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

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 (

Blog Posting # 721. Copyright 30 December 2022. 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; & my autobiography, From SmittyAlpha6 to MHMaven.

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


Final Zoom Call on 12 January 2023

Plans are coming together for the 19 January panel presentation during the widely popular Louisville MHShow, 18-20 January 2023, at the state fairgrounds exhibit hall, just south of downtown Louisville, KY.

Next pre-panel prep sessions? 12 January 2023 = final Zoom call at 4PM EST. If you desire to participate – or just listen in, reach out ASAP to Ken Corbin via kcorbin@calkencorbin.com &

Pre-panel luncheon meeting on 17 January 2023 at 2PM. RSVP is important. Need $ sponsors!

Make it a point now to plan to be present on 19 January 2023 for the aforesaid panel presentation regarding the evolving MH Industry Awareness program. Your input is valued!

You already know my thoughts on this timely and important matter. All I’ll add here, is something a retired MH industry executive shared with me last week: ‘We need to bring back a national female spokesperson (for our industry)’, to make guest appearances on national morning TV shows across the U.S. – telling how manufactured housing’s schtick (‘one’s special trait, interest, activity’) makes it housing’s Secret Choice! The Secret? HUD-Code manufactured housing costs less than half, per square foot, what site-built housing costs!

And there’s historical precedent for having a female spokesperson representing our industry. Go to the RV/MH Hall of Fame member directory and search for the late Lisa Drake Conner.

Finally, I plan to be present at the Louisville MHShow next month. Make it a point to say ‘Hi’ to me, and let me know what topics you’d like to see me research and write about during 2023.

By the way, just learned on 28 December, that at least one of the Big Three C manufacturers of HUD-Code homes has lowered the base price on many of their models by between $1,000 and $2000 per unit. Now, that’s some good news going into the New Year 2023!


Christmas Eve 54 Years Past

This letter, lightly edited, is the one I wrote home on Christmas Eve 54 years ago. I was a U.S. Marine lieutenant serving at the Vandegrift forward combat base, formerly known as LZ Stud, just a few miles east of the infamous Khe Sanh combat base in northern I Corps, South Vietnam.

24 December 1968

Dearest Carolyn,

‘Tis the night before Christmas, and all through the bunker, not a Marine is stirring, just a half dozen rats a-scurrying.’ That’s the way it is right now. We’re all sitting down here quietly writing to our loved ones; a little later it will get noisier as the Gunny starts mixing holiday drinks. We even have canned egg nog.

And me, what have I to look forward to tomorrow? Getting up bright and early as usual, for the general’s briefing. Then I’ll be winging my way out to landing zone (‘LZ’) Dick, to rig several 105mm howitzers for helolifting back here to Vandegrift combat base (‘VCB’). And hopefully, sometime later in the day, I’ll have an opportunity to open my Christmas presents.

Received quite a bit of mail today. No letters from you though, but I did receive a welcome jar of nuts you sent me; they’re half gone already!

At the general’s briefing today I found out more about yesterday’s rocket attack. Seems we were actually hit with several 140mm rockets rather than the smaller 120mm ones. I’ll enclose a picture in case you don’t recall what it is I’m talking about. Casualties? We had one KIA (killed in action) and 20 WIAs (wounded in action) during the barrage.

We moved quite a bit of gear off the LZ today. Much of it was Christmas mail for the Troops, after we caught up on priority resupply to mountaintop FSBs (fire support bases), as we hadn’t been able to get to them during the past couple days.

Late in the afternoon we were treated to a little Christmas ‘color’. Four Huies (gunship-helicopters) flew over the LZ pad in line, trailing plumes of red and green smoke. Wish I’d had my camera in the control tower then.

Well darling, it goes without saying, this holiday season is going to be a very lonely one for us. It would be a most wonderful Christmas if I could be returning home to you girls! What more can I say darling; this Christmas Ever 1968, my heart just cries out in loneliness for you and Susie!

You can’t say Marines don’t know how to celebrate a holiday. Here at our combat base, just miles inside ‘no man’s land’ we have a Christmas tree with twinkling light on a nearby hill. And just a few minutes ago, the sky over Vandegrift was wholly lit up with the burst and flames of red, green, and white pyrotechnics, flares, etc….really a beautiful and nostalgic scene for all of us.

