The Department of Energy is considering new efficiency rules, download linked here, for residential non-weatherized gas furnaces and “mobile home” gas furnaces. The Energy Department’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy announced Wednesday it will hold a public meetings to discuss the proposed rules. This comes after a federal …
New Rules for Gas Furnaces from Department of Energy Read More
Financial regulators released the final Qualified Residential Mortgage rule (QRM) definition, intended to limit the risky credit lending that kicked off the housing crisis originally, and dropped the 20 percent down payment requirement that would have necessitated lenders keep five percent “skin-in-the-game.” Instead lenders have to meet the general definition …
The 13- to 17-year-olds of “Generation Z” believe homeownership is more important than graduating from college, getting married or having children. Inman reports to MHProNews that teens in the survey indicated that they’d give up perks like video games, eating out, social media or music downloads if it meant affording any house they …
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Working Group tasked with developing new manufactured home energy efficiency standards (as mandated by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007) via a “negotiated rulemaking” process, held its fourth in-person meeting in Washington, D.C. on September 22-23, 2014. SUMMARY The fourth meeting of …
Fourth Manufactured Housing Energy Meeting — Timely & Important Information Read More
Students at Green Mountain College in Vermont, guided by Professor Lucas Brown, began working on tiny homes several years ago and have now developed OTIS—Optimal Traveling Independent Space—70 square feet of modular living space, easily suitable for one, that fits on a 5′ X 8′ utility trailer and can be …
Designed by ABI in East Yorkshire, England, with its moveable walls the Concept Van features a cinema, a ten-seat dining table and beds to sleep ten people, according to what dailymail.co.uk informs MHProNews. The 30 foot by 13 foot manufactured home (called “Caravan” in the UK) prototype has beds …
Following a story MHProNews posted Oct. 22, 2013 entitled Will Texans take to Tiny Homes, a recent story about small homes on BillMoyers.com, asked if respondents could live in a tiny home, drew a series of responses. Gordon Billingsley said he lived in a 920 square-foot passive solar home and …
Tiny Homes/Factory-built Housing could Replace the Blight Read More
The national trade group, Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR), says in a Journal OpEd by their CEO emailed on October 14th of the potential risks related to government actions to expand laws currently regulating HUD Code factory-built home industry. Efforts to implement further regulations on Manufactured Homes (MH) …
Sun Communities saw their shares downgraded to a “market perform” in a ratings reports Friday Oct. 10. That same day the company’s trading ended at $51.44 a share. These recent numbers are not about bad performance for the Sun Communities, but rather what the Watch List News informs MHProNews that …
Analysts and Observers debate performance of SUN Communities Read More
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) suggests that recent government policies are harming American citizens, and point to the words of 1974 Economic Nobel Prize winner, Friedrich A. Hayek. Hayek accepted the honor while warning the world that policy-making should be reserved for topic experts. “The curious task of economics,” Hayek famously …
Hayek and The Fatal Conceit Revisited by Wall Street Journal Read More
Florida Manufactured Housing Association (FMHA) President Cyndi King introduced the federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Manufactured Housing Program director – Pam Beck Danner, JD – to the FMHA’s packed 2014 annual meeting in Orlando on 10.8.2014. Danner described the busy 6 months she’s had at HUD, which included no …
HUD’s Pam Danner draws robust welcome during address at FMHA annual event Read More
While the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s recent report on financing the purchase of manufactured homes (MH) notes buyers of MH are often poor, elderly, rural and vulnerable to high-cost “chattel” (“home only,” personal property) loans, the bureau wants to ensure consumers have access to “responsible credit.” Their report, comments and …
Following up on a story MHProNews last covered Sept. 22, 2014 regarding a 16-year battle between residents of Naples Estates MHC and the owner, Norton Karno, over residents’ attempt to buy the community in Florida, a settlement, if approved, would leave the community in Karno’s hands but he would add …
Residents Reject Community Owner’s Offer, Go Back to Court Read More
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) “is committed to ensuring that consumers have access to responsible credit in the manufactured housing market,” Director Richard Cordray said in an agency report. “Manufactured housing is a critical source of affordable housing for some consumers, particularly those who are older, live in a rural …
Michigan H. B. 5513 would require a written explanation of the responsibilities of local jurisdictions over manufactured homes (MH) and manufactured housing communities (MHCs), seasonal and year round. The Department of Manufactured Housing needs to notify the local government of a technical bulletin if an MHC is open, or seeking …
State races and federal ruling highlight latest Manufactured Housing Grass Roots Report Read More
Bureau’s findings show potentially significant loss of credit available to consumers and disparate impact of regulations on manufactured housing over site-built counterparts Washington, DC-On September 30, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released its report Manufactured-housing consumer finance in the United States to provide “a comprehensive understanding of manufactured …
by L. A. “Tony” Kovach
Some of the most popular articles we have every month are from our periodic interview with manufactured housing industry leaders. “A Cup of Coffee with…” appeals to some of the biggest names in our industry, but also connects professionals from any sized operation with keen insights that can spell SUCCESS.
Charged with “illegally blocking borrowers’ attempts to save their homes,” the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has fined Flagstar Bancorp $37.5 million for violating the agency’s mortgage servicing rules, reports housingwire.com. Flagstar allegedly took excessive time to process borrowers’ applications for foreclosure relief, denied loan modifications to qualified borrowers, and …
Flagstar Charged with Violating Mortgage Servicing Rules Read More
Frank LaCrosse and Jib Turner are building small, modular homes in Little Current, Ontario, Canada—inexpensive to heat, maintain and afford. The 600-1,000 square foot homes have safe spray foam between the lightweight steel studs, in advance of the drywall, and the outside is an exterior insulation and finishing system, called …
Builders Betting on Small Modular Homes in Northern Ontario Read More
The RealShare Conference Series is sponsoring a RealShare Apartments conference of 2,000 multifamily professionals in Los Angeles, October 15-16, 2014, according to globest.com. The following presenters at the conference represent companies that have all been involved in the manufactured housing industry: John Sebree, Vice president of Marcus & Millichap. Laurie-Lustig …
Multifamily Conference to Attract 2,000 Professionals Read More
