Champion Homes will close its Carolina Building Solution plant in Salisbury, North Carolina in March, and consolidate it with its facility in Lillington, NC 80 miles to the east. Some of the 93 employees may relocate to Lillington depending upon how many are needed, but Salisbury Plant Manager Jeff Mooring …
Capping a 14-year legal battle between the city of San Rafael, California and Contempo Marin manufactured housing community (MHC), the United States Supreme Court let stand a lower court ruling that favored the city’s rent control ordinance. A U. S. district court ruled in favor of the Contempo, owned by …
U. S. Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Equity LifeStyle Properties Appeal Read More
John Kozal, an engineer with Universal Forest Products, Inc. (UFPI) since 1994, has been mentoring high school students doing home design and construction since 2009, first at Union High in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and now at Central High. Seven students in particular received his undivided attention, according to schoolnewsnetwork.org, and …
UFPI Engineer Mentors High School Students in Home Building Read More
The Fall segment of the federal 2013 Semi-Annual Regulatory Agenda (SRA), detailing pending and anticipated rulemaking activities, and published in November 2013 by the Regulatory Information Service Center, has now been fully analyzed by MHARR as set forth below. The Fall segment updates the initial 2013 federal SRA analyzed by MHARR in a memorandum dated January 8, …
Fall 2013 Semiannual Regulatory Agenda Report and Analysis Read More
Before diving into the concept outlined and ways that it might benefit manufactured housing and our American home-buying public in general, let’s define the legal term, “writ of mandamus.” From Princeton’s WordNet: “mandamus: an extraordinary writ commanding an official to perform a ministerial act that the law recognizes as an …
The Wildhorse Estates subdivision in Florence, Arizona has 84 large lots designated for manufactured homes (MH), but there are only 15 MH sited, and the remainder are site-built homes, making it out of compliance with county zoning. Many homes have horses and other farm animals, some of which have more …
A modular house for sale in Townsville, Queensland, Australia offers spectacular views of Cleveland Bay from every room as it rests on 18 large steel pins drilled 20 feet into the rock foundation below. “It’s a very strong design because all of the columns work in unison, like spokes on …
An analysis by Fannie Mae of its 2013 National Mortgage Survey reveals lower income borrowers are more apt to rely on advice from others, such as real estate agents and/or friends and family to determine what mortgage to choose and how much to borrow. They want loan terms and costs …
Online Shopping will Play Larger Role in Choosing Mortgages Read More
A Cup of Coffee with…Rick Robinson
1) Who, What and Where: (Your name, formal title at the MHI and where you are based).
I’m Rick Robinson and I’m Vice President of Government Affairs and General Counsel for the Manufactured Housing Institute. I’m located at the association offices in Roslyn, Virginia.
A Cup of Coffee with…Rick Rand
1) Who, What and Where: (Your name, formal title at Great Value and where you are based).
Richard J. Rand (Rick) – President of Great Value Homes, Inc. Based in Milwaukee WI
MHI News MHI’s CFPB and Financial Services Update Bipartisan Effort Unveils Manufactured Housing Relief Legislation Senators Joe Donnelly (D-IN) and Tom Coburn (R-OK) have introduced thePreserving Access to Manufactured Housing Act (S. 1828) to reduce regulatory burdens that impede access to affordable manufactured housing finance. The legislation would remedy provisions of …
In November housing starts rose 22.7 percent to a seasonally-adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 1.09 million, according to data from the U. S. Department of Commerce, the highest rate since Feb. 2008. Additionally, Bloomberg.com informs MHProNews permits for new housing hit close to a five-year high, indicating construction will continue …
Housing Starts: Growing Demand Trumps Higher Mortgage Rates Read More
Combining forces, the University of New Mexico and Arizona State University entered a solar modular home in the U. S. Dept. of Energy (DOE)s’ Solar Decathlon held in Oct. at Irvine, California, winning first prize in the “energy balance” category and in the top ten in other categories. “SHADE (Solar …
Modular Entry from Solar Decathlon on Display in Albuquerque Read More
A developer of mixed-use multifamily and office buildings in Seattle, Washington says micro- housing is a good solution for housing in urban areas but it should go through the same design review as other projects. Patrick Foley of Lake Union Partners, responding to a query about affordable housing is Seattle, …
Following up on a story MHProNews published Sept. 18, 2013 regarding a survey of manufactured home owners and community operators being conducted by the Queensland, Australia government, respondents must reply by Dec. 20. The survey includes questions on a range of topics including sales, operations, utility charges, rent increases and …
Survey of Manufactured Home Owners/Operators ends Dec. 20 Read More
Watt’s FHFA Confirmation Provides Potential to Expand Manufactured Housing Finance Options On Tuesday by a 57-41 vote, the Senate confirmed Rep. Mel Watt (D-NC) to be the next director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). He becomes the first FHFA Director – which serves as conservator and regulator of …
The Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform informs MHProNews the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has published a final rule that implements Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee (MHCC) recommendations made in 2005. Set to take effect June 9, 2014, the final rule omits MHCC-proposed changes to the HUD formaldehyde …
Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee: Win Some, Lose Some Read More
Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID) says for the past three years, Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) has refused to allow any amendments to the Dodd-Frank Act to be enacted, but now Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD), chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, has shown interest in reforms during this session of Congress which …
Bi-Partisan Support Exists to Amend Dodd-Frank; For it to Happen Soon are Remote Read More
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is getting feedback from lenders regarding the Qualified Mortgage (QM) rule, and while it may alter some of the guidelines down the road, it will wait until lenders adjust to the new set of guidelines. Speaking to a Women in Housing and Finance gathering, …
Qualified Mortgage Guidelines will not Change Initially Read More
After a prolonged delay, HUD has published a final rule adopting the second set of consensus standards developed and recommended by the Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee (MHCC) in 2005 (copy attached). The rule published in the Federal Register on December 9, 2013 – which will become effective on June 9, 2014 — implements, with some …
Final HUD Rule Adopting “Second Set” of MHCC-Recommended Standards Revisions Read More
