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

January 27, 2023

Where to Begin?

Filed under: Uncategorized — George Allen @ 8:49 am

Blog Posting # 725, Copyright 27 January 2023. EducateMHC

Dual Perspectives. HUD-Code manufactured housing is federally-regulated, factory-built affordable housing and land lease communities (a.k.a. manufactured home communities & ‘mobile home parks’) are the real estate component of manufactured housing! EducateMHC is the online national advocate, historian, trend documenter, and text resource for these business models. To input this blog or connect with EducateMHC, telephone (317) 881-3815, email: gfa7156@aol.com, or visit EducateMHC.com to order Community Management in the Manufactured Housing Industry (The only property management certification text!); SWAN SONG, a history of land lease communities & official record of annual MH production since 1955; and my autobiography, From SmittyAlpha6 to MHMaven. All excellent resources for community owners/operators in the U.S. & Canada.

George Allen, CPM®Emeritus, MHM®Master, Emeritus member of MHI, & RV/MH Hall of Fame


Where to Begin?

Did you ‘do’ the Louisville MHShow last week (18-20 January)? If so, did you notice? 30 new HUD-Code homes were promised in advance press, but only 16+/- in place. Furthermore, the highest number of chattel capital lenders present (i.e. 18) since 1998 – the peak year of the last MH production renascence (i.e. 372,943+/-homes). Nary any exhibits by land lease community portfolio owners/operators, but several real estate brokerages. Also a few ‘land development’ firms looking for work – and these were encouraged during the manufacturers’ panel presentation on Wednesday, when a panelist declared ‘Land lease community development is back!’, but failed to mention how ‘local regulatory barriers to affordable housing’ continue to be one of our industry’s most persistent bugaboos, and now that interest rates are rising, ‘good luck’ finding reasonable land development loans anytime soon! And there was more. Read on…

Did you know there’s a National Manufactured Housing Awareness program in the making? Well there is, and it has been evolving throughout year 2022. Under the present volunteer leadership of consultant Ken Corbin, 20 committee members met for lunch at a local Louisville restaurant Tuesday afternoon, to fine tune Thursday’s Awareness Panel at the MHShow. And how’d that go? Ken and his three panelists (Dr. Lesli Gooch, MHI; Jennifer Hall, Mississippi; and Jim Ayotte, Florida) kept an audience of more than 100 ‘in their seats’ for nearly 1 ½ hours, reviewing market research and introducing outreach plans working in MS & FL. A survey form was distributed, polling audience opinions ranking importance of various marketing factors. Here’s a summary of some of ‘What’s important to you?’ responses from 72 completed forms: Affordable housing = 38 responses; Consumer Awareness = 35; Local Government = 28; Home Quality = 24; Lead Generation =21; and five lesser factors. What’s next?

Continue to follow this weekly blog to stay abreast of developments during the months ahead!

Scott Jackson (1955 – 2023)

ARC or Affordable Residential Communities, Casa Feliz – the investment firm, and ‘the man with the white mane and beard’ are three ways Scott Jackson’s friends and associates in the land lease community business will long remember him.

Scott died on 6 January 2023 at his ranch in Kiowa Colorado. There will be a memorial service in his behalf on Saturday, January 28th between 3 & 4 PM, at Cielo Castle Pines in Castle Rock, CO.

His claim to fame? Quoting from an online obituary: “In 1995 Scott (founded) Affordable Residential Communities (‘ARC’)…the company was taken public in 2004. In all, the company acquired over 380 communities and managed a portfolio of (more than) 70,000 home sites…”

My relationship with Scott Jackson? Visited ARC offices in Denver around year 2000, where I met his executive staff – all similarly attired. Over the years, I ‘mystery Shopped’ most of the firm’s land lease communities, and described the ‘ARC Treatment’ of new property acquisitions in Manufactured Home Merchandiser magazine, e.g. property names changed, replacement of all signage with same color scheme, repaved streets, improved infrastructure, and more. Scott was a keynote presenter at International Networking Roundtables – where he regaled his audience with ‘war stories’, lessons learned, and memorable experiences. Last time I visited with Scott was at the Louisville MHShow a few years ago.

