘solution’ remains elusive? It is almost as if some in business and government want to retain the problem so they can keep talking about it, keep collecting taxes, and keep gathering votes or investments in ‘solving the affordable housing crisis.’

If Roden is waiting for MHI to act to promote a genuine solution to the affordable housing crisis using manufactured homes, he may be waiting for decades.

More from evidence from Regina Gray and prior HUD Secretary Ben Carson, M.D., shortly.

Part V – More Credible Insights and Evidence by Cited Sources

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) linked “Eye On Housing” research unit said “Homeownership is Key to Household Wealth” (2.21.2024). They said, “As of 2022, 66.1% of U.S. households owned their homes.” So, 33.9% of the nation doesn’t own.

The lack of affordable housing is the top cause of homelessness, said left-leaning OPB.

Despite record Biden-Harris era ‘peacetime’ spending, HUD told Congress that homelessness is rising. “The report found more than 650,000 people were experiencing homelessness on a single night in January 2023, a 12% increase from 2022.”

Left-leaning CBS News, citing Redfin, reported that about half of Americans surveyed say they have struggled with housing payments.

Then NAHB President and CEO Jerry Howard told Fox Business: “Right now, in almost no market in this country, can a homebuilder build a house that is affordable for a first-time homebuyer.” Howard added: “We can’t do it. The costs that are on us make it impossible.”

When someone looks at the math, there is no affordable housing technology that is more proven than HUD Code manufactured homes. Other than hypothetically deporting millions living in the U.S., there is no proven way to mathematical solve the affordable housing crisis without millions of more inherently affordable housing units.

Decades of subsidizing more costly housing is proven not to work for taxpayers or affordable housing seekers.

Single-family and multi-family housing should be allowed to compete head-to-head with manufactured homes.

Perhaps with that last point in mind, HUD commissioned university level research during the Obama-Biden Administration entitled “Regulatory Barriers to Manufactured Housing Placement in Urban Communities.” Among the facts that emerged from that research is that conventional housing and manufactured homes appreciated side-by-side.

Years of research demonstrate that manufactured homes are appreciating.

Freddie Mac may be failing manufactured housing on the Duty to Serve (DTS) manufactured housing for chattel lending support but give credit when it is due. Freddie produced useful research that debunks several myths and misconceptions about manufactured homes.

With those research notions in mind, let’s pivot to what Trump-era HUD Secretary Carson pointed to the proven free market solution.

In a speech on the HUD website, Carson said:

• “Our nation’s shortage of affordable housing is ultimately an issue of supply and demand. With millions of people in need, high demand is already guaranteed. That’s why HUD has focused our strategy on increasing supply – namely, by promoting initiatives, programs, techniques, and technologies that produce more affordable homes.”
• “Manufactured housing has emerged out of the limestone and stepped into the limelight, to address precisely this need.”

Census Bureau data underscored Carson’s point: “…the average cost per square foot of a manufactured home is nearly half that of a site-built home…These dramatic cost savings in construction enable responsible citizens to secure housing that may be considerably less expensive than renting or purchasing a site-built home.”

• “And yet, even at this lower price, manufactured homes appreciate in value at a rate similar to site-built homes, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency [FHFA] Housing Price Index. Sustainable homeownership is the number one builder of financial capital for most American families. For example, the average net worth of a renter is $5,000 [dollars], while the average net worth of a homeowner is $200,000 [dollars].”

That speech by Dr. Carson should be well known by Gooch and MHI, since it was made at one of their events. The other points cited herein should also be known to them, a) because it is their job, and b) if for no other reason because they have said directly and indirectly that they monitor our publication and all of these topics have been reported previously.

Expanding Housing Choice Through Investments in Innovation and Technology–Regina Gray, HUD Director, Affordable Housing Research and Technology Division–on Manufactured Housing; plus MHMarkets

In a post on the HUD website dated 9.19.2023, Regina Gray said the following.

“The drive to build housing more quickly, cheaply, and efficiently is a challenge that HUD has grappled with since its inception. Lessons learned from the Operation Breakthrough demonstration in the late 1960s provide a lens through which we have witnessed considerable progress in industrialized construction.”

“Operation Breakthrough’s biggest accomplishment, however, was the adoption of the HUD Code, which introduced the industry and the world to manufactured housing.”

