The news last week about the Lochmiller conviction reported in factory built housing Daily Business News should be a wake up call for many. For those of us who have watched the ups and downs of HUD Code manufactured housing, we recall that in the 80s, 90s and early 00s, some took advantages of apparent weaknesses in the financing system.

Some of them ended up meeting federal agents. Some went to federal prisons.

So we should not be surprised when it happens today. While the Lochmiller case is different, some similarities exist. Including the reality of conviction.

I hear some (more than one, these days) speaking out on legally compliant in house financing or captive financing. It is the wise path to do things by the book for those who think long term.

But when I think ‘arrested,’ what seems arrested is not just Lochmiller. What has been arrested is our entire industry!

We see progress in DC – arrested – on Industry issues.

We see shipment numbers – read new home sales – arrested at most of our factories.

We see vacancies in manufactured home land lease communities not only arrested – standing still – but in many locations, going backwards.

We need a program – a PR Image and Marketing campaign – to reverse our Industry’s fortunes.

Our thanks to all who have called and emailed about the teaser in the Cutting Edge about our new website format, and the planned Industry Image campaign.  We plan to share some quotes and insights soon, but in the mean time, check it out by clicking and reading more here.

In the mean time, if you feel your sales are under arrest, please sound off, or reach out.  Take practical steps.  If you don’t know that you don’t know, learn more here.

We have been under arrest more than long enough! # #