The only thing missing here is a tell-all book by Scott, describing the meteoric growth of ARC, ‘that auction’ in Chicago, and phoenix-like rise of Casa Feliz since the turn of the century.

Scott’s passing reminds me of other notable but now deceased pioneers and entrepreneurs of the ‘mobile home park’ business: Tom Horner, Jr (KS); Ron Richardson (NV); Darrell & Harrell Cohron, (IN)**; Kristian Jensen, Sr., (CT)*; Boris Vukovich, (CO); George Goldman, (IL); Mel Fath, (IN)*; Curt Hames, (IA)*; Maggie Stephenson, (IN)*; Bob Bross, (MO); Maurice Wilder, (FL); Warren Huddleston, (IL)*; Dr. Matthew Jenkins, (CA); Myles Sampson, (PA); and my longtime mentor, Bud Meyer, (IN). Seven of these 15 individuals are members of the prestigious RV/MH Hall of Fame*, and six authored autobiographies. I interacted with these folk and easily recall interesting, humorous, and educational tales about each one. I doubt I’ll get to pen all those stories.


DID YOU KNOW ?

Today, 27 January 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the formal end of the Vietnam War! Yes, this is important to me because I served 13 months there during years 1968 and 1969. You can read about my combat adventures there and after returning home, in my autobiography, From SmittyAlpha6 to MHMaven. Available via EducateMHC.com

Recently came across some very interesting, albeit correcting, statistics relative to this conflict. Source? Marine and Vietnam War veteran, Mackubin Thomas Owens, who served at the Naval War College in Newport, RI, and the Institute of World Politics.

• 30% of those who died in Vietnam were from the lowest income group, but
• 26% were from the highest.
• 86% of those who died during the war were white, and
• 12.5 were black (in an age group In which blacks comprised 13.1% of the population)
• Two thirds of those who served in Vietnam were volunteers, and
• Volunteers accounted for 77% of all combat deaths.

Point? “Vietnam was not a ‘class war’, as the liberal, aging antiwar crowd has commonly and unceasingly claimed for decades” – since the end of that conflict.

Without a doubt, serving in Vietnam as a U.S. Marine lieutenant, was a pivotal point in my life, and those of my immediate family members. For a decade, after returning home, I was unable to cry when appropriate, and for longer than that, was mirthful during funerals of friends and family. All that is behind me now. And I’m grateful my son, grandson, and 18 year old great grandson do not have to stand in the line of fire in defense of our great nation. Semper Fi! GFA

GFA/cc






January 22, 2023

Who’s the Mystery Community Portfolio Owner?

Filed under: Uncategorized — George Allen @ 4:32 pm

Blog Posting # 724, Copyright 20 January 2023. EducateMHC

Two Perspectives. HUD-Code manufactured housing is federally-regulated factory-built affordable housing. Land lease communities (a.k.a. manufactured home communities & ‘mobile home parks’) are the real estate component of manufactured housing! EducateMHC is the online national advocate, historian, trend spotter, and education resource for these business models. To input this blog or connect with EducateMHC, telephone (317) 881-3815, email: gfa7156@aol.com, &r visit EducateMHC.com to order Community Management in the Manufactured Housing Industry (property management certification text); SWAN SONG, history of land lease communities & record of annual MH production since 1955; and my autobiography, from SmittyAlpha6 to MHMaven. Apt resources for community owner’s!

George Allen, CPM®Emeritus, MHM®Master, Emeritus Member MHI, & RV/MH Hall of Fame


Who’s the Mystery Community Portfolio Owner?

