George Allen / EducateMHC Blog Mobile Home & Land Lease Community Advocate & Expert

September 29, 2017

Press Porn, New Classes of MH, # LLCommunities

Filed under: Uncategorized — George Allen @ 9:57 am

Blog # 466; Copyright, 1 October 2017; at community-investor.com

Perspective. ‘Land lease communities, previously manufactured home communities, & ‘mobile home parks’, comprise the real estate component of manufactured housing.’

This blog posting is the sole national advocate, voice, official ombudsman, historian, research report, & online communication media for all North American LLCommunities.

To input this blog &/or affiliate with Community Owners (7 Part) Business Alliance, a.k.a. COBA7, use Official MHIndustry HOTLINE: (877) MFD-HSNG or 633-4764.

COBA7 Motto: ‘U Support US & WE Serve U!’ Goal of its’ print & online media =
to not only inform & opine, but to transform 7y improve MHBusiness performance!
_____________________________________________________________________

INTRODUCTION. Part I. Admittedly somewhat political in nature, but timely and worthwhile sharing. Part II. Two of the most important trend launching dates in HUD-Code manufactured housing. Part III. ‘And how many land lease communities in the U.S. do you say there are? Part IV. Limited number of Swan Song book available to land lease community aficionados.

I.

PRESS PORN

‘It Ain’t Got No Juice!’

Circa 1976. When the fledgling national Christian newspaper I was peddling in the Midwest didn’t sell well, I asked a grizzled old newsstand proprietor, ‘Why?’ His blunt reply: “It Ain’t Got No Juice!” To which I asked, ‘What’s juice?’ His answer? Sex & violence!’ The big lesson to me? That sex & violence = press porn. A lesson that resonated with me then, and again today. How so? Two contemporary examples…

1) As the PBS documentary VIETNAM draws to a close, it’s obvious combat mayhem, & violent protests at home, carried the action throughout this lengthy, albeit incomplete recitation of the conflict in the Republic of Vietnam. Incomplete? Ken Burns & Lynn Novick got the violence almost right; and I assume, the domestic protest violence even more so, given the extensive national press porn coverage at the time. But I really wouldn’t know, in the latter instance, as I was a young Marine lieutenant in RVN then, learning firsthand about violence and the consequences thereof..

But what I do know is this. During February 1969, engaged in operation Dewey Canyon, along the Ho Chi Minh trail in the Da Krong – Ashau Valley corridor, we took serious incoming artillery fire from several distant Russian 122mm field guns. W had no counter-battery capability. And guess who was aiming and firing them at us? Well, elements from the 9th Marine Regiment helo-assaulted the artillery firing position and overran the enemy. Among the enemy casualties were Russian advisors (Likely the ‘cannon cockers’, as the captured firing tables were in Russian). Now that gem didn’t come out in the documentary did it? That’s just one of several oversights. How ’bout this? The secret plan to use Atomic Demolition Munitions, a.k.a. ADMs, the size of soccer balls, and other similarly equipped weapons, in the event North Vietnamese and Red Chinese infantry overran key portions of RVN. How do I know all this? I was there in both instances; as a participant in the first, and trainee in the second.

2) Another example of contemporary press porn, maybe a little less obvious? Press coverage of protest actions (i.e. ‘kneeling’) by some NFL football players. This from a Letter to the Editor, penned 25 September 2017.

“In 1981, highly paid PATCO union strikers demand for even higher wages wound up with 11,000 of them being fired by President Reagan! Why? In large part, due to little to no public support for a bunch of already exorbitantly paid, but unappreciative, air traffic controllers.

And now, 36 years later?

In 2017, well paid NFL kneelers demand for recognition of social ills, at the expense of honoring our nation’s flag and anthem, backfires! Why? In large part, due to little to no public support for a bunch of already exorbitantly paid, but unappreciative, football players.

Think about it. Like the already affluent air traffic controllers of yore, today’s moneyed football players can have a bully pulpit anywhere, anytime they desire! However, to openly ‘dis’ (as in ‘disrespect’) our nation’s flag and national anthem, by kneeling rather than standing, in very public arenas, risks their being displaced as sports heroes to social pariahs (‘outcasts’), and not social change agents.”

