MHMSM.com presents Factory Built Housing Industry News at Noon with Erin Patla.
We begin with these stories:
IN WHAT THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HOME BUILDERS (NAHB) is calling a major victory for affordable housing, sound science and more sensible regulations, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been forced to withdraw a key portion of new storm water management regulations for builders and developers and to devise new ones based on better research. The move is the result of an NAHB lawsuit and petitions filed by both NAHB and the federal Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Advocacy asking the agency to revise its new Effluent Limitation Guidelines for the construction and development industry. “After a big rainstorm, it’s typical to see some storm water drain from a construction site. In these new regulations, EPA set a numeric limit on the amount of sediment that can cloud the water that both NAHB and SBA claimed was arbitrary and based on flawed analyses,” said NAHB Chairman Bob Jones, a home builder and developer in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.
THE WEB SITE “INHABITAT” recently ran a feature on a design by Malaysian architect Tay Yee Wei to construct housing units that are able to be added to a frame resembling scaffolding as demand warrants. Inspired by Le Corbusier’s [Cor-BOO-see-ay’s] theory that “a house is a machine for living,” the project essentially rotates a sprawling horizontal community into a vertical orientation.
The plan would be for a city to finance the cost of building the structure and then residents could purchase spaces where a customized modular housing unit could be inserted. The structure could also be disassembled and transported.
Manufactured Housing in the News…
THE SAN PEDRO VALLEY News-Sun reports that Cochise County Superior Court Judge Stephen Desens ruled against the City of Benson, Arizona last week, calling Section 16 of that city’s code, passed in 1997, invalid because officials did not follow proper procedure. Local business owner Jay Kendrick challenged the city’s refusal to approve a permit for a new manufactured home on a lot in the Stage Coach Trails manufactured-home community. City Attorney Michael Massee told the paper that notice of the Planning and Zoning hearing in 1997 was mailed to the owners of manufactured home and RV parks, but Desens ruled that owners of vacant property that could potentially be developed into manufactured-home communities were also entitled to notice. In addition, Arizona statutes require 15 days notice prior to the hearing, and the city of Benson gave only an eight-day notice. The city has also been ordered to pay more than $50,000 in legal fees.
CAVCO PRESIDENT JOE STEGMAYER told reporters in Arizona that a California boycott of the state’s products isn’t helping the company’s employees, many of whom are Hispanic. Earlier this year Cavco submitted the bid to the City of Santa Monica, California to build homes for a [factory-built home community] the city owns. While the city’s housing and development director recommended the Arizona company, the city council rejected it because of a boycott of the state after the passage of Senate Bill 1070. “We’ve never seen this bias before,” Stegmayer said.
SAN DIEGO BUSINESS reports that Poway Royal Estates there has sold for $38.3 million. Hometown America has bought the 399-space, 51-acre mobile home community. The property was constructed in 1972 and bought by the city in 1991 to stabilize rents and bring about improvements. Headquartered in Chicago, Hometown America plans to spend $1 million to renovate the common-area, landscaping and utility system over the next two years. The privately held company owns seven other projects in California.
THE ARGUS HERALD of LaPorte, Indiana ran a story about town native Steven Saffell who will be featured on the Season Premiere of ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Now living in Pennsylvania, Saffell is the director of architectural design and innovation for Excel Homes, a modular home manufacturer contracted by the show to build a home for the premiere. During each episode a home is built and donated to a needy family or non-profit organization. Excel Homes donated all the structural components it used to complete the project. The show is scheduled to premiere September 26th.
“Up next, MARKET NEWS”
But first, this podcast of News at Noon is sponsored in part by:
Precision Capital Funding, on the Web at CaptiveFinance.net. Precision Capital Funding earned the MHI 2010 Service Supplier of the Year Award.
For more information, email Kenneth Rishel at kennethrishel@captivefinance.net or call 217-971-3968.
In Market News…
PATRICK INDUSTRIES, a major manufacturer and distributor of building and component products for the recreational vehicle, manufactured housing and industrial markets, announced recently it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire certain assets of Blazon International Group, a distributor of various wiring, electrical, lighting, plumbing and other building products to the RV and MH industries. The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of August 2010. “This acquisition fits within the scope of our strategic plan by adding new products that will expand our existing RV and MH distribution presence, and further demonstrates our continued commitment to serve these industries,” says Todd Cleveland, President and Chief Executive Officer. Patrick’s major manufactured products include decorative vinyl and paper panels, wrapped moldings, cabinet doors and components, interior passage doors, slotwall and slotwall components, and countertops.
STOCKS CLOSED MODESTLY HIGHER Wednesday, up nine points. The manufactured home composite value moved ahead just shy of one percent. Positive performers included Palm Harbor Homes, up more than three percent; Skyline Corp and NVR, each closing with more than one percent added to their shareprice for the trading day.
“On behalf of Production and IT Manager Bob Stovall, Editor L.A. ‘Tony’ Kovach, Associate Editor Catherine Frenzel, INdustry in Focus reporter Eric Miller, and the entire MHMSM.com writing and support team, this is Erin Patla. G’day!”