“We [HUD PD&R] believe that manufactured housing, once used interchangeably with the term “mobile homes,” is an important segment of the housing stock with the potential to increase the supply of affordable housing for low-income Americans. Since the establishment of the HUD Code, manufactured housing (and offsite construction in general) has undergone many technological, design, and financing changes that have made it indistinguishable in many respects from conventional site-built housing. In fact, in our recent engagements with international delegations…nations such as Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Japan look to the [HUD] code [for manufactured housing] to demonstrate the benefits of industrialized housing construction.”

• Ponder Gray’s points for a few moments. “Western” industrialized nations like Sweeden, England and Japan are looking to HUD Code manufactured housing as a template for solving affordable housing in their countries.
• Carson made important points, including how manufactured homes could be used to create generational wealth building potential for millions of people of modest means.
• Obama-Biden era HUD research and studies by Freddie Mac are just some of the third-party sources that debunk concerns about manufactured homes. So, why is it that manufactured

What neither Carson nor Gray said is this.

In a widely bipartisan vote after a dozen years of research Congress enacted the Manufactured Housing Improvement Act of 2000 (MHIA). It provided the key to unlock the roadblock of NIMBYism because it gave HUD authority commonly called “enhanced preemption.”

While manufactured housing is mentioned over a dozen times, nowhere in the Biden-Harris plan, nor in the New Dems plan is the MHIA and enhanced federal preemption mentioned. That’s even though then-Senator Joe Biden (DE-D) voted for it.

Ironically, Democrats previously asked Bush-era HUD Secretary Mel Martinez to enforce federal preemption.

The solution is not far from what Rolfe said: “If you want to solve U.S. affordable housing you would have to eliminate all the barriers, …to zoning restrictions, and let the free market take over.” What Rolfe didn’t say, but likely knows, is that the Congress solved the affordable housing crisis over 20 years ago when they enacted the MHIA and its “enhanced preemption” provision.

Let’s do a mini-summary before pressing ahead.  

• Conventional builders can’t close the affordable housing gap, NAHB’s Howard said so. That said, they should absolutely be allowed to do what they can to contribute to new production of more single-family or multi-family housing.
• Manufactured housing should be unfettered to do what manufactured homes are proven able to accomplish. Meaning, enhanced preemption should be fully, routinely and properly enforced.
• Democrats are among the bipartisan coalition who voted for, and thus should know these things. Yet Democrats have failed to press for the enhanced preemption provision of the MHIA. Democrats have held the White House and most federal power for almost 3½ years.
• Certainly, MHI-CEO Lesli Gooch knows these things, because she and other MHVille pros have written and/or spoken about it to Congress and other federal officials, including Biden-appointed HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge, who in a CSPAN recorded exchange, flatly declined to use the enhanced preemption authority she has.
• Yet, despite MHI’s apparent knowledge of enhanced preemption authority, they publicly came out in support of a New Dems plan that doesn’t mention the MHIA or federal preemption at all.

To be clear, Rolfe isn’t the first to make the points in the memo cited above, but he happens to be a higher profile MHI member. Almost none of these facts are mentioned by Gooch in her letter to the Washington Post.

In fairness, Gooch is limited to 400 words. We’ll circle back to that point shortly.

But Gooch and MHI have for years failed to address the “sabotage monopoly” argument made by James Schmitz, who co-authored the letter with Professor Lee Ohanian that Gooch responded to as cited in Part I above. Put more bluntly, Gooch and MHI know about Schmitz, know about his concerns, and yet MHI has been partnering with the very nonprofit and HUD that Schmitz and his Minneapolis Federal Reserve research colleagues have said have been subverting manufactured housing.

Strange, but the evidence is apparent. For those who might wonder why MHI should be subverting or failing their own industry, see the deeper dive report linked here and keep in mind that numbers of MHI member firms that are publicly traded are on record stating their interest in consolidation of the industry.

Part VI – What MHI CEO Lesli Gooch Should Have Said in Her Washington Post Op-Ed

What follows is obviously hypothetical. But this reflects facts that could have been expressed in 400 words, had MHI CEO Gooch so desired.