The point? While there’s neither ‘sex or violence’ in this latter example, press porn feeds on protests like these, to simply ‘sell more newspapers’ and ‘count more hits’ on internet news sites. Remember, if it ‘Ain’t got no juice!’ the news will not sell.

II.

2/28/2009 & 9/18/2017

Two Trend Launching Dates to Remember & Respect

As manufactured housing’s new millennium paradigm shift, from distribution of new HUD-Code homes via independent (street) MHRetailers to in-community sales and seller-financing by land lease community owners/operators, 100 representatives from Midwest manufacturing plants and property portfolios met, on 2/28/2009, at the RV/MH Hall of Fame, in Elkhart, IN., to ‘make history together’.

The driving questions of the day? Well, they were the same, for both parties, though articulated somewhat differently:

‘What do we have to do to get you to buy more new manufactured homes?

&

‘Will you design & build new homes suitable for sale within our communities?

Following a daylong discussion of needs & wants, what’s practical & not, a new (unnamed) class of manufactured homes was agreed upon by both parties. Characteristics? Singlesection or modest multisection in size; shingled roof and non-metal siding; durability enhancing features, with an eye to easing turnover make-ready; and, at least one WOW! feature inside and outside the new manufactured home!

Nearly nine months later, Don Westphal, landscape engineer consultant to the manufactured housing industry, during the annual Networking Roundtable that Fall, suggested this new class of manufactured home be named, Community Series Homes, supplanting the Developer Series Homes (a.k.a. Big Box = Big Bucks!) of the late 1990s.

Trend result? In 2009, only 25% of new HUD-Code homes were delivered directly into (then) manufactured home communities; by year end 2015 that percentage had jumped to more than 40%; and some now predict, 75% infill by year 2020!

And then there’s 9/18/2017, occurring during a Manufacturers Division meeting at MHI’s annual meeting in Orlando, FL., as first reported in blog posting # 465 at community-investor.com, last week. Either scroll back thru the blog archives, or read on from here:

“New Class of HUD-Code Manufactured Home to…1) attract underserved prospective homebuyers (market) to a distinct new generation of manufactured housing; 2) give FHFA & GSEs a new class of housing, one easier for them to accept, for loan guarantee purposes; & 3) provide a fresh start offering slightly upscale, specifically featured, new homes at truly affordable prices!”

Characteristics? Likely either singlesection or multisection in configuration,

• to be built in accords with existing HUD-Code
• to have a 5/12 roof pitch, presumably asphalt shingled
• to be mounted on a permanent foundation
• to have a built-in porch
• to likely have a garage or carport at one end of home

• & maybe have features in support of growing interest in ‘near net zero energy use’ housing, now in California and soon to move East. Details available on request.

Obviously it’s too soon to tell what the consequences, hopefully good, will be from this second Trend Launch. But we all know of the real need for a fresh start to motivate our industry, excite prospective homebuyers, and interest our sources of housing finance!

What will this new class of HUD-Code manufactured home be labeled? That remains to be seen. However, one early suggestion is ‘Millennium Housing’. How ’bout you? Any creative but apt ideas? If so, let us know via gfa7156@aol.com or phone the Official MHIndustry HOTLINE: (877) MFD-HSNG or 633-4764.

III.

36,862; 38,000; 44/45,000; or 50,000+/-?

The number of land lease communities in the U.S.

So says MHI’s NCC division, MHVillage/DATACOMP; RV Horizons; & COBA7, a division of GFA Management, Inc., dba PMN Publishing. Which estimate is the most accurate? Answer? Not one of them! And for several, not readily apparent reasons. And frankly, we’ll likely Never Really Know. Read next week’s blog posting # 467, to learn the ‘whys & wherefores’ of this interesting, timely and controversial subject.

IV.