Well love, I guess this’ll have to do for tonight. I really feel I’d like to keep writing and writing, but I have a splitting headache. In any event, I want you and Susie to know all my love is with you during this Christmas season, and I long to return home to you very soon.

All My Love,

George

Blog Posting # 720. Copyright 23 December 2022. 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; & my autobiography: From SmittyAlpha6 to MHMaven.

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

Seasons Greetings to All!

Here’s wishing you & yours a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, & Prosperous New Year!

Don’t know ‘bout you, but here in the Midwest we’re bracing for a winter storm with subzero temperatures this weekend. Today I’ll be stocking kindling and firewood for our fireplace, and ensuring water pipes are protected from freezing, e.g. unhook summertime water hoses.

In any event, know I miss and frequently think of my many friends in the manufactured housing industry even though I’ve been retired for 1 ½ years. Hope to see many of you during the Louisville MHShow, 18-20 January 2023, in Louisville, KY. Was hopeful there’d be serious movement toward launch of a national manufactured housing advertising program during this year’s show. Now I’m not so sure that will happen. If truly interested in such a needed movement, talk to me while at the show or share your thoughts via gfa7156@aol.com

Our inventory of my autobiography, From SmittyAlpha6 to MHMaven is dwindling. If you haven’t read it yet, but are interested, order your copy from EducateMHC.com Some tell me they were surprised to learn I’d been trained as an ADM (atomic demolitions technician) while in Vietnam – ready to fly by helo into N. Vietnam if the NVA came across the DMZ (demilitarized zone). Also that, as a Marine lieutenant, I led a fully armed (with live ammunition) squad into a flooded U.S. city in 1973, to restore law and order during the middle of the night. And more….

And for that matter, if you own and operate one or more land lease communities in the U.S. and Canada, you need a copy of Community Management in the Manufactured Housing Industry in every property. This is the 8th edition of Mobile Home Park Management I first authored way back in 1988. Even contains dozens of copy machine-ready property management forms. Also order from EducateMHC.com

ZOOM did not go BOOM

OK, why do I doubt there’ll be “serious movement toward launch of a national manufactured housing advertising program during this year’s Louisville MHShow?’

Well, I participated in a second Zoom meeting on the 15th of December. While 22 individuals are identified as being members of the committee working to this end, only a dozen showed up, and the majority of them were manufactured housing association executives, and only one or two HUD-Code manufacturer representatives.

What was accomplished? In my opinion, not very much – just a lot of sharing local housing market (statewide) ‘war stories’ about programs, testimonials, and campaigns that worked in those locales. Yes, ‘helpful to know’ information, but only if worked into a national strategy designed to promote manufactured housing product awareness and sales. Personally, for such a major program to succeed, there’ll need to be a charismatic heavy-hitter leading the way, supported by the ‘Big Three C’ HUD-Code housing manufacturers and both national trade advocates in Washington, DC. To date, that’s not what I’m seeing. Kevin Clayton, Mark Yost, and Bill Boor, where are you?

Looking ahead. A final Zoom call is scheduled for 12 January 2023, with invitations to participate sent out during the week of 19 December 2022. Seriously interested in becoming involved? Reach out to consultant Ken Corbin. Then, on 17 January 2023, there’s a pre-show luncheon planned for 2PM at the Crowne Plaza hotel. And on the 19th of January 2023, at the Louisville MHShow, there’ll be a panel presentation manned by moderator Ken Corbin, assisted by Dr. Leslie Gooch of MHI, and two state MHAssociation executives.


GOOD NEWS?

During the 40 years I owned and operated GFA Management dba PMN Publishing, I divided my time fee managing land lease communities (and ones we owned), freelance consulting for other owners (e.g. Mystery Shopping & covert assignments), and communicating with peers (via Allen Letter and the Allen Confidential newsletter). So I was pretty much ‘in the know’, though with little time to dig deeper or broader in support of my writing.

Now however, in retirement, I’m far less ‘in the know’, but I have time to dig deeper and broader before writing, What follows is an example of how industry news comes to me these days.

