A rather interesting and curious MHAction “demand” letter was brought to the attention of MHProNews. The MHAction letter was addressed to Impact Communities “Principal Owner” Dave Reynolds, but did not mention Reynolds longtime partner, Frank Rolfe. The letter called on the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) and an MHI state affiliate named below to “immediately cancel the membership” of Impact Communities. The MHAction demand letter sheds light on prior and more recent reports regarding MHAction, MHI and their state affiliate, and of course on Rolfe, Reynolds, and Impact Communities.
Following the text of the letter will be related information, a focused MHProNews analysis and commentary. It was posted by MHAction on the ActionNetwork.org website as part of a petition drive.
Impact Communities: Cancel Rent and Sell Your Communities to Responsible Owners
Target: Dave Reynolds, Principal Owner of Impact Communities
On April 6th, residents of Table Mound Mobile Home Park in Dubuque, Iowa awakened to eviction notices on their doors from Impact Communities. During an unprecedented health crisis that is impacting millions of families across the country and a statewide eviction moratorium in Iowa, this is an unconscionable move by a corporate owner that has been the subject of resident complaints and stories of mistreatment for years.
Given the egregiousness of Impact’s actions and this clear illustration that they are have grossly mismanaged their communities during the COVID-19 epidemic, we are immediately calling for Impact Communities to:
1) Withdraw all eviction notices posted in April and notify residents who received the notices that they are immediately void and that Impact apologizes for mishandling the management of the community during this time period.
2) Cancel April lot rent and monthly fees for all residents of Table Mound who received the eviction notices for attempting to evict families during an state-ordered eviction moratorium and global pandemic.
3) Cancel May and June lot rent and monthly fees for all residents of Table Mound who are suffering under the health and financial impacts of COVID-19, worsened by the community-wide, emotional stress caused by the company’s immoral behavior.
4) Enter into immediate negotiations with Table Mound residents and residents living in all Impact-owned communities to sell Impact-owned communities to qualified non-profit entities or for resident-owned-cooperatives.
We are also calling upon the Iowa Manufactured Home Association and Manufactured Housing Institute, the industry trade groups of which Impact Communities is a member, to immediately revoke Impact’s membership and send written notes to their entire membership, clarifying the need to abide by all eviction moratoriums and tenant protections that have been enacted at the local, state, and federal level.
Update: Impact Communities admitted to making a “mistake”. We believe it’s impossible to take Impact Communities at their word given numerous complaints involving their past business practices in multiple states. Let’s keep the pressure on! ##
The MHAction petition included a form letter to Dave Reynolds, the text of which is shown below.
To: Dave Reynolds, Principal Owner of Impact Communities
From: [Your Name]
On April 6th, residents of Table Mound Mobile Home Park which is located in Dubuque, Iowa, awakened to forced eviction notices on their doors from your company, Impact Communities. During an unprecendented health crisis that is impacting millions of families across the country, this is an unconscionable move by Impact Communities.
Given the egregiousness of Impact’s actions and this clear illustration that they are have grossly mismanaged their communities during the COVID-19 epidemic, we are immediately calling for Impact Communities to:
1) Withdraw all eviction notices posted in April and notify residents who received the notices that they are immediately void and that Impact apologizes for mishandling the management of the community during this time period.
2) Cancel April lot rent and monthly fees for all residents of Table Mound who received the eviction notices for attempting to evict families during an state-ordered eviction moratorium and global pandemic.
3) Cancel May and June lot rent and monthly fees for all residents of Table Mound who are suffering under the health and financial impacts of COVID-19, worsened by the community-wide, emotional stress caused by the company’s immoral behavior.
4) Enter into immediate negotiations with Table Mound residents and residents living in all Impact-owned communities to sell Impact-owned communities to qualified non-profit entities or for resident-owned-cooperatives.
Thank you for your time and attention to this important matter.##
##
Additional Related Information, More MHProNews Analysis and Commentary
While the page is not dated, it apparently refers to April 2020, so is now some 20 months into the rearview mirror. Why spotlight this now? Several reasons, which include the following.
- A) This was called to the attention of MHProNews this past weekend. Needless to say, no person or entity can report on something that they are unaware of until they become aware of an issue.