James Schmitz, Lee Ohanian, Frank Rolfe, Former Sec Ben Carson All Revealed What’s Needed to Solve, Not Talk About, the Affordable Housing Crisis – a Confession

James Schmitz and Lee Ohanian raised important points useful to solving the affordable housing crisis. Schmitz and his colleagues have said for years: “Solving the Housing Crisis will Require Fighting Monopolies in Construction.” The Biden-Harris Administration aptly said how important protecting competition and fighting monopolies is. From their fact sheet: “In over 75% of U.S. industries, a smaller number of large companies now control more of the business than they did twenty years ago.” Sadly, that’s true of manufactured housing.

Three companies which are members of the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) have about 80 percent market share, when about 25 years ago there were dozens of more producers, and over 3x more new manufactured home production than today.

Perhaps 6+ million new homes are needed in the U.S., and former NAHB CEO Jerry Howard said conventional builders can’t produce a home affordable for first-time buyers. That means millions more manufactured homes are necessary. Former HUD Secretary Ben Carson essentially said so.

Fortunately, Congress after studying affordable housing, decided that manufactured housing could close the gap so long as zoning barriers can be overcome via enhanced federal preemption made federal law via the Manufactured Housing Improvement Act of 2000 (MHIA).

It’s embarrassing that someone as notorious and purportedly predatory as Frank Rolfe’s business interests haven’t been sanctioned under the MHI Code of Ethical Conduct. That confessed, Rolfe was right when he recently faulted MHI and said “special interests” in or beyond government have intentionally limited housing and manufactured homes.

Let me also confess that I’ve accepted payments from conventional housing interests in a gross conflict of interest. Right or wrong, I did so with MHI’s corporate leadership’s acceptance. I was promoted from EVP to CEO.

The Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform, antitrust researcher Samuel Strommen, Doug Ryan, plus others are largely correct in their criticisms of MHI. Limiting production, limiting development, is viewed by some of our members as useful to their business models. That and consolidation are in their corporate statements and investor pitches.

Consolidators used MHI. I’m sorry for my part in this arguably illegal scheme. I hope this confession will be considered as state and federal officials probe these claims so the affordable housing crisis can genuinely be solved. ##

Lesli Gooch, Alexandria.

Part VII – Additional Insights, Calls for Reform, and Conclusion

Regular and detail-minded readers of MHProNews are well are of majority of these points. Our audience is apparently the largest in the industry by far. Meaning, informed professionals, public officials, attorneys, investors, and others find such facts, evidence, reports and views relevant, or they wouldn’t bother. These facts and evidence-based concerns have in the past year been routinely fact-checked using Bing’s AI powered Copilot.  Years of research and reports by MHProNews have stood the test of time.  To learn more about these issues, consider the following reports.

Beyond AI powered fact checks, this author for MHProNews periodically submits an article to other mainstream news publications. As one such item referenced above by numbers in mainstream media attests, or the more recent fact-packed op-ed linked here reflects, mainstream media finds these reports with expert analysis credible.

Our critics and those that we critique find us credible, though they may not like what we have to report and say. This writer has addressed the FHFA live on 5 occasions, typically with Ms. Gooch in attendance. The CFPB, National Association of Realtors (NAR), MHI, MHARR, a doctoral-level university researcher, and a range of mainstream and specialized media have cited us or this author by name for over a decade.

Solutions must be inherently affordable. Decades of subsidies for costly housing have never solved the affordability crisis and never will. | By L. A. “Tony” Kovachhttps://t.co/nAPLMIgotU

— Deseret News (@Deseret) April 30, 2024

Approaching a decade has passed since MHProNews editorially called upon MHI to dismiss then-president and CEO Richard “Dick” Jennison and then vice president Lesli Gooch for demonstrably misleading the industry and MHI’s own members.  It seems the issues ran deeper than what was initially discovered and reported by MHProNews. While we have paid a price for truth-telling and fact- and evidence-based analysis, as the current Washington Post tag line says, Democracy Dies in Darkness. 

No publication, no blogger, and no-MHI linked source comes close to providing more evidence and expert analysis of the issues that have limited manufactured housing for the past 2+ decades.  The causes of the problems are known. The solutions are known or are knowable. The launch of multiple civil cases is a sign of hope. But state and federal officials, as MHARR has long said, need to do more.

Some once high-profile individuals and their organizations have had often shocking and striking falls from grace.

The good news is that the truth will often come out. People of good will can save the dream of affordable housing, but it will require exposing powerful forces and holding them accountable.

The Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) spotlighted our report, see the screen capture and link below.

It took years of effort by whistleblowers, media, and others of good will for giant scandals like Enron, Madoff, WorldCom, and others to be exposed and brought to an end. It is unclear how long it will take to fix what has gone wrong in the U.S. affordable housing crisis. But when the history is told, and the cases are brought, don’t be surprised if this MHProNews platform and our MHLivingNews sister site are referenced for the evidence brought forward.  Because Jim Schmitz and his colleagues have a point. Sabotaging monopolies are not always easy to spot. But once their behaviors are understood, then the reason why the affordable housing crisis has lasted for so long might, just might be brought to a commonsense conclusion. Let good existing laws be put to work.  Let manufactured housing providers be allowed to honorable do what modern manufactured homes alone are proven able to do.

Depending on your device some issues, like the one below, can be expanded to a larger size. 

Click the image and follow the prompts. 

Slamming the “post-production” sector of manufactured housing are arguably code-words for MHI. Danny Ghorbani is an ex-MHI VP and is the founding president of MHARR. He is currently their senior advisor.

Again, note in Mark Weiss’ remarks above his use of the phrase “post-production,” i.e.: MHI linked. No trade group in MHVille has done more than MHARR to expose how good federal laws have been thwarted in a manner that harms millions and costs the U.S. economy an estimated $2 trillion dollars a year.

Schmitz and Strommen have both made important contributions to exposing this problem. They say oligopoly style monopolization is near or at the heart of the issue. This is not a victimless crime. It is a crime so big that it staggers the imagination. But the 2008 housing/financial crisis was also huge, wasn’t it?

Depending on your device some issues, like the one below, can be expanded to a larger size. 

Click the image and follow the prompts. 

Enough said on this installment of Friday Follies for today. The latest market report recap follows. Happy Flag Day. ##

Part VIII – Our Daily Business News on MHProNews stock market recap which features our business-daily at-a-glance update of over 2 dozen manufactured housing industry stocks.

This segment of the Daily Business News on MHProNews is the recap of yesterday evening’s market report at the closing bell, so that investors can see-at-glance the type of topics may have influenced other investors. Our format includes our signature left (CNN Business) and right (Newsmax) ‘market moving’ headlines for a more balanced report.

The macro market moves graphics below provide context and comparisons for those invested in or tracking manufactured housing connected equities. Meaning, you can see ‘at a glance’ how manufactured housing connected firms do compared to other segments of the broader equities market.

In minutes a day, readers can get a good sense of significant or major events while keeping up with the trends that may be impacting manufactured housing connected investing.

Headlines from left-of-center CNN Business – 6.13.2024

• Two Apple employees sue over alleged gender discrimination in pay
• FAA was ‘too hands-off’ in watching troubled planemaker Boeing, agency head says

John Tyson

• Tyson CFO and chicken family scion John Tyson arrested for DWI
• The Twitter website on a smartphone arranged in Germantown, New York, US, on Monday, July 24, 2023. Elon Musk has changed Twitter’s logo, replacing its signature blue bird with a stylized X as part of the billionaire’s vision of transforming the 17-year-old service into an everything app.
• Elon Musk’s X lawsuit against Media Matters scheduled for trial in April
• A Waymo autonomous self-driving Jaguar taxi drives near Venice Beach on March 14, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.
• Waymo recalls driverless cars to make them less likely to drive into poles
• Christy Goldsmith Romero is currently the commissioner of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
• Biden nominates Christy Goldsmith Romero to lead FDIC at pivotal time for the banking regulator
• DUQUESNE, PA – MAY 30: Craig Campbell drives a forklift at American Textile Company’s factory near Pittsburgh in Duquesne, Pa., on Thursday, May 30, 2024. Tariffs weigh heavy on the company as they depend on products from overseas. Some 425,000 pillows are made at the factory each week.
• Another positive sign for consumers: Wholesale inflation ticked down last month
• Ex-employees sue Elon Musk and SpaceX, claiming illegal firings after they called out alleged gender bias and harassment
• Microsoft President Brad Smith testifies before a U.S. House Homeland Security Committee hearing about the company’s security practices after Russian and Chinese hackers breached its systems over the past year, on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., June 13, 2024.
• Microsoft president to Congress: ‘We accept responsibility’ for cybersecurity failures
• Homes in Aldie, Virginia, US, on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024.
• Housing costs are clouding an otherwise glowing economy
• Elon Musk says Tesla shareholders re-approved his pay package worth billions that a judge struck down
• Europe’s electric car tariffs sting China but won’t halt BYD’s advance
• 3 risks to global economic growth
• What is Apple’s AI doing with your data?
• Tucker Carlson is going on tour. Ticketmaster is profiting off his hateful rhetoric
• Unhappy workers may reduce global GDP by as much as 9%, Gallup estimates
• New US sanctions force end of dollar and euro trading on Russia’s main exchange
• Why this meme stock frenzy is different from 2021
• US bus company Coach files for bankruptcy to sell its business
• Disney and DeSantis-backed board ‘come to their senses’ in new agreement
• Samsung unveils plan to speed up delivery of AI chips
• Hot dog eating champs Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi to face off on Netflix
• Key takeaways from the Fed’s latest interest rate decision

