As what follows reveals, the accurate and brief answer to the headline question is – so far yes, no, and to be determined. A pre-pandemic manufactured housing trade event sheds light on the current professional, investor, and advocates’ landscape.
At a display of manufactured homes, a high-ranking official of well-known multi-billion-dollar firm was marveling at the quality and the value-proposition of new HUD Code manufactured housing. He was not there to be interviewed. He had a mission. He was there to better understand the manufactured home market, which his company had a keen interest in.
Among the points of surprise and/or questions by that corporate official?
- When affordable housing is so necessary in the U.S., how was it possible that manufactured housing was performing at such a relative low level? Note that then, as now, the production/shipment levels were under 100,000 units per year, far below historic norms or that of other segments of the broader housing industry.
- How was it possible that manufactured housing was so misunderstood? His impression was in several ways the opposite of the broad public notion that manufactured homes were still like the ‘mobile homes’ or ‘trailer houses’ of decades long gone by.
- Because several publicly traded firms were involved in manufactured housing, why were they not doing a better job of educating the public?
This writer asked him, was he aware of the video interview with Kevin Clayton about some of the topics he was raising? He said no, and asked for a link to that interview.
Attorneys, news reporters, and public officials are among those who engage with MHProNews directly are routinely curious and surprised by various aspects of contemporary manufactured housing.
In the reports for this week’s headlines in review, as always, several topics are explored. Among them, and in no certain order of importance:
- Insights from the Florida Manufactured Home Association (FMHA) and BowStern’s campaign, along with feedback from the FMHA and BowStern about evidence raised in our report. See those two topics further below.
- Given the ongoing challenges to the 2020 presidential election, there are reasons to believe that even the ‘certification’ of votes by the various states that will send electors to the Electoral College will not end the challenges being launched by the Trump campaign and their allies. It could get uglier than it already is.
- There are several reports about publicly traded Cavco Industries. The controversies are numerous. They in some ways connect to and arguably shed light the interests of investors and corporate leaders, who like the example mentioned above, wonder how is it possible that the industry is underperforming so much? See the new Masthead and the related Daily Business News reports linked below.
- Which is a useful segue to ‘the Rodney Dangerfield of affordable housing,’ see that on MHLivingNews below.
- Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) outside attorney John Greiner of Graydon Law is in the spotlight of the “Badges of Fraud” report found among the headlines below.
- Another state attorney general has concluded a case involving a manufactured home community operator.
- Publicly traded Sun Communities is in the spotlight of a report.
- Alfredo Ortiz warns that it is DEFCON 1 for small businesses.
- The NFIB also has issued its concerns about the prospects for smaller businesses.
- And all of that has a possible silver lining, in as much as problems are opportunities in disguise.
Don’t miss the postscript for today, following the headlines in review.
With no further adieu, dive into and explore the most-read reports in all of manufactured housing professional trade media in the headlines from 12.6 to 12.13.2020.
What’s New on Manufactured Home Living News
The Latest from Washington, D.C. from MHARR
What’s New on the Masthead
What’s New on the Daily Business News on MHProNews
Saturday 12.12.2020
Friday 12.11.2020
Thursday 12.10.2020
Wednesday 12.9.2020
Tuesday 12.8.2020
Monday 12.7.2020
Sunday 12.6.2020
Postscript
Some are uncomfortable with the notion that manufactured housing trade media – i.e. MHProNews – explores topics that others in our profession routinely ignore, downplay, or otherwise sidestep.
Similarly, some do not like the fact that MHProNews explores ‘political topics,’ ironically forgetful that manufactured home state and/or national associations often explore legal, political, and regulatory issues. Indeed, other industries have trade media that explore political-regulatory-legal topics. The question should instead be, why don’t our wanna-be rivals do the same?
Perhaps our willingness to explore such issues is part of what makes and keeps us the runaway number one most read in manufactured housing trade publishing?
That said, some topics that are explored on our trade platforms are frankly not ‘fun’ topics. The rancor and controversies that exists in national politics – for example, over election integrity issues – is an ongoing tragedy. It is entirely understandable when Democrats like former Vice President Al Gore or former Minnesota Senator Al Franken pressed their legal challenges post-election. One lost, the other ‘won.’ More recently, Democrat Stacy Abrams pressed her complaints about the Georgia governor’s race years after she lost in 2018. So, why is it a surprise that President Donald J. Trump press his issues as far as the law will allow?
That said, what lies ahead for the Trump team may lead to an unprecedented set of steps. MHProNews has been following the legal and messaging nuances. A special report is planned, as it could well prove relevant to industry independents, investors, and others. Stay tuned.
Will white-hat manufactured housing pros and ethical investors catch a break? Time will tell. But until event reveal themselves, the armies of readers at MHProNews tell us that there is no better place to catch the latest and read the tea leaves anywhere on or off-online.
Our thanks to you, our sources, and sponsors for making and keeping us the runaway number one source for authentic “News through the lens of manufactured homes and factory-built housing” © 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 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:
The text/image boxes below are linked to other reports, which can be accessed by clicking on them.
“Mob Rules” – 2020 and Manufactured Housing Updates; plus, Sunday Weekly Headlines in Review