SWAN SONG

‘George Allen’s History of Land Lease Communities, 1970 – present day’

Had no plans to do this, but given the few dozen copies of this ‘first time ever history of mobile home parks cum manufactured home communities cum land lease communities’ remaining in inventory, and strongly voiced interest in purchasing same, we’re offering the 150 page book here:

Send $49.95 in check or money order (covers book, shipping & handling), made out to COBA7 c/o Box # 47024, Indianapolis, IN. 46247.

Frankly, you will not believe the breadth and scope of stories, statistics, and other material contained in this book. As it will likely be the last one (of 15) I’ve authored and or edited for the manufactured housing industry, I made it a point of including ‘everything of value’ in it!

Buy and enjoy!

***

September 21, 2017

New Class of (Manufactured) Home (?)

Filed under: Uncategorized — George Allen @ 11:18 am

Blog # 465; Copyright 24 September 2017; at community-investor.com

Perspective. ‘Land lease communities, previously manufactured home communities, & ‘mobile home parks’, comprise the real estate component of manufactured housing.’

This blog posting is the sole national advocate, voice, official ombudsman, historian, research report, & online communication media for all North American LLCommunities

To input this blog &/or affiliate with Community Owners (7 Part) Business Alliance, a.k.a. COBA7, use Official MHIndustry HOTLINE: (877) MFD-HSNG or 633-4764

COBA7 Motto: ‘U Support US & WE Serve U!’ Goal of its’ print & online media =
to not only inform & opine, but to transform & improve MHBusiness performance!’
________________________________________________________________________

INTRODUCTION: I, for one, am cautiously optimistic, the HUD-Code manufactured housing industry, along with its’ land lease community real estate asset class, is about to enter an exciting new phase of its’ heretofore nearly 80 year existence! How so? Read Part I following. And Part II? One man’s frustration with bureaucratic sandbagging….

I.

New Class of (Manufactured) Home (?)

Read about it Here First!

The ‘buzz’ at the Manufactured Housing Institute’s annual meeting in Orlando, 18 & 19 September? Whispers, then open conversation, about maybe launching a ‘New Class of HUD-Code Manufactured Home’ to, in part, 1) attract underserved prospective homebuyers (market) to a distinct new generation of manufactured housing; 2) give FHFA & GSEs a new class of housing, one easier for them to accept, for loan guarantee purposes; & 3) provide a fresh start offering slightly upscale, specifically featured, new homes at truly affordable prices!

What’s this new class of housing to likely be? No one this industry observer talked to would commit to whether this new class of housing might be ‘just’ multisection, or singlesection & multisection. But here’s what they did say:

• To be built in accords with the existing HUD-Code

• To have a 5/12 roof pitch, presumably asphalt shingled

• To be mounted on a permanent foundation

• To have a built-in porch

• To likely have a garage or carport at one end of the home

Anything else? Well, no one commented, but given the maturing of ‘near net zero energy usage’ manufactured homes, going into and outside land lease communities in California, ‘why not’ include some forward-looking features, e.g. extra insulation and double-pane windows. While not sexy, they are practical, proven energy-saving measures. But shy away from (politician & regulator – favored) solar systems, as they’re still cost prohibitive; and solar shingles – as they just don’t work, yet..

Then there’s the name, moniker, handle, by which this new class of home will be known and marketed. From the git-go, in my opinion, we should stay away from traditional ‘manufactured’ lingo; maybe go with something altogether new, like Millennium Housing. What alternatives would you recommend?

And guess what? The largest independent, third party source of chattel capital for this industry/asset class, is already developing a 30 year mortgage program for just such forward-looking new ‘millennium’ houses and homes!

Want to express observations or opinion about this lively and ‘breaking’ topic? Let COBA7 know via gfa7156@aol.com, or phone the Official MHIndustry HOTLINE: (877) MFD-HSNG or 633-4764.

II.

Insider’s Report on MHI & NCC Annual Meetings!