To see this image below in a larger size, depending on your device,
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Headlines from right-of-center Newsmax – 6.13.2024

• Trump Welcomed Back to Capitol Hill by GOP Lawmakers
• Donald Trump enjoyed an effusive welcome on his return to Washington Thursday as he rallied support from Republican lawmakers in the wake of his criminal conviction in New York. [Full Story]
• Israel at War
• Rescued Hostages Suffered ‘Severe’ Abuse in Hamas Captivity
• Hamas Criticizes Blinken as Cease-Fire Deal Stalls
• Biden Will Urge G7 Leaders to Push Hamas on Cease-Fire
• Israel Rejects UN-Backed Report Equating It With Hamas
• Israel Strikes, Kills Senior Hezbollah Commander
• Blinken Arrives in Qatar for Talks With Gaza Mediator
• Israel’s Ben-Gvir Attacks Decision to Release 30 Jailed Terrorists
• Israeli Official: Hamas Has Rejected Gaza Proposal
• Mast: Israel Must Open Front Against Hezbollah | video
• Moscow Presses Hamas on Fast Release of Russian Captives
• UN: Violence Against Kids in Gaza, Other Hot Spots Soars
• Newsmax TV
• Mike Davis: AG Garland Protecting ‘Demented Boss’
• Nancy Mace: Primary Win Shows Power of Trump Endorsement | video
• Johnson: Eager to Hear Trump’s Priorities on ‘Big Problems’ | video
• Karoline Leavitt: Hunter Trial ‘Distraction’ From Bidens’ ‘Real Crimes’ | video
• Jason Smith: Bidens’ Only Business Is Joe’s Name | video
• Wesley Clark: Trump Presidency Looming Over G7 | video
• RNC’s Whatley: Solve Border Crisis ‘by Electing Trump’ | video
• Ben Carson: GOP Has ‘Deep Bench’ | video
• Doug Burns to Newsmax: Hunter Biden Won’t Get Jail Time | video
• Newsfront
• GOP Calls Out 51 Intel Officials Over Hunter Laptop
• In the days since Hunter Biden’s laptop was entered into evidence in his Delaware gun trial, Republican lawmakers have called out the 51 intelligence officials who originally cast doubt on its authenticity before the 2020 election…. [Full Story]
• Biden, Zelensky Ink 10-year Defense Agreement Billed as NATO Precursor
• S. President Joe Biden and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky [Full Story]
• Biden to Tap Christy Goldsmith Romero as FDIC Chair
• President Joe Biden will nominate Christy Goldsmith Romero to replace [Full Story]
• SPONSOR: This little-known secret could help protect IRA/401ks
• Yellen: Large China Banks Heeding US Russia Sanctions
• S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Thursday that she believes [Full Story]
• Senate Republicans Block Bill on Women’s Right to IVF
• Senate Republicans blocked legislation that would make it a right [Full Story]
• Sabato’s Crystal Ball Moves 6 Predictions to Favor GOP
• Larry Sabato, Director of the Center for Politics at the University [Full Story]
• G7 Opens With Deal to Use Russian Assets for Ukraine
• A Group of Seven summit opened Thursday with agreement reached on a [Full Story]
• Related
• Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Welcomes US Sanctions on Russia
• NATO Defense Ministers Thrash out New Security Aid and Training Support Plan for Ukraine
• G7 Leaders Agree to Lend Ukraine Billions Backed by Russia’s Frozen Assets. Here’s How it Will Work
• Southern Poverty Law Center Chided for Staff Layoffs
• The far-left Southern Poverty Law Center slashed part of its [Full Story]
• Pol Poised to Become First Trans Member of House
• Delaware state Sen. Sarah McBride’s opponent in the state’s [Full Story]
• WSJ, Media Cover Newsmax IPO Plan
• The Wall Street Journal was among several major financial media [Full Story]
• Related
• Newsmax Plans to Go Public, Offers Shares to Investors
• Md: Building Muscle After 60 Comes Down to This 1 Thing
• ApexLabs
• Justice Thomas Seeks to Upend 1977 SCOTUS Ruling
• Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas on Thursday wrote that the high [Full Story]
• GOP: Give Trump a Voice, From Anywhere, at RNC
• Republican officials reportedly want to make sure former President [Full Story]