Last week’s blog posting (#724) challenged you to identify one of the most talented owners/operators of land lease community portfolios to invest in the realty asset class. Well, here’s the answer:

Dr. Matthew Jenkins of Long Beach, CA., during his long and distinguished career, served our nation as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force; private practice veterinarian; real estate mogul (i.e. portfolio of land lease communities located in more than a half dozen states); local philanthropist (i.e. funding education of many minority children); and, during 2013 served as interim president of his alma mater, Tuskegee University. He and his wife of 61 years, Roberta, founded their real estate investment firm, SDD Enterprises; and later, the Matthew & Roberta Jenkins Family Foundation, awarding scholarships and grants to deserving students, institutions, and local organizations. During the latter part of his long career, Dr. Jenkins authored a self-help text titled Positive Possibilities – which I’ll review in a future blog posting. Dr. Matthew Jenkins passed from this life on 24 September 2019.

Carolyn and I met Matthew and Roberta Jenkins during the early 1980s, when he purchased the large (i.e. 500 rental homesites) Lantern Hills Village ‘mobile home park’ I owned with partners, in Mooresville, IN. While our time together was brief, sharing some meals together, we long appreciated their friendliness and fairness in business matters.

In my opinion, Dr. Matthew Jenkins is a deserving but unrecognized and unsung hero of the manufactured housing industry! Why? Because he quietly went about his business of real estate investment, in time became a renowned education philanthropist in his home city, and shared personal ‘lessons learned’ in a tome still available on amazon.com Perhaps one of these days I’ll reconnect with his son Dexter, and take steps to nominate Matthew for induction into the RV/MH Heritage Foundation’s prestigious Hall of Fame in Elkhart, IN.
Anyone Else Out There an NCIS Fan?

I am. And even now, with Mark Harmon as ‘Gibbs’ out of the character lineup, I watch most episodes on TV. How ‘bout Gibbs’ Rules? Ever wonder about them? Well I have a detailed list of 35 ‘rules’ – though some say there’re 69. Here’re some that lend themselves to application by owners/operators and professional property managers of land lease communities:

• Rule # 1. Never screw over your partner.
• Rule # 3. Never be unreachable.
• Rule # 5. You don’t waste good.
• Rule # 8. Never take anything for granted.
• Rule # 15. Always work as a team.
• Rule # 28. When you need help, ask
• Rule # 51. Sometimes you’re wrong.

And there’re a few rules outside this norm:

• Rule # 23. Never mess with a Marine’s coffee if you want to live. (Especially one who drinks his coffee out of a canteen cup that is never cleaned. True story.)
• Rule # 9. Never go anywhere without a knife. (Kinda old-fashioned in today’s woke society, but good advice nonetheless)
• Rule # 12. Never date a coworker. (We’ve all seen the consequences of abusing this rule.)

The above material is quoted from TV Guide Magazine Special, dated March 2022, p. 64.

January 12, 2023

Character in New Adventure Novel…

Filed under: Uncategorized — George Allen @ 1:34 pm

Blog Posting # 723, Copyright 13 January 2023. EducateMHC

Perspective. Land lease communities, previously manufactured home communities, and earlier, ‘mobile home parks’ are the real estate component of manufactured housing! EducateMHC is the online national advocate, realty asset class historian, trend spotter, and education resource for land lease communities throughout North America! To input this blog and or connect with EducateMHC, telephone (317) 881-3815, email: gfa7156@aol.com, or visit EducateMHC.com to order Community Management in the Manufactured Housing Industry (the property management certification text); SWAN SONG, a history of land lease communities & only official record of annual MH production since 1955; and, my autobiography, From SmittyAlpha6 to MHMaven. These three books belong in every land lease community owner’s library!

George Allen, CPM®Emeritus, MHM®Master, Emeritus Member MHI, & RV/MH Hall of Fame


Character in New Adventure Novel…

“George Allen: USMC Colonel, CAG of the USS Teddy Roosevelt. A veteran of WWIII (served with the President) and an Ace fighter pilot, he now commands the air combat group. With rising tensions between US and China in anticipation of the transfer of power, the carrier group is sent from Pearl Harbor as a show of force. A series of accidents and encounters (has) him taking charge of the expedition, facing the challenges of command, and trying to prevent an escalation of hostilities.”