In recent conversations with long time owners/operators of land lease community portfolios I kept picking up on a thread of information indicating new HUD-Code manufactured homes, in some if not many local housing markets, were costing less (wholesale) than during previous months. So I asked around and here’s what I learned:

‘There have been new home price fluctuations. The price of most new homes purchased nearly doubled during the pandemic, and lead times to get homes delivered grew from four to six weeks out to six months, oft due to supply chain problems and persistent staffing issues. However, around the middle of this year, new home prices began to drop – not to pre-pandemic levels, but a good 20+/- percentage decrease. Also, new home deliveries moved back toward pre-pandemic levels. Why? Resolution of some if not most, supply chain problems and staffing issues. But that’s not likely the whole story. In general, Independent (street) MHRetailers, returning to the market, refused to carry the heavy product inventories they did in the past – cutting back on factory orders. And of late there have been increases in interest rates.’

And the beat goes on. A good barometer of where the manufactured housing industry, and land lease communities, are today and where they might be headed, should be apparent during the upcoming Louisville MHShow. So, good reason to be present. Make your voice known about the need for, and way to plan, a national brand awareness advertising program – and get the lowdown on information to help you enter into 2023 well informed toward profitability. See you there! GFA

Blog Posting # 719. Copyright 16 December 2022. EducateMHC

Perspective. Land lease communities, previously manufactured home communities, and earlier, ‘mobile home parks’ comprise the real estate component of manufactured housing! EducateMHC is the online national advocate, realty asset class historian, trend spotter, education resource, and textbook supplier 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 From SmittyAlpha6 to MHMaven book.

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

YES, ‘The Sleeping Giant (MH) Is A-Stirring!’

There was a well-attended Zoom meeting last Thursday, and another one scheduled for this week. The central topic, both times – was & will be, the loosely-described ‘Defining Our Image’ task force presentation scheduled for 19 January at the Louisville MHShow. Specifically, is the manufactured housing industry looking towards an Awareness, Lead Generation, or ??? campaign? To that end, there’ll be a luncheon on 17 January, likely at the MHShow host hotel in Louisville. Watch this blog for more information during next couple weeks.

By the way, ‘The Big Three C’ housing manufacturers have voiced support of this emerging program!

As you might suspect, there’s quite a bit of verbiage flying around, offering thoughts as to what might be included, excluded, and otherwise. A recent email suggests, wisely, that “,,,there has to be a definable return on investment we can measure….” Will this be accomplished via polls before, during and after a campaign, or simply the volume of new home sales?

My input to date? For such a whole-industry program to be successful, IMHO, there needs to be a charismatic heavy-hitter executive involved in the leadership of this initiative. At some point it’s likely MHI and MHARR will become involved, so the leadership issue is and will be critical.

And the a-stirring continues. Send me your input via gfa7156@aol.com


One of MH’s Oldest Families Loses a Member

Adriane Christina DeRose owned and managed Carefree Homes, a land lease community and independent MHRetailer, in Pendleton, Indiana, since 2008. During the past 15 years she served as state chairperson of IMHA/RVIC (Indiana), and as Capitol City Chapter president. Her firm was also a member of the Manufactured Housing Institute (‘MHI’).

Adriane, during the 1990s, was a member of Mud Creek Players (Indianapolis), participating as actress and director. She appeared in leading production roles in the Philadelphia Story, Little Shop of Horrors, Arsenic and Old Lace, Crimes of the Heart. And her thespian passion also found her in the lead role of Annie Get Your Gun, and she starred in a 1987 film, Two Wrongs Make a Right.

Adriane is survived by her mother, her partner Dennis Jourdan, and several siblings.

Adriane is also the youngest daughter of the late and legendary Robert A. DeRose, founder of DeRose homes, an early manufacturer of ‘mobile homes’, then manufactured homes. Robert DeRose was a 40 year member of MHMA-MHI, and the first manufacturer to install ‘house style’ bathrooms in MHs in 1949. He then pioneered forced air heating and prefinished metal siding exteriors for this type factory-built housing. He also developed the Carefree land lease community mentioned earlier. Robert DeRose was inducted into the RV/MH Heritage Foundation’s prestigious Hall of Fame in 1988 (Elkhart, IN.).

Victor DeRose, an attorney, and one of Robert’s sons, continues to be recognized as a HUD-Code manufactured housing expert and resource to national advocates for the industry.

