Blog Posting # 752, Copyright 28 July 2023. EducateMHC
Parallel Perspectives. HUD-Code manufactured housing is federally-regulated, performance-based, affordable factory-built housing! And land lease communities (a.k.a. manufactured home communities & ‘mobile home parks’) comprise the investment real estate component of manufactured housing! EducateMHC alone is the online advocate, historian, trend tracker, and text resource for these two business models! To input this blog or connect with EducateMHC, telephone (317) 881-3815, email: gfa7156@aol.com, or visit www.educatemhc.comn, to order
Community Management in the Manufactured Housing Industry. This is the sole professional community management text in print today! And SWAN SONG is a history of land lease communities and official record of annual MH production totals since 1955; and my autobiography, From SmittyAlpha6 to MHMaven – describes combat adventures in Vietnam and a 40+ year business career in MH and community ownership/management.
George Allen, CPM®Emeritus, MHM®Master, Emeritus member of the Manufactured Housing Institute (‘MHI’), RV/MH Hall of Fame enshrine, retired lieutenant colonel of U.S. Marines, and author/editor of 20 books re MH, communities, business & management wisdom, & prayer.
FALL MEETINGS OVERLOAD
Have you noticed yet? If you’re a manufactured housing aficionado and or land lease community owner/operator, and want to patronize industry and realty asset class meetings this fall, you’ll likely be over-networked and financially-strained during the two weeks between 10-13 September and 2-4 October. And that does not even include the Illinois Manufactured Housing Association’s annual meeting in East Peoria, IL. on 6 & 7 September – where you’ll find me.
Yes, the most significant meeting occurring during what’s known among meeting planners, as the ‘shoulder season’, is the 12th annual SECO conference, A.K.A. National Conference of Community Owners. This occurs 10-13 September at the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel and Conference Center, in Atlanta, GA. And yes, I’ll be there too. Who doesn’t want to attend the major industry gathering where there’re be well-informed presenters on hand and a plethora of new HUD-Code homes to visit and purchase? For more information visit secoconference.com
Then there’s the ‘new kid on the block’; what’s advertised as ‘the inaugural edition of IMN’s Manufactured Housing Forum’, scheduled for 28 & 29 September at the Four Seasons Hotel in Nashville, TN. IMN spokesperson predicts 400 attendees this time around. Interestingly, IMN advertises no fewer than 49 speakers. On that list there’re executives from REITs UMH Properties and Sun Communities, as well as Yale Realty & Capital Advisors, and Cavco Industries. But know what? Among the 49 speakers, I recognized only six individuals who enjoy national reputations in our industry and among land lease community owners/operators. Want more information; contact Elizabeth Ramdeo of the Information Management Network (‘IMN’) in New York City via imn.org
Know why I won’t be in Nashville for the IMN soiree? Because I’ll likely be in Knoxville, TN., on 27 & 28 September at the Knoxville Convention Center, attending the annual Shed Builder Expo 2023. Huh? Yep these are the folk who design and build the sheds everyone uses from time to time. What’s my interest? Well, from their trade publication (magazine) and shows I’ve attended, I predict some form of sophisticated shed emerging as a new type of affordable housing! Seriously. As you know, I’m already researching and writing about ‘recreational vehicles as affordable housing’ (And, by the way, Thanks to those of you who sent me examples of this emerging RV trend!). Now you can’t say I didn’t alert you to yet another eventuality. Visit shedbulderexpo.com
Tired of meetings yet? Well there’s one more. The Manufactured Housing Institute’s (‘MHI’) annual business meeting will be 2-4 October, in Palm Springs, CA. I’ll miss this one too, as it’s a high-priced meeting location that, as a retiree, I can no longer afford. Also know this is when the National Communities Council (‘NCC’) division of MHI also meets. Only problem there (in that division) is they don’t accept proxy votes when voting for officers, severely limiting, in my opinion, leadership options in what should be a ‘mover & shaker’ advocate where land lease communities are concerned. Want to attend? Visit manufacturedhousing.org
More Achilles’ Heels!
Here’s what one blog flogger (i.e. ‘reader’) penned on this timely subject. “On the Achilles’ Heel discussion, I agree with all you said. I believe there are other ‘heels’ you didn’t mention that deserve discussion. Our D&R deliveries – that’s short for Drop & Go (Industry slang that’s been around for more than five decades!). D&R leaves critically important features up to the homeowner – who generally does not complete the tasks. Can’t tell you how many homes in communities or on private property have NO STEPS, or only temporary front ones. What site-built home doesn’t have safe steps at all exits? Or steps down into a basement, forcing the new homeowner to use a ladder to get there.” (Partly paraphrased. GFA)
National Rental Homesite Rent Rate
Last week we suggested national rental homesite rent rate among land lease communities pencils in around $572.00 (Based on YARI Matrix data for conventional apartments nationwide). Well, JLT studies peg this figure higher, @ $656, given a range of $624 for all-age properties and $717 for those catering to the 55+ demographic. Any guesses as to the reason ‘why’ for this difference? I’ll hazard the guess that the $624, $656, & $717 averages are for institutional grade land lease communities, while the $572 average is for properties across the board, size wise. What do you think?
WELL SAID (PENNED)
In a recent communique from the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform, titled “MHARR Targets Fannie & Freddie Chattel Failure in DTS ‘Listening Session’ Comments”, dated 19 July 2023, the manufactured housing industry’s Washington ‘watchdog’ put forth two paragraphs, here quoted verbatim (‘in exactly the same words’). In this industry observer’s opinion, they should be read by every industry aficionado and land lease community owner/operator!
“While chattel loans represent (and have consistently represented) nearly 80% of all new manufactured homes financed in the United States – and are specifically authorized by law for inclusion within manufactured housing sector DTS compliance programs – not a single manufactured home personal property loan has been supported by Fannie or Freddie under DTS since its enactment 15 years ago.” Chattel loans, personal property loans, chattel capital loans and home only loans are synonymous manufactured housing lending trade terms.
“As MHARR made clear in its comments, this impasse, which leaves the vast bulk of the manufactured home financing market completely unserved in violation of the DTS mandate, is unacceptable and cannot continue. That is especially the case with the manufactured housing market having entered a severe downturn, beginning with the third quarter of 2022, which has seen the production of new HUD-Code homes plummet year-over-year by a factor of more than 30%.”
In my opinion, the GSEs (government-sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac) have been ‘burned badly’ during previous manufactured housing industry downturns. The last one occurred at the turn of this century, when our poor chattel lending practices forced annual MH production to plunge from 392,943 new HUD-Code homes in 1998, to 250,500 two years later, and on down to 48,789 by year 2009. At year end 2022 we were finally back over 100,000 units with 112,886 shipped. However, today GSE’s career executives simply will not risk their livelihoods endorsing what they evidently view as a flier (‘risky or speculative venture’) in behalf of our industry! There’s really no other way to view this sad state of bureaucratic malaise and inaction.
So, what’s to be done? Ideas, suggestions and more are welcome via gfa7156@aol.com
George Allen, CPM®Emeritus, MHM®Master, MHI Emeritus member, & RV/MH Hall of Fame enshrinee.