This is the way I’m introduced in longtime land lease community owner/operator Charles Irion’s 17th murder mystery adventure novel. There are already plans for it to be released as a feature-length movie. I’ve seen the trailer (mini-movie) and it’s full of action scenes. Have followed Chuck’s budding writing career for nearly two decades, often reviewing his newest releases in the Allen Letter. This is the first time he’s written me into one of his fictional adventure tales.

For a complete list of Charles Irion’s titles, visit www.charlesirion.com And while you’re there, or at amazon.com, consider ordering a copy of Murdered By Gods – Timbuktu. I’ve read it and it is one exciting ‘read’. GFA


Mike Pence’s autobiography, So Help Me God

Most of you reading these lines will remember Mike Pence as vice president under President Donald Trump; Hoosiers remember him as governor of the state of Indiana; and I remember him as a guy I knew at church in Greenwood, IN., before he went off to Congress.

Recently finished reading his autobiography, So Help Me God. There is much to absorb and consider within those 542 pages; from Mike’s young and formative years in central Indiana, through his political disappointments and triumphs, and globe-traveling years as vice president of the United States of America. And the intimate sharing of his experiences and thoughts during the January 6th demonstration in downtown Washington, DC, alone, makes this a worthy ‘read’.

Beyond all that there were a few memories and memorable quotations that touched me.

“…during a visit at the RV/MH Hall of Fame in Elkhart, Indiana”, speaking of Pete Buttigieg (former mayor of South Bend, IN., now Secretary of Transportation), “I think Pete is a good public servant, a patriot, and I look forward to continuing to work with him.” (&) “But Mayor Pete’s attitude changed dramatically after he announced his campaign for president in January 2019; he suddenly adopted the caricature of me and of Indiana held by many of his West Coast donors. Politics can do that to you.” P.115

Know how I frequently encourage mature and successful businessmen and women to early pen their memoirs (i.e. ‘true short stories’), later to be collected as their autobiography? Well later in Mike’s book, when talking of former President George H.W. Bush, he recollects how his son Michael, now a U.S. Marine aviator, made his first tail hook (sic) landing on the aircraft carrier bearing Bush’s name. Mike sent President Bush a photo of that exciting moment, which was soon returned with a personal and encouraging note, in part: ‘I wish you many CAVU days ahead.’ (CAVU, an old aviation acronym for ‘ceiling and visibility unlimited’). Mike’s concluding and ‘telling’ observation? “Bush never wrote an autobiography, so the story of his life in his own words is spread out across the countless letters he wrote, including the one he sent my son.” Pp. 327 & 328. A missed presidential opportunity.

Late in the book, describing his speech writing early morning 6 January, Mike shares, “For me there is no good writing, just good rewriting, and I labored over my words to make sure they conveyed my position clearly and my determination to fulfill my oath under the Constitution that day.” P.456.


A Mystery For You!

I recently reconnected, via an online obituary, with a business acquaintance from 40 years past. Here are your hints as to his identity. He was the only racial minority-owner, in my experience, of a portfolio of land lease communities spread through more than a half dozen states. His obituary identifies him as a USAF officer veteran, veterinarian, real estate mogul, philanthropist, author, and 2013 interim president of his university alma mater.

If this mystery intrigues you, be sure to read next week’s blog posting (# 724) on or around 20 January 2023. At that time I’ll identify this successful, but very private, community owner – the name of his firm, title of the self-help book he authored, and more.


January 9, 2023

Where Will You Be on 19 January 2023?

Filed under: Uncategorized — George Allen @ 2:36 pm

Blog Posting # 722. Copyright 6 January 2023. EducateMHC

Perspective. Land lease communities, previously manufactured home communities, and earlier, ‘mobile home parks’ are the real estate component of manufactured housing! EducateMHC is the online national advocate, realty asset class historian, trend spotter, and education resource for land lease communities throughout North America! To input this blog and or connect with EducateMHC, telephone (317) 881-3815, email: gfa7156@aol.com, or visit EducateMHC.com to order community Management in the Manufactured Housing Industry (the property management certification text); SWAN SONG, a history of land lease communities & only official record of annual MH production since 1955; and, my autobiography, from SmittyAlpha6 to MHMaven.