• Here’s How Much You Should Pay for Affordable Gutter Guards
• LeafFilter Partner
• White House Downplays Hopes for SALT Cap Hike
• The Biden administration is warning people not get their hopes up for [Full Story]
• Trump Welcomed Back to Captol Hill by GOP Lawmakers
• Donald Trump enjoyed an effusive welcome on his return to Washington [Full Story]
• Mama Bear Grabs Man After He Saves Her Cubs
• VogueVox
• Biden Campaign Trolls GOP on Mail-in Ballot Lawsuits
• The campaign for President Joe Biden is looking for Republicans to [Full Story]
• Unusual Sports Thrive Amid Growing Betting Options
• Since the 19th century, Finnish men have raced a 280-yard obstacle [Full Story] | Platinum Article
• China’s Megaport in Peru Alarms US Officials
• China is building a $3.5 billion megaport in Peru that could speed [Full Story]
• Cal State Protest Occupation Stranded Staff
• Anti-Israel protesters at Cal State Los Angeles on Thursday ended [Full Story] | video
• Christian School’s Grads Sue Over Alleged Racketeering
• A class-action lawsuit filed against the company that once owned [Full Story]
• Elon Musk Thanks Tesla Shareholders for $56B Payday
• Tesla shareholders are voting to approve a $56 billion pay package [Full Story]
• DC Council OKs $21B Budget After Clashes With Mayor
• Despite some back-and-forth with Mayor Muriel Bowser, the Council of [Full Story]
• Biden Ad Attacks Trump, Republicans Over IVF
• President Joe Biden is releasing a digital ad Thursday targeting [Full Story]
• Taxes Spur Expats to Mull Citizenship Renunciation
• Nearly 1 million American citizens living abroad are considering [Full Story]
• FAA: ‘Too Hands Off’ in Boeing Oversight Before Blowout
• The head of the Federal Aviation Administration said Thursday the [Full Story]
• US, Allies Accuse Russia of Swaying Moldova Election
• The United States, Britain and Canada accused Russia on Thursday of [Full Story]
• Leaders See Biden’s Israel Policies Boosting Trump
• World leaders and diplomats abroad increasingly believe President Joe [Full Story]
• GOP Senators Block Biden Nominees to Protest ‘Lawfare’
• A group of five of former President Donald Trump’s closest allies in [Full Story]
• Gallup Poll: 32 Percent to Cast Vote Based on Abortion
• A record-high 32% of U.S. voters say they will only vote for a [Full Story] | video
• J&J Settles State Talcum Powder Lawsuits for $700M
• Johnson & Johnson will pay $700 million to settle claims from 42 [Full Story]
• Unanimous Supreme Court Preserves Access to Abortion Pill
• The Supreme Court on Thursday unanimously preserved access to a [Full Story]
• Poll: Rightist Le Pen Set to Win French Parliament
• Marine Le Pen’s right-leaning National Rally Party would take the [Full Story]
• More Newsfront
• Finance
• Trump Arrives on Capitol Hill to Meet GOP Lawmakers
• Donald Trump enjoyed an effusive welcome on his return to Washington Thursday as he rallied support from Republican lawmakers in the wake of his criminal conviction in New York…. [Full Story]
• Related Stories
• GOP Plans for the Ultimate Nov. Outcome: a Trump Win and a Congressional Sweep
• GOP: Give Trump a Voice, From Anywhere, at RNC
• AI Can Recreate History, and Pose Dangers
• Tyson Foods Suspends CFO John R. Tyson After Arrest
• Your Vote Won’t Stop Higher Taxes – Here’s Why
• Supreme Court Backs Starbucks Over Fired Pro-Union Workers
• More Finance
• Health
• Being More Optimistic Wards Off Procrastination
• A new study by researchers from the University of Tokyo in Japan found that pessimism and procrastination are linked. People who have a pessimistic view of the future tend to put off what needs to be done. On the flip side, those who tackle chores in a timely manner tend to…… [Full Story]
• How to Protect Yourself From Scams
• Study Finds Men Really Do Eat More Meat Than Women
• Robotic Procedure Helps Treat Macular Degeneration
• Low-Birth-Weight Baby Moms at Higher Dementia Risk