Last week’s BEBA (Blast Email Blog Alert) # 464 laid out three goals pursuant to Carolyn and me attending the subject annual meetings in Orlando, FL. Here they are, along with this industry observer’s prejudiced opinion as to what was accomplished, and not accomplished, in each instance; to wit, “Learn if/how the institute is working…”

• “To unseat the present, overreaching manufactured housing administrator at HUD, an Obama holdover.” Lotta talk, but hopefully, action behind the scene(s). Best I could ascertain is, there’s a political solution in the wind, whatever that comes to mean. So, keep watching and keeping pressure on MHARR & MHI.

• “To restore our industry’s reasonable access to chattel capital in support of the on-site sale and seller-financing of new HUD-Code homes.” Yes, movement on several fronts: “(MHI) efforts include clarifying and modifying CFPB financing rules, requiring the GSEs to support chattel lending, and improving FHA mortgage insurance programs for manufactured housing.”- and more. Quoted from Government Affairs Department’s Accomplishments & Priorities for 2017.

And this final goal is dealt with separately, as it involves only the National Communities Council division, from the perspective of one of its’ founding members and long term board member.

• “To see whether the National Communities Council division will agree to adopt bylaws permitting proxy voting during officer elections at future annual meetings.” In a word, the answer was and is NO, but not for the reason one might think. Huh? It never had an opportunity for discussion! Here’s what happened…

One and a half hours were set aside for the NCC meeting. And it featured a pretty robust agenda, covering everything from DATACOMP produced Data Sheets – more on that later, likely in a future blog posting; a federal advocacy and regulatory update, ACM curriculum update, slated officer elections, and concluding with a lengthy presentation of and by a new weather alert system, HazardCall. So, what was missing?

NEW BUSINESS. Nope. Rarely is this category included on the NCC division’s agenda, despite repeated requests for it to be there. Consequences this time around?

• No opportunity to challenge NCC board members to consider a change to existing bylaws, allowing for proxy voting during future annual meetings, to supplement ‘always by acclamation’ elections of board officers. Now must wait till next year.

• No opportunity to inquire as to whether MHI, or anyone else for that matter, was giving serious consideration as to who might be the next administrator of the manufactured housing program at HUD! That’s when we learned ‘the fix’ might be more political than otherwise….One way or the other, as land lease community owners/operators, we need change!

• No opportunity to present and discuss the Champion Homebuilder’s ‘Installation Manual Addendum for Exception to Footings Located Below the Frost Line’ So, once again, public presentation of (possible) industry progress must occur in either or both the Allen CONFIDENTIAL! business newsletter & the Allen Letter professional journal. Why? Because there simply is no longer The Journal or Manufactured Home Merchandiser print publications to spread industry news.

• No opportunity to suggest creation of a Special Award to, on occasion, recognize a land lease community owner/operator who’s performed some sort of outstanding service to the real estate asset class! Such recognitions, within MHI circles, already exist among state execs re ‘communication’, and in the finance division.

• No opportunity to discuss the recent imbroglio relative to automated underwriting programs (maybe) being required for GSE guaranteed loans.

So, is it easy to see why this direct dues-paying MHI member is routinely frustrated with NCC meetings structured to cover already vetted topics, but nothing ‘from the floor’?

September 14, 2017

‘Ready to Move On, With or Without the Assistance of MHARR & MHI’

Filed under: Uncategorized — George Allen @ 7:31 am

Blog # 464; Copyright 17 September 2017; at community-investor.com

Perspective. ‘Land lease communities, previously manufactured home communities, &, ‘mobile home parks’, comprise the real estate component of manufactured housing.’

This blog posting is the sole national advocate, voice, official ombudsman, historian, research report, & online communication media for all North American LLCommunities

To input this blog &/or affiliate with Community Owners (7 Part) Business Alliance, a.k.a. COBA7, use Official MHIndustry HOTLINE: (877) MFD-HSNG or 633-4764

COBA7 Motto: ‘U Support US & WE serve U!’ Goal of it’s print & online media =
to not only inform & opine, but to transform & improve MHBusiness performance!’
________________________________________________________________________

INTRODUCTION: We’re on the cusp (‘point’) of major decision-making relative to land lease community representation and advocacy! Which is to say, ‘not that anyone is doing anything wrong’; simply, this unique income-producing property type is now a major market for, and purchaser of, new HUD-Code manufactured homes. And it now deserves, even demands, enhanced political and regulatory representation, as well as assurance of continued delivery of specialized property management-related products (e.g. books, newsletters, statistical reports & directories), as well as services (e.g. PM training & certification, sales training, interpersonal networking, realty deal-making). All that was the quiet gist (‘essence’) of the 26th Networking Roundtable, the COBA7 ‘succession planning meeting’ in particular. Read on…

I.