- B) MHProNews specifically called on MHAction leaders to do something somewhat similar with respect to their claimed resident advocacy. In fairness to MHAction, the record should be as clear as possible.
- C) That noted, this example brings to light that MHAction recognizes that MHI and state association affiliates could eject a member for certain types of behavior that violate organizational rules and/or their respective Code of Ethical Conduct. Which begs several questions: given MHAction’s demonstrated ability to get mainstream media coverage, why is there no similar effort to get mainstream news to press MHI and their state affiliates to do what their Code of Conduct say? And why hasn’t MHI and/or their state affiliates demanded compliance with their respective codes of ethical conduct or eject ‘predatory’ members who exhibit problematic business practices and behavior?
- D) To the point raised in C, above, the screen captures below shed light on why this ‘demand’ was not previously brought to MHProNews’ attention. It seems to have had no prior news media coverage before this report. Further, as both of these search results represent, it apparently had no other posts or mentions anywhere online. So once again, given MHAction’s ability to get news coverage, why didn’t they seek it on this demand? Was this merely for show to a limited MHAction audience?
- E) MHProNews and/or MHLivingNews have reported on several MHAction connected items, always using a separating of the wheat from the chaff approach that is also applied to others. In an era of rampant paltering, head fakes, “deception and misdirection” by corporations, public officials, certain billionaires, nonprofits, and others it is useful if not essential to segment reality from merely errant or even weaponized opinions.
- G) Speaking of head fakes and questions about a lack of follow through, are the topics linked below. For example. One might wonder about Senator Elizabeth Warren (MA-D), a former law professor who has expressed strong views on antitrust law enforcement. Where has been the follow up by Warren or others on the issues she raised with respect to RV Horizons/Impact Communities and other MHI members?
- H) Given that MHAction has clearly utilized researchers and/or was provided information relative to some of MHI’s leading brands, why is there such a dearth of MHAction making a similar but more publicized effort to the one above to hold MHI accountable for its members behavior?
- I) Additionally, while MHAction has provided documentation, from whatever sources, to connect the dots to specific ‘predatory’ brands that are routinely MHI and/or MHI state affiliate members, why haven’t MHAction pressed for enforcement of Hobbs Act, RICO, FTC/antitrust and other apparent violations of the law?
- J) Recording and periodically recalling quotes, comments, and related facts reveals over time fascinating facts and patterns. Frank Rolfe called ‘foul’ and “Hypocrisy anyone?” when then MHI chairman Nathan Smith was being sued by residents. Rolfe pointed out the obvious disconnect between Rolfe and Reynold’s being called to account when Smith and MHI were not. But that finger pointing by Rolfe also has three fingers pointing back. Per the Google search below, only MHProNews and our MHLivingNews sister-site have reported on this phenomenon. Why haven’t other manufactured housing trade media done the same?
Attempts at mind reading as to the motives of those spotlighted above are not the point here.
But there appears to be a variety of disconnects that come to light from “Frank and Dave,” Impact Communities, MHAction, MHI, and others. If Rolfe ripped former MHI chairman Nathan Smith for the harm he was doing to the manufactured home community sector with SSK Communities (since rebranded as Flagship Communities, has gone public), doesn’t that same harm apply to Rolfe and Reynolds? As Rolfe said, “Hypocrisy anyone?” Perhaps as apt, isn’t there still more hypocrisy in evidence when the facts presented are carefully examined in the report above?
The bottom line appears to be this. Plenty of posturing is in evidence in our profession by brands and personalities that say one thing but fail to do what the logic of their position would require. Meanwhile, millions of Americans suffer from increased housing unaffordability, as our Sunday report below demonstrated. The need for accountability, more refined mainstream media reporting, and public official probes based on such evidence should be apparent. Because without the proper follow-up actions, the troubling status quo will endure.
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By L.A. “Tony” Kovach – for MHProNews.com.
Tony earned a journalism scholarship and earned numerous awards in history and in manufactured housing.
For example, he earned the prestigious Lottinville Award in history from the University of Oklahoma, where he studied history and business management. He’s a managing member and co-founder of LifeStyle Factory Homes, LLC, the parent company to MHProNews, and MHLivingNews.com.
This article reflects the LLC’s and/or the writer’s position, and may or may not reflect the views of sponsors or supporters.
Connect on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/latonykovach
Related References:
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