Notice: MHProNews invites the firms or organizations named in these reports to respond to any concerns about possibly inaccurate information via email that identifies the concern and offers evidence that sheds a different light on the topic discussed. That said, until 5.9.2024, neither MHI nor most MHI publicly traded ‘insider brands’ have done so. They’ve been repeatedly invited to do so, including but not limited to an outreach on Dec 7, 2o23 and Feb 25, 2024. In the case of that response linked above, no apparent reply was given to follow up inquires by MHProNews. 

APO = Apolo Global Management – bought Inspire Communities

BAM = Brookfield Asset Management – owns and invests in manufactured home communities (MHCs).

BLK = BlackRock – conglomerate has investments in firms and operations involved in manufactured housing.

BRK-A = Berkshire Hathaway – includes outright ownership of Clayton Homes, 21st Mortgage Corp, Vanderbilt Mortgage and Finance, other manufactured home industry linked firms (MHC brokerage, suppliers, etc.).

BX = Blackstone – Blackstone Group LP has made its first big bet on manufactured housing by buying a portfolio of communities sold by Tricon Capital Group Inc.

CDPYF = Canadian Apartment Properties Real Estate Investment Trust – also has manufactured home communities (MHCs).

CIGI = Colliers International Group Inc. – The Manufactured Housing and RV Group “We Assist Owners and Investors with Disposition, Acquisition, and Financing for Manufactured Housing Communities and RV Parks.”

CG = The Carlyle Group – has manufactured home communities investments.

CSGP = CoStar Group – is commercial real estate’s leading provider of information, analytics and online marketplaces. They acquired listing service Homes.com.

CVCO = Cavco Industries – manufactured home and other factory-built housing production, retail, finance, insurance.

ECNCF = ECN Capital Group – includes manufactured home lender Triad Financial Services.

ELS = Equity LifeStyle Properties – includes land lease manufactured home communities (MHCs), but also RV and marine slips holdings. Also has captive manufactured home retail operations, and parent to Datacomp/MHVillage.

FGF = FG Financial Group – FG Communities “Owns and Operates Growing Portfolio of Manufactured Housing Communities.” KEY = KeyCorp – manufactured home community financing and manufactured home single-family mortgage financing.

KMMPF = Killam Apartment REITs- (includes manufactured home communities (MHCs).

LCII = LCI Industries – components for the manufactured home industry and others (RVs, housing, etc.).

LEGH = Legacy Housing – produces manufactured homes, tiny houses, retail, and captive finance operations.

LPX = Louisiana Pacific Corporation – components for the manufactured home industry and others (housing, etc.).

MHC-UN.TO = Flagship Communities Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT).

MHPC = Manufactured Housing Properties – land lease manufactured home communities (MHCs).

MMI = Marcus and Millichap – commercial real estate brokerage services that include land lease manufactured home communities (MHCs).

NOBH = Nobility Homes – produces and offers captive retail, financing, and insurance services for HUD Code manufactured homes and modular homes.

PATK = Patrick Industries – components for the manufactured home industry and others (RVs, housing, etc.).

SKY = Skyline Champion – produces and offers captive retail, financing, and insurance for HUD Code manufactured homes and modular homes.

SUI = Sun Communities – includes land lease manufactured home communities (MHCs), but also RV and marine slips holdings. Also has captive manufactured home retail operations.

UMH = UMH Properties – includes land lease manufactured home communities and captive manufactured home retail, leasing, and financing operations.

UFPI = UFP Industries – components for the manufactured home industry and others (housing, etc.).