Present & Future Highlights of the 26th Roundtable

What You Missed & Where We’re Headed During 2018

(Good) fireworks began before this year’s 26th Networking Roundtable started! Ten land lease community owners/operators earned their Manufactured Housing Manager certification designations; and, Joanne Stevens, CCIM, & Tammy Owens’ newly formatted ‘Anatomy of the Deal!’ attracted 75 specialty real estate brokers and a host of would be and present investors in this unique income-producing property type!

A highlight of the opening reception (‘Celebrating National Land Lease Community Week’) was having four women in my life present: Carolyn, daughter Susan, granddaughter Heather, and Susan’s business partner, Erin.

Once again, everyone stood and introduced themselves to the audience of 174 (We were short 20 registrants, mostly from FL & TX, due to weather challenges).

For the first time, I shared the ever-evolving ‘Official State of Manufactured Housing & Land Lease Communities’ talk with a national audience; I do it frequently before state audiences. If you’d like a copy of the 30 bullet point summary of these key industry/asset class statistics and emerging trends, simply ask for it via email to gfa7156@aol.com

David Funk did it again! He laid a housing demographics and trends foundation, then jumped into his “Financing Strategies & impact of Duty to Serve’ talk – offering the Power Point presentation. Continues to amaze me how no other national manufactured housing advocacy entity has picked up on David’s skill and experience as an academic and land lease community owner, to have him share same with their members.

The last summary here, is that of MHGives, the manufactured housing industry’s homegrown charity and mission to central American and Caribbean countries. Want to learn more? Visit MHGives.org.

A note to state MHAssociation execs. Want a super summary of capable and experienced speakers to consider for future seminars for members? Request a copy of this year’s agenda and list of 20 presenters – along with their respective topics. You’ll be glad you did. (317) 346-7156.

II.

COBA7

‘Ready to Move On, With or Without Assistance from MHARR & MHI’

Some of the most interesting proceedings at the annual Networking Roundtable occur before, tucked within, and after the actual 2 1/2 day event. This year, at 1:30-2:30PM, Friday, 20+ businessmen and women met for a COBA7 Succession Planning Meeting.

Hard to say ‘what was accomplished’ within the meeting, as there was no agenda
and conversations covered every aspect of land lease community advocacy, ongoing need for specialized products and services, and ‘where to go from here’?

• Since that meeting, two potential (& interested) national lobbyist candidates have been identified, and will soon be briefed and interviewed.

• An annual operating budget is being compiled, and corporate $ supporters identified and contacted. (All expressed interest, even commitment, beforehand)

• A governing board will be named ‘when the time is right’

• COBA7 to be converted from its’ ‘for profit’ division status within GFA Management, Inc., dba PMN Publishing, to an appropriate ‘not for profit’ entity type.

Does this mean COBA7 will be (Or, as some already see it, ‘continue to be’) a competitor to MHARR & MHI? Not really. MHARR membership is strictly limited to smaller, regional HUD-Code home manufacturers – and associates, who receive periodic regulatory-related news briefs from the entity. MHI, though claiming representation of all segments of the manufactured housing industry, given the dominance of the largest of the HUD-Code home manufacturers (i.e. 80+% national market share of new HUD-Code homes) is understandably focused on that segment of the industry! COBA7, on the other hand, was formed in 2014, ‘by & for’ land lease community owners/operators, large & small, operating throughout the U.S. & Canada. And that’s the market it serves today, in these seven areas:

• Ongoing statistical research, & distribution of same, via the annual ALLEN REPORT (# 29 during January 2018), and other…

• Signature Series Resource Documents (‘SSRDs’), e.g. annual National Registry of ALL Lenders, Directory of Freelance Consultants, Directory of Print & Online MH Media, Lexicon of MHIndustry & LLCommunity Terminology, & more…

• Weekly & monthly communication with affiliates via two print newsletters and an online blog posting at community-investor.com

• Planning & hosting of superb interpersonal networking opportunities

• Planning & hosting of superb deal-making opportunities

• Professional Property Management Training & Certification via popular Manufactured Housing Manager (‘MHM’) program – with its’ 1,000+ designees to date

• National advocacy ‘when need be’, to become ‘continually’, when all is in place; at present functioning mainly as an industry and realty asset class ombudsman, and historian (Read Swan Song; ‘History of LLCommunities, 1970-2017’)

What’s driving this move to enhanced representation and advocacy for land lease communities, large & small, nationwide? The ongoing paradigm shift (2000-2017) in manufactured housing distribution: From independent (street) MHRetailers, to home sales and seller-financing on-site in land lease communities! New manufactured housing shipments (often Community Series Homes), directly into land lease communities, has increased from 25% in 2009, to more than 40% by year end 2015, and is estimated to eclipse 80% by year 2020. This segment of the MHIndustry must have top notch representation to Promote & Protect Itself!

And no one else has been training community owners/operators ‘How to do all this’, by din of ‘Two Days of Plant Tours & Home Sales Seminars’ debuting in 2016, being replicated during 2018 in Elkhart, IN, via a partnership with IMHA/RVIC; and, thru professional property management training and certification. Today, there is no other national classroom-based offering by anyone – other than COBA7’s MHM program.

If YOU are not already affiliated with COBA7, consider doing so today. It costs but $134.95/year – & receive 12 copies of the Allen Letter professional journal. Use the brochure attached to this blog posting, or email gfa7156@aol.com

The COBA7 unique Motto: ‘U Support US & WE Serve U!’

III.

Have You Heard?

Jack Holefelder & five generations of his family, during mid-October in Media, PA., will be celebrating the 80th anniversary of Village Green Senior Community, a land lease community! Some of you may remember Jack as author of a text on family business succession, and being a past speaker at the Networking Roundtable. Congratulations to Jack & his family!

***

George Allen
GFA Management, Inc
Box # 47024
Indianapolis, IN. 46247
(317) 346-7156

September 9, 2017

If a ‘player’, Your Fall Meeting Schedule…

Filed under: Uncategorized — George Allen @ 6:48 pm

Blog # 463; Copyright 10 September 2017; at community-investor.com/blog

Perspective. ‘Land lease communities, previously manufactured home communities, & , ‘mobile home parks’, comprise the real estate component of manufactured housing.’

This blog posting is the sole national advocate, voice, official ombudsman, historian, research report, & online communication media for all North American LLCommunities

To input this blog &/or affiliate with Community Owners (7 part) Business Alliance, a.k.a. COBA7, use Official MHIndustry HOTLINE: (877 MFD-HSNG or 633-4764

COBA7 Motto: ‘U Support US & WE Serve U!’ Goal of its’ print & online media =
to not only inform & opine, but to transform & improve MHBusiness performance!
______________________________________________________________________

I.

Fall MH Meeting Season Underway!

And Where Will We Find You?

26th International Networking Roundtable enjoyed a spectacular time this past week in Indianapolis, IN. How so? More than 150 businessmen & women owners/operators of land lease communities, large & small, from throughout the U.S. spent 2 1/2 days ‘learning together’, networking at nine food & beverage events, even engaging in deal-making relative to our unique, income-producing property type. Probably more details in the weeks to come, either here in this weekly blog or in the Allen Letter professional journal. Will tell you this though; there’re now ten more certified Manufactured Housing Managers at work in communities! And David Funk, college professor & land lease community owner, kept the rapt attention of his audience, with housing statistics and trend analysis information! Too bad if you missed it. Oh, and everyone present received a copy of SWAN SONG, the semi-autobiographical account of land lease community history from 1970 to the present day.