George Allen, CPM®Emeritus, MHM®Master, RV/MH Hall of Fame, & MHI Emeritus Member


Where Will You Be on 19 January 2023?

Me? At the Louisville MHShow, 18-20 January at the Kentucky State Fair Grounds Exhibition Center. Specifically, plan to be at the ‘Manufactured Housing Awareness’ (or words to that effect) Panel Presentation. This will be your ground floor opportunity to learn more about, and maybe decide to participate in the emerging national brand promotion program for our industry and realty asset class. More to the point, ‘the question’ really is: ‘Can You afford to miss this opportunity?’

There’s plenty of historic precedent for this sort of informal, national call to action. Think back to 1993, when 19 land lease community owners/operators convened in Indianapolis, IN., to lay the groundwork for what became the National Communities Council division within MHI – the new and much-needed national advocate for community education and investment.*1

2011. The year when more than a dozen land lease community owners/operators from throughout the Southeast, met in Atlanta, GA., to lay the groundwork for what became the annual SECO Conference – the new and much-needed meeting forum for community education and networking.*2

And there were several other regional and national venues since the ill-fated turn of the century when new HUD-Code home production plummeted from 372,943 units in 1998 to only 48,789 in 2009 and beyond. All these supported transitioning new home sales from independent (street) MHRetailers and ‘company stores’ to direct in-community placement, marketing, and financing. Think ‘community series homes’, Two Days of Plant Tours & Sales Seminars, and use of lease option as a financing alternative within land lease communities.*3

See you in Louisville, KY., on 19 January 2023 at the MH Awareness panel presentation!

End Notes.

1. For more information on this subject, read The First 20 Years, authored by the late Bruce Savage. Available from Educatemhc.com

2. For more information about SECO, contact Spencer Roane, MHC., via spencer@roane.com Also source re: lease option in land lease communities.

3. ‘independent (street) MHRetailer’, trade term coined by consultant Wm. Carr. And for ‘community series homes’, read SWAN SONG, history of LLCommunities & only official record of MH production from 1955 to present day. Available from Educatemhc.com

Finally, after 16 Years…

In year 2022, it appears we will come close to, but probably not eclipse, the 117,510 new HUD-Code homes shipped during year 2006. Year to date, through November 2022, we shipped 106,486 new HUD-Code homes. And if we equal November’s total of 7,470 during December (I don’t think we will), then this 2022 YTD total could swell to 113,956, a scant 3500 homes fewer than shipped during year 2006.

Bottom line? Year 2022 production demonstrates we are on the slow roll comeback trail, once again eclipsing 100,000 units/year (for second year in a row), but probably not exceeding 200,000 units/year ever again! Do I hear an uproar of protest? I surely hope so! This has 100,000 deficit has a lot to do with why dozens of us are convening in Louisville, KY., in a couple weeks, to plan and kick off some sort of MH brand awareness program designed to sell more HUD-Code homes.

For more information, google the Louisville MHShow. For more information about the panel presentation, reach out to kcorbin@calkencorbin.com


RV/MH Hall of Fame Class of 2023

Manufactured housing industry (to be) inductees include:

• Paula Reeves from Alabama. Finance category
• Knute Chauncey from Georgia. Supplier category
• Marc Lifset from New York. Supplier/Association category
• Don Sharp from Indianan. Finance category
• Darlene Gardener from Nebraska. Retailer category

And over on the recreational vehicle side we find:

• Ron Breymier from Indiana. Association category. Note. Ron heads the IMHA/RVIC in Indiana, which serves both industries as well as campgrounds.

Plan no to attend the annual RV/MH Hall of Fame induction banquet in early August 2023. If you’ve not attended in the past, know that this is where ‘anyone who’s anyone in the MH & RV industries’ makes it a point to be present and seen among their business and social peers.

For more information, reach out to the RV/MH Hall of Fame via (

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