• • • NOTE 1: Chart above of manufactured housing connected equities includes the Canadian stock, ECN, which purchased Triad Financial Services, a manufactured home industry finance lender.
    • NOTE 2: Drew changed its name and trading symbol at the end of 2016 to Lippert (LCII).
    • NOTE 3: Deer Valley was largely taken private, say company insiders in a message to MHProNews on 12.15.2020, but there are still some outstanding shares of the stock from the days when it was a publicly traded firm.  Thus, there is still periodic activity on DVLY.
    • Note 4: some recent or related reports to the REITs, stocks, and other equities named above follow in the reports linked below.
    • Note 5: Gifts of Sight and Insights, What’s in Store for 2024? Including 2023 Year End Reflections, manufactured homes, manufactured housing, mobile homes, MHVille, USA Snapshots, Manufactured housing industry year in review 2023.

 

2023 …Berkshire Hathaway is the parent company to Clayton Homes, 21^st Mortgage, Vanderbilt Mortgage and other factory-built housing industry suppliers.
· LCI Industries, Patrick, UFPI, and LP each are suppliers to the manufactured housing industry, among others.
· AMG, CG, and TAVFX have investments in manufactured housing related businesses. For insights from third-parties and clients about our publisher, click here.

 

 

2022 was a tough year for many stocks. Unfortunately, that pattern held true for manufactured home industry (MHVille) connected stocks too. See the facts, linked above.

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Disclosure. MHProNews holds no positions in the stocks in this report.

· For expert manufactured housing business development or other manufactured housing professional services, click here.
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• Note 1: MHVille means manufactured housing industry, MHVille also means artificially smaller manufactured housing (MH) industry,
• Note 2: Manufactured housing, building, factories, retail, dealers, manufactured home, communities, passive mobile home park investing, suppliers, brokers, finance, financial services, macro-markets, manufactured housing stocks, Manufactured Home Communities Real Estate Investment Trusts, MHC REITs.
• Note 3:
  

  APO, Apollo Global Management, BAM, Brookfield Asset Management, BLK, BlackRock, BRK-A, Berkshire Hathaway, BX, Blackstone, CDPYF, Canadian Apartment Properties Real Estate Investment Trust, CIGI, Colliers International Group Inc, CG, The Carlyle Group, CSGP, CoStar Group, CVCO, Cavco Industries, ECNCF, ECN Capital Group, ELS, Equity LifeStyle Properties, FGF, FG Financial Group, FG Communities,  KEY, KeyCorp, KMMPF, Killam Apartment REITs, LCII, LCI Industries, LEGH, Legacy Housing, LPX, Louisiana Pacific Corporation, MHC-UN.TO, Flagship Communities Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), MHPC, Manufactured Housing Properties, MMI, Marcus and Millichap, NOBH, Nobility Homes, PATK, Patrick Industries, SKY, Skyline Champion, SUI, Sun Communities, UMH, UMH Properties, UFPI, UFP Industries.

That’s a wrap on this installment of “News Through the Lens of Manufactured Homes and Factory-Built Housing” © where “We Provide, You Decide.” © (Affordable housing, manufactured homes, stock, investing, data, metrics, reports, fact-checks, analysis, and commentary. Third-party images or content are provided under fair use guidelines for media.) (See Related Reports linked herein. 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.
Tony earned a journalism scholarship along with numerous awards in history. There have been several awards, honors and numerous public recognitions for his achievements 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. Kovach is a managing member and co-founder of LifeStyle Factory Homes, LLC, the parent company to MHLivingNews.com and MHProNews. MHProNews is ranked as the runaway most read trade media in modern manufactured housing history. Manufactured Home Pro News (MHProNews) is the documented #1 largest and most read source for manufactured housing industry News Tips and Views Pros Can Use, per Webalizer 2.23 (on 5.22.2024) and known data. MHProNews gets millions of visits a year and has significantly more pageviews per visit than CNN or Fox per SimilarWeb’s stats for those two sites (but in fairness CNN and Fox sites get more much more total traffic). Statistics – Data – Infographics – Research – Facts – Evidence – Trends – and manufactured housing industry expert Analysis make us and keep us the runaway most read in MHVille trade media. This article reflects the LLC’s and/or the writer’s editorial views and may or may not reflect the views of sponsors or supporters.