“Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable… Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

One of our thousands of faithful readers sent me the attached scanned copy of prior Manufactured Housing Institute President, Chris Steinbert’s ‘farewell’ or parting message. It is shared to continue a dialogue within and for the MH Industry. Many point to Chris’ era as an important one for MHI, and some who recall the attached lament that MH has not made more progress towards some of his goals.

In sharing Chris’ 8 points below, it doesn’t mean that I necessarily agree (or disagree) with any or all of his ‘if I had a magic wand, what would I wish for MH’ bullet points.

But they’re as worthy of serious discussion and reflection today as they were when the Journal published it 9 years ago. In bold below are his 8 bullets. In regular type face, some comments or food for thought that are not Chris’.

1. Manufacturers would step up and take control of the marketplace. It is worth noting that in Danny Ghorbani’s farewell to the industry, he said the time has come for MH to do an image campaign. See also Chris’ bullet number 3 below.

2. Manufacturers should assume the responsibility for customer satisfaction. MHIA 2000 has helped, no doubt. Quality is up, no doubt, as the report from MHARR linked here demonstrates. See his last bullet for an added thought on this one.
3. The Industry needs to launch a national advertising offensive spotlighting the tremendous benefits of owning and living in a factory built home. While your Masthead scribes agrees with – and is already part of an effort to promote the benefits of MHLiving, the who, how and why are questions worthy of discussion. I won’t go into details today, but as a marketer let’s note that MH is unique in needing three things, not one. Branding, unbranding and rebranding. We also need local, market-based campaigns that drive business to specific “partners in progress,” which when shared on a single national platform, yields national coverage that has local market value for those who participate.  The rising tide will lift the water-worthy boats.
4. Its also time for the industry to finally start sharing the risks and rewards. This or other points Chris raised are not new. A number of MH and MHC operations could honestly say, they were doing exactly this, until the CFPB derailed their successful efforts by creating too much regulatory risk.  Some lenders have created programs that essentially do just what Chris advocated.

5. Manufacturers and retailers should be more open about making pricing information available to potential customers. More retailers today are doing what Chris suggested. MHVillage is clearly doing just that on a large scale. We happen to advocate the same, and our clients who show pricing the proper way find its very beneficial. After all, what real estate agent hides the price of the house he or she are trying to sell?

6. Focus on the issues of real importance and stop looking to Washington to solve all of your problems. “HUD, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac did not cause your world to collapse” (said Chris, speaking of the fall out of the post 1998 slump) “and they are not going to be your salvation either.” Now, let’s admit that Chris wrote this before HERA 2008, and before Dodd-Frank, the CFPB, etc., etc. While we certainly don’t want to wait and see what ‘DC will do for us,’ nor depend solely on Washington for solutions, neither should we sit back and do nothing in Washington, as Chris himself suggested.

7. Stop tilting after windmills…go after those things that can realistically be achieved. Some say that this point is where Chris anticipated some of what an MH friend and wise industry mogul said was my Don Quixote side; reaching for impossible dreams and the unreachable stars. But realism is no less important than idealism. The opening quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the start of this column reminds us that some struggles are necessary and worthy of effort! It is often those who are willing to tilt at windmills that help real change to come to pass. That occurs when enough commit to a good, just cause. Do see Bob Vahsholtz’s article on the image issue and the three stages of progress.

   

8. The entire industry must focus on one goal – increasing the value proposition to the homeowner. We could hardly disagree with Chris on something that we preach privately to clients and publicly on our MHProNews pages. Here is a point that MHARR and MHI agree, that the quality of today’s MH is better than ever. We might rephrase Chris’ words, but the point is the same. We must make sure that our customers are happy to be MH owners and MHC residents. The more often that happens, the more your MH sales will rise as a result.

   

Looking Back, Looking Ahead

I’ve seen some say that the windshield has maybe 10% rear view mirror. While that’s true, that overlooks the fact that there are side view mirrors in autos that look back too. Looking back is important for safety and for lessons that guide advancement! History is a teacher only for those who sit, study and are willing to learn the lessons!

It is good at this point to review our tag lines and the vision for this site.

When we launched 6 years ago, we sought to establish a professional forum that advances sound concepts from each segment of the industry. A professional trade publication where anyone with the discipline to share their thoughts in writing (or via video…) could present their best-practices vision or services for advancing MH professionalism. Respectful debates and opposing views have been and are welcome.

Indeed, if you look at what hundeds have said via over 1000 LinkedIn endorsements and comments (with some 99.9% unsolicited), we have started and nurtured that MH Industry challenges, best practices, expert advice, solutions and goals conversations.  FYI, we take those kudos from folks like you as thanks to our writers, team members, volunteers and supporters.  My thanks to all, while noting that this is far from being a one person operation.

Bill Matchneer, former director of the HUD Code MH program, formerly with CFPB and now on the MHI Financial Services Board of Governors, having been nominated to that role by Tim Williams/21^st Mortgage (and new MHI Chair), thoughtfully provided me with a letter addressed to a third party that will end up in print; but I’m only sharing a snipet of it for now. “Obviously his (Tony’s) devotion to MH is best displayed by his highly comprehensive MHProNews and MHLivingNews websites, which have become such necessary reads that its hard to imagine the current MH Industry without them.”

Again, my sincere thanks to Bill and all who send in kind words, call or message or do LinkedIn kudos, which comes in many times weekly. But the reality is that these online places (MHProNews and MHLivingNews) are only possible via a team effort – they are YOUR and the MH Industry’s e-trade publications, in so many ways!

There is no single person in MH that will make the industry achieve its potential. What we do here is TEAM Work; Together, Everyone Achieves More = TEAM! It is precisely by drawing hundreds and then thousands of pros to bring their best and brightest skills to the playing field that MH advances. You have skills and experiences others lack, and vice versa.  Its good content that gets and keep thousands coming here to MHProNews daily.

Together with other forward thinkers of good will, we advance.

The more we MH pros set aside the petty differences, ego, past wounds or turf struggles, the more we advance.

Bringing committed MH pros together is important. Candid, respectful discussion can lead us to viable solutions.  

The warm-and-fuzzy expressed herein doesn’t take away from the reality that there will be some eggs cracked along the way to making omlets. We plan to continue to serve as a needed spotlight for issues within and without the MH Industry.  When a balloon needs popping, let’s get out that needle together, shall we?

Borrowing from Dr. King and Chris Steinbert, we must find the ways to advance the goals of justice for MH owners, businesses and potential owners and investors too.

 

The more we do that – advance justice and value for home owners and businesses – the more the good that Chris or Danny or anyone else that has cared about MH and has a positive vision for MH, will help that new birth for our industry to come to pass. ##

L. A. ‘Tony’ Kovach.