This is an instance when the surprise is good news for numbers of manufactured housing professionals. Indications from an often reliable MHI connected source that HUD Code shipments would decline in March 2020 have proven to be inaccurate.
Despite the forced closures by COVID19 of dozens of production centers in various parts of the U.S. previously reported by MHProNews, overall shipments rose year over year in March 2020 vs. March 2019.
The data below is compiled on behalf of HUD by the Institute for Building Technology and Safety (IBTS).
The report below will be followed by additional information, plus an MHProNews analysis and commentary.
INDUSTRY PRODUCTION REACHES SEVEN
CONSECUTIVE MONTHS OF GROWTH IN MARCH 2020
Washington, D.C., May 4, 2020 – The Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR) reports that according to official statistics compiled on behalf of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), HUD Code manufactured housing industry year-over-year production grew in March 2020. Just-released statistics indicate that HUD Code manufacturers produced 8,338 homes in March 2020, a 9.8% increase over the 7,590 new HUD Code homes produced during March 2019. Cumulative 2020 production now stands at 25,311 homes as compared with 22,359 homes produced over the same period in 2019, an increase of 13.2%.
With the March 2020 statistics, the industry has now reached seven consecutive months of production growth, dating back to September 2019. While this increase represents positive news for both the industry and consumers of affordable housing, expectations going forward must be tempered by the potential market impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and related closure orders. Meanwhile MHARR will continue to provide the industry and consumers with accurate and factual information regarding production and shipment information for federally-regulated manufactured homes.
The Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform is a Washington, D.C.-based national trade association representing the views and interests of independent producers of federally-regulated manufactured housing.
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MHProNews Additional Insights, Analysis and Commentary
The video below is relevant to the report linked above. Keep in mind that the interview took place just weeks after the Trump Administration took office.
MHARR made in clear in a subsequent 2017 report to the industry that the industry needed a post-production association that would do what the Manufactured Housing Institute claims to do, but in practice has failed to promote the issues that common sense should tell professionals are necessary.
The recent dust-up over new revelations about MHI’s “CrossModTM homes.” See that in the link below.
There are numerous points that could be made about the shipment data. A key point is this. For several years, industry production/shipment data – while technically accurate – is to a certain extent skewed. How so? Because per MHI a significant percentage of new HUD Code manufactured homes are being shipped to land-lease communities. Those homes are often used as rental units, not as new homes for sales.
“MHI Lies, Independent Businesses Die” © – True or False? – Berkshire’s Joanne Stevens Strikes Again
For those who have not yet come to realize that the system in manufactured housing has purportedly been ‘rigged,’ the question that the gentlemen in the report linked below applies. “Where the hell have you been?”
The links below the byline are relevant to this topic. That’s a wrap on your runaway #1 source of manufactured home “Industry News, Tips and Views Pros Can Use” © where “We Provide, You Decide.” © ## (Affordable housing, manufactured homes, reports, fact-checks, analysis, and commentary. Third-party images or content are provided under fair use guidelines for media.) (See Related Reports, further below. Text/image boxes often are hot-linked to other reports that can be access by clicking on them.)
By L.A. “Tony” Kovach – for MHLivingNews.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:
The text/image boxes below are linked to other reports, which can be accessed by clicking on them.
Prosperity Now, Nonprofits Sustain John Oliver’s “Mobile Homes” Video in Their Reports
February 2020, Latest National Manufactured Housing Production Data, MHI and MHARR Comparisons
Are Manufactured Housing Supply Chains in China Threatened by Coronavirus?