17-19 September (Next weekend). MHI will (hopefully) hold it’s annual meeting in Orlando, FL. Will I see you there? Carolyn & I are attending this year – first time for her in many years. After this past week, we need to get away for a few days. Ha; as if this’ll be a picnic. In any case, it’s the one time each year the institute’s National Communities Council (NCC’) division holds its’ officer elections (pretty much already determined, given that proxy voting is not permitted), and we take a look at where we’ve been and where we’re maybe going as a realty asset class, a.k.a. income-producing property type. And of course, there’ll be several other division meetings occurring as well, plus the executive board meeting at the end. Expect to see between 100 & 200 registrants from all segments of the manufactured housing industry. Interested? Phone (703) 558-0400

11&12 October. The annual (6th?) SECO Conference. This year the event has moved to the Marietta Hilton in Marietta, GA., in anticipation of a crowd of 400 or more, to participate in a wide array of seminars & panels, as well as visiting a half dozen Community Series Homes on display. What’s ‘special’ about this gathering? It’s planned, facilitated and hosted entirely by businessmen and women, like the aforementioned Networking Roundtable, mostly from the land lease community segment of the manufactured housing industry. I always attend, to mingle with my peers from the Southeast, and to brief them as to the ‘Official State of the Manufactured Housing Industry & Land Lease Community Real Estate Asset Class’. Interested? Reach out to genevieve@secoconference.com

1-3 November. Tired of meetings yet? If not, maybe travel to Chicago, IL., for the NCC’s Fall Leadership Forum. This event too is heavily patronized heavily, mostly by sole proprietors, general partners, and CEOs of property portfolios, as well as their real estate-secured mortgage originators of choice. For more info, phone (703- 558-0666.
Well, that about does it for this Fall. Sure, there’re other regional and state association meetings in the mix. But here you have the regional and national venues for our industry and asset class.

THAT’S ALL FOR THIS WEEK. Not enough time to concentrate on the blog during the Networking Roundtable.

***

September 1, 2017

Filed under: Uncategorized — George Allen @ 7:20 am

Blog # 462; Copyright 3 September 2017; at community-investor.com/blog

Perspective. ‘Land lease communities’, previously manufactured home communities, &
‘mobile home parks’, comprise the real estate component of manufactured housing.’

This blog posting is the sole national advocate, voice, official ombudsman, historian, research report, & online communication media for all North American LLCommunities.

To input this blog &/or affiliate with Community Owners (7 Part) Business Alliance, a.k.a. COBA7, use Official MHIndustry HOTLINE: (877) MFD-HSNG, or 633.4764

COBA7 Motto: ‘U Support US & WE serve U! Goal of its’ print & online media =
to not only inform & opine, but to transform & improve MHBusiness performance!
____________________________________________________________________

INTRODUCTION:

Part I. Will it soon be time to ‘rethink, reorganize, & renew’ manufactured housing lobbying and regulatory reform efforts in our nation’s capitol? Read to find out here!

Part II. Slowly increasing number of land lease community owners/operators being inducted into the prestigious RV/MH Heritage Foundation’s Hall of Fame!

I.

MHIndustry Recovery Threatened by HUD Overreach

If MHARR & MHI need one compelling reason to unseat the present administrator of the Manufactured Housing Program at HUD, here it is: MAGAnomics!

The following paragraph quoted from the Epilogue (p.73) of SWAN SONG, ‘George Allen’s History of the Land Lease Community Real Estate Asset Class (1970 – present day)’, makes the case for continuing manufactured housing return to prosperity.

“Have you heard or read of MAGAnomics (a.k.a. maganomics)? That’s short for ‘Make American Great Again economics’, where the national; (economic recovery) goal is ‘three percent improved and sustained annual GDP (Gross Domestic Product $) in year 2017 and thereafter!”

