Blog Posting # 766, Copyright 3 November 2023. EducateMHC
Parallel Perspectives. HUD-Code manufactured housing is federally-regulated, performance-based, affordable & attainable 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 is the online advocate, historian, trend tracker, and text resource for these two related business models! Reach EducateMHC by phoning (317) 881-3815, email: gfa7156@aol.com, or visit www.eduatemhc.com; also to order Community Management in the Manufactured Housing Industry. This is only professional community management text in print today! SWAN SONG is a history of land lease communities & official record of annual MH production totals since 1955; and my autobiography, From SmittyAlpha6 to MHMaven – describes personal combat adventures in Vietnam, and 45 year business career in MH and community ownership/management, also author and consultant.
George Allen, CPM®Emeritus, MHM®Master, in only Emeritus member of the Manufactured Housing Institute (‘MHI’), an RV/MH Hall of Fame enshrinee, retired lieutenant colonel of U.S. Marines, & author/editor of 20 books re MH, communities, business management & prayer.
A LITTLE TITILATION ANYONE?
You into RVs big time? Well, if you are, you might just want to read the feature article I researched since January, and submitted for publication on 1 October. It’s titled ‘RVs as Affordable Housing’. To the best of my knowledge, no one has delved into the use of recreational vehicles as permanent affordable housing! I was able to document several-to-many instances where this is already occurring throughout the U.S. Even though I granted the publication First North American Rights to the article, they’ve encouraged me to share it whenever and wherever possible – wanting to get the message out and conversations started. So, if seriously interested in this subject, simply request a copy via email: gfa7156@aol.com
And now as I finish this 2023 writing project, another appears to be landing on my doorstep. Just this past week, a housing consultancy contacted me, soliciting my assistance to explore ways in which HUD-Code manufactured housing and recreational vehicles might be melded, in terms of product proper and siting – both on building sites conveyed fee simple and in land lease communities where homeowners rent sites for their homes. The aforementioned soon-to-be-published article is a step in that direction, but the matter requires continued deep thinking on my part and of others. Do you have thoughts on this timely, even critical subject? Specifically, how to increase the supply of affordable housing in the U.S., via manufactured housing, recreational vehicles, various types of ADUs (accessory dwelling units), etc…
Yet another titillating phone conversation this past week involves a well-known insurance company who used to provide semi-annual studies relative to manufactured housing marketing. Turns out they might just be considering a return to our industry, maybe even our real estate asset class, during the year ahead. I hope to be contributing to this ‘return’.
Manufactured Housing Caucus
I know, I promised. Promised to soon make a firm decision about whether to plan and host a half day Manufactured Housing Caucus on 18 January 2024 at the Louisville MHShow. And so I intended – but have yet to settle the issue once and for all. Maybe with next week’s blog posting. You see, IMHO, given the paucity of national leadership relative to the gathering ‘storm clouds’ potentially affecting our industry and property type, I’m willing once again, to step forward and host such a meeting. On the other hand, if I continue doing so – hosting such key meetings, then our national advocacy entities will likely never step forward and do this – until too little and or too late. So, which path to take? I honestly feel I’ll be ‘damned if I do & damned if I don’t’! What do you think? Send your input to gfa7156@aol.com
George Allen