MHMSM.com presents Factory Built Housing Industry News at Noon with Erin Patla.
We begin with these stories:
THERE IS NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE between the rates of crime in manufactured home communities relative to other residential areas, so concluded William P. McCarty, assistant professor in the Department of Criminology, Law and Justice at the University of Illinois-Chicago. His recent study took a look at crime in mobile and manufactured home communities and concluded the evidence in the study suggests that local regulators should seek to make sure that the permitting system is disposed towards allowing greater placement of manufactured home communities. In an exclusive interview with MHMSM.com, McCarty expands on his research and delves deeper into the reality of safety in manufactured home communities.
THE AMERICAN DREAM STUDY by Trulia.com recently found that of those renters who do plan to purchase someday, 68 percent said it would be more than two years before they do. However, almost half of the respondents said they would be ready to purchase sooner than later, if they could only come up with the cash for a down payment, and 30 percent could be convinced by a new job. The survey also asked for current views on the housing market over the last six months and found that while 19 percent were more negative, 23 percent were more positive.
Manufactured Homes in the News…
FROM NEW MEXICO, we find that a manufactured home movement ordinance outlining the process required when moving a manufactured home in Socorro County as well as the penalties for parties that do not comply, has been approved. Officials explain that the new ordinance is essentially a method of getting manufactured homes on the county’s tax roll. It requires a certificate to move a manufactured home. The only exception is dealers moving a newly purchased home to its new location. The ordinance will go into effect on September 25.
FROM CARNESVILLE, GEORGIA – complying with Senate Bill 384, Franklin County has instituted a new policy on manufactured homes. Earlier this week, Franklin County Commissioners approved amending the current ordinance to remove the section that barred manufactured homes more than 10 years old from being relocated in Franklin County. In the article, Franklin County Attorney Bubba Samuels explained that older homes will have to comply with health and safety standards. “What this ordinance does is require that someone who wants to bring in an older home get a provisional permit that’s good for 90 days,” Samuels was quoted as saying. “During that time, they can bring in the mobile home, but they would then have to obtain an inspection report from a certified inspector.”
“More Manufactured Housing in the News continues…”
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Now, back to our stories.
MELVIN L. BOBO, who recently announced his candidacy for City Council in Johnsonville, South Carolina, touched on the topic of manufactured housing this week in an interview with The Weekly Observer. The reporter touched on a current issue being debated in the council that would put a moratorium on any manufactured housing coming into the community, and just recently they discussed considering rezoning all R-3 lots to R-3A lots, which would prohibit any manufactured housing being placed on those lots. Bobo responded that, “People work hard and it’s their money… and it’s their property. They have the right to build, as long as it’s not offending or hurting anybody, they should have the right to build in place, whatever they wish to place on that property.” We could add that placement restrictions are likely prohibited by preemptive language in the HUD code. Look for updates at mhmsm.com.
FROM OXFORD HILLS, MAINE, we find that a company called Burlington Homes shut down in 2008 shortly before Maine Housing advertised for bids to build manufactured homes that some say may have saved the 70 jobs. As it stands, more than half of the housing units for a $3 million federally subsidized Maine Housing program intended to replace pre-1976 mobile homes will probably be built out of state. The proposal requirements specified bids had to come from manufacturers; however, there are no HUD certified manufactured home builders in Maine.
Modular Homes in the News…
EARTHTECHLING [Earth-tech-ling] continues its coverage of green modular home designs from Blu Homes with the release of the first home in their mkDesigns line, the Glidehouse. Previously offered only within limited markets on the West Coast, the prefabricated home is now available nationwide. In addition to Paperstone counter tops, water-saving plumbing fixtures, on-demand water heaters, and a mechanical ventilation system, the home is billed as “solar ready” and can be built with geothermal, wind generator or hybrid energy systems, as well as radiant hot water flooring for colder climates. The cost for two or three bedrooms and two baths is $360,000.
In Market News…
DIRK VAN DIJK [dee-ICK], CFA, Chief Equity Strategist for Zacks.com reported Wednesday that total construction spending fell in July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $805.2 billion, down one percent from June, and down 11.7 percent from a year ago. The decline was greater than the 0.7 percent decline that was expected. Year to date, construction spending has totaled $460.3 billion, down 11.8 percent from the $522.0 billion spent on construction in the first seven months of 2009.
MARKETS SOARED into the final month of the third quarter Wednesday. The major rally sent the Dow up more than 250 points after a surprising report showing increased manufacturing activity. With the exceptions of UMH Properties and All American Group, stocks on our watch list closed higher Wednesday. Skyline Corp closed more than six percent higher and Drew Industries closed more than five percent higher. The manufactured housing composite value was up more than three percent. For comparison, home furnishings were up more than four percent, general building materials were up 3.26 percent, residential construction was up 3.68 percent and lumber and wood production was up almost four and a half percent.
“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!”