The facts are routinely on our side. America needs what we have, even if tens of millions don’t know it, oppose or misunderstand our quality, durable homes and services. While imperfect, we are a far better option in every sense than the majority realize. We are able to demonstrate that MH is routinely a better choice than rentals or buying conventional housing.
All that we need to seriously advance manufactured housing is within our collective grasp. Not everyone has to rally, just the forward thinkers and doers are needed.
The presidential campaigns are in motion. Our sources tell us that energy based orders will soon be rising again. Housing in the fracking patches will be needed again in the third quarter, so they say. Beyond energy, around the nation, rents are rising, conventional housing continues to recover, at a SAAR of some 1.1 million units.
A rather impressive coalition has been organized to support the Preserving Access to Manufactured Housing Act, as HR 650 in April, and S 682 on Thursday have advanced. All involved in forging that coalition deserve kudos.
The battle over Dodd-Frank reform will come in the Senate in the fall. Maxine Water’s says Barney Frank has been quoted out-of-context on his support for modifications on the legacy bill that bears his name. POTUS has signaled he’ll veto our industry’s Dodd-Frank fixes.
Meanwhile, while we as industry pros are harmed, far more harmed are millions of manufactured home owners, including most of those with pre-HUD Code mobile homes.
If HR 650/S 682 fails to become law, it will be consumers who are the most impacted, as the article linked here proves. Sure, MH lenders of all sizes will be impacted too, as recent comments by Don Glisson, Jr. and Sam Landy point out.
That means MH Retailers and Communities will still be dealing with a CFPB world that can bite you badly, when you and enough others aren’t engaged. YOU be the change! YOU must lead by example, so that others will follow suit! What must happen is that consumers and business professionals together shine the light on the need for passing the Preserving Access to Manufactured Housing Act; together we can.
But we must not put all of our eggs in one basket. Here is how we advance…
4 Part Plan
Be Informed. Read a minimum of 15 minutes daily here, 12 minutes daily watching videos and reading articles on MHLivingNews.com and tune into what your association says and does. Those who do, see routinely see their understanding – and sales – grow.
Be Involved. Knowledge should inspire action! Let your elected officials know what you support, be it HR 650/S 682, GSE reform that involves the Duty to Serve (DTS), etc.
Intelligently Inform Others: Share what you learn with Your Team-mates, colleagues MH Residents, via social media and also with the news media and opinion-formers. When negative stories appear in the mainstream media – be it OZY Media, the Daily Yonder, etc. – answer them! Share the links to articles like this one that set the record straight with the media and others.
Based Upon Your Ability, Support the Cause! Investments in you and your team’s improvement, via the resources we share (free and for fee) tend to be a far safer investment than some stock you have little or no ability to influence. The more the MH Image and Understanding improves, the better off you and your operation will be.
All that we need is within our grasp. We can grow MH anew, and at a far more rapid clip than we’ve been seeing the past 5 years. It doesn’t require all pulling together, it only requires enough forward thinkers and doers to take the four steps noted above. Yesterday, I was listening to a speaker/consultant, Matthew Kelly on CD. He spoke about how so many in business are into short term thinking.
Our challenges in MH didn’t take a day, week, month or a year to develop. They won’t be fixed overnight. We are living proof that long term thinking pays, and you being here proves that we’ve built the largest audience of its kind ever in MH by sharing challenging, ‘can do’ thoughts, words and deeds for others to see.