Well, guess what? Continuing…

“The HUD-Code manufactured housing industry, in terms of ‘production value’ alone (i.e. $ value of new homes built & shipped monthly) has been averaging
10.4 percent growth per year for the past four years, 2013. 2014, 2015, & 2016 –
with last year finishing at an impressive 15 percent! There’s every reason for that
growth to continue, IF we all do our part to bring the aforementioned New Era
paradigm shift to a happy conclusion before the end of this decade…2020!”*1

That is, unless our industry’s two Washington-based national advocacy bodies fail to unseat and replace the present overreaching administrator of HUD’s manufactured housing program, a carryover from the Obama administration.

Bottom line reality? No replacement = Far fewer new HUD-Code housing orders, shipments, and placements, as land lease community owners shy away from paying $5,000+ per rental homesite, to replace perfectly performing .manufactured housing foundations!

So, there you have it MHARR & MHI (Are you listening?). our manufactured housing industry is recovering from it’s nadir year 2009 (only 48,789 new HUD-Code homes shipped), and continuing, until MAGAnomic years 2013 thru 2016, and beyond! Will you allow the overreaching HUD administrator to “…claim authority to override state-law (and local) installation standards” and, “add new standards (establishing) requirement for carbon monoxide detection, stairways, fire safety considerations for attached garages, and draftstops….”, relative to increasing the cost of manufactured housing to would be homebuyer/site lessees? *2

If unsuccessful in efforts to preserve and encourage further recovery of the manufactured housing industry (Remember, we shipped 372,943+ new HUD-Code homes in 1998, and have only come back as far as 81,136 during year 2016!*3), then, in this veteran industry observer’s opinion, it’ll be high time to ‘ rethink, reorganize & renew’ manufactured housing lobbying and regulatory reform efforts in our nation’s capitol!

OK, there I’ve said it and written it! The public challenge to perform has been made. Now, what will YOU two do together or separately? We’re watching and listening!

End Notes.

1. ‘Production value’ is a measure defined, researched, and funded by the Manufactured Housing Institute (‘MHI’), so they should be comfortable using it as a tactical tool to ‘make the case’ for effecting immediate regulatory reform!

2. Quoted from MHARR email announcements dated 28 & 30 August 2017.

3. Quoted from the official ‘Mobile & Manufactured Housing Shipments Statistics,
from 1955 to present day, SWAN SONG, COBA7, Indianapolis, 2017, pp. 6&7

II.

To Date, only 6 1/2 Percent of RV/MH Hall of Fame Inductees Have been Land Lease Community Owners/operators

This year’s recent RV/MH Heritage Foundation’s Hall of Fame Induction Banquet on 7 August, might be looked back upon as being historic in at least two ways:

• To date, only 6 1/2 percent of the nearly 400 Hall of Fame inductees have hailed from the land lease community segment of the manufactured housing industry. This year, accounting for the fact that half the inductees were from the RV ‘side of the house’ and half from MH, no less than 60 percent of the MH Class of 2017, were land lease community owners/operators! You remember; Spencer Roane, MHM, of GA; Mike Sullivan, CPM, of CA; and, Christine Lindsey, MHM, from TN. Let’s see if increased recognition of this segment of our industry continues during years to come.

• Then there’s the distinctive green blazer with gold RV/MH crest, worn by many Hall of Fame inductees. This year, more green blazers were seen than at any previous annual banquet. That speaks loudly of the loyalty and ongoing support of the RV/MH Hall of Fame, by not only donors, but Hall of Fame inductees as well! And now the call has gone out nationwide, to national and state advocacy entities, beginning with this week’s 26th Networking Roundtable in Indianapolis, and its’ Thursday evening reception, green blazers should be worn by Hall of Fame members present at the event. This is not a self-aggrandizement exercise; rather, well deserved recognition of our industry and asset class’ pioneers and leaders! And word has it, green blazers will be welcome at MHI’s annual Awards Banquet on 18 September in Orlando, FL.

***

George Allen, CPM, MHM
COBA7, a division of GFA Management, dba PMN Publishing
Box # 47024, Indianapolis, IN. 46247
(317) 346-7156

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