What’s so special about this family’s legacy? Simple. How many successful MH businessmen and women do you know who’ve actively participated in two or more major segments of the manufactured housing industry – including land lease communities, over an extended period of time? I can think of three – and like the DeRose family, all have passed onto new ownership, There’s Charles Fanaro with his Saddlebrook Farms in Grayslake, IL. & DWG manufacturing firm in Indiana. And Commodore Homes, in IN., before its recent sale to CAVCO. Before Jim Clayton sold to Berkshire-Hathaway, he manufactured and sold HUD-Code homes, and owned more than a dozen land lease communities. Who does this today? No one I can think of right now.


FACEBOOK HUMOR…

Picture Santa Claus and an average-looking middle-aged man sitting side by side on a bench. The man looks at Santa and says, “Hey, last time I saw you…you brought me socks and shaving cream in Kunda Har Province.” Santa, without pause, turns to the man and replies, “Marine recon, two tours in Nam.” Man responds, “Who’d a-thought, Santa was an operator!”

Well, it’s funny to those of us who’ve spent Christmas on a foreign battlefield. It reminds me of the photo on my office wall showing a bare-chested Marine with belts of ammo across his shoulder, cigarette dangling from his mouth, as he carries an M60 machine gun at low port. The caption? ‘The old man who shuffles around town with the Vietnam veteran hat on was at one time more bad ass than you will ever be!’

Blog Posting # 718. Copyright 9 December 2022. EducateMHC

Perspective. Land lease communities, previously manufactured home communities, and earlier, ‘mobile home parks’ comprise the real estate component of manufactured housing! EducateMHC is the online national advocate, realty asset class historian, trend spotter, education resource, and textbook supplier 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 From SmittyAlpha6 to MHMaven book.

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


Responses to ‘Decline of Mainstream News Media’


Every once in a while this blog hits a nerve among its’ hundreds of readers. And last week’s ‘The Decline of Mainstream News Media’ did just that. Posting was delayed from last Friday to this Monday (12/5). And within an hour after posting, email responses started pouring in (correct word choice there, rather than trickling). During the past two days I’ve received more than a half dozen commentaries on the headline topic. Six plus? Yes, in blog parlance that’s a heavy response, as usual weekly volume is usually just one or two missives at most.

So, what did people have to say? In no particular order of priority….

One corporate executive tells of his transitions among mainstream news media this way. “I had USA Today delivered to my house for about 15 years. Then, in 2016, for the first time, they endorsed a presidential candidate: Hillary Clinton. While there was probably a legitimate reason someone might prefer her over Trump, it wasn’t enough to break the paper’s historical precedence by doing so. I called and told them to cancel my subscription. They offered me six months free, and I declined that too. Bad news is worse than no news.” And he went on to say…

“I take the Wall Street Journal now. I find it’s moderate politically, though it does lean right or libertarian on the editorial page. They continue to have articles which continue to say there was no fraud in the 2020 election, which tells me the writers are leftists and that management allows them to repeat that obvious falsehood. There’s legitimate argument there wasn’t enough fraud in the 2020 election to make a difference in the outcome, but not legitimate argument there was no fraud.”

From a Midwestern retired manufactured housing executive: “FOX on computer, then local newspaper for local stuff, and that’s it for me! I have not looked at CNN or MSNBC forever.

A more detailed news media litany from a veteran land lease community owner back east.
“You mention CNN and MSNSBC. What about FOX, ABC, CBS, PBS? Are they declining in viewership? And (you say) USA Today slants to the left. I don’t read it so I’ll take your word for it. Epoch Times – not familiar with it. Stinted left or right?” Response. FOX continues to grow, outpacing all other cable networks. The Epoch Times contains conservative views from cover to cover.

Also he offers this timely and salient observation: “Maybe it’s a generational thing. Over 75 years olds see it one way, while the under 35s see it another.” What do you think? And this industry veteran went on at length describing how much the search for TRUTH has come to divide individuals, families, and friends; and asks: “Can we blame it all on the news or social media? Have our minds turned to mush and we’re unable to think for ourselves anymore?”

And the youngest of the responders surprised me with this advice: “…to get news about a country, read a source from another country. I don’t bother with CNN, FOX, and MSNBC, any of those. Nothing on TV in fact. Reuters is my go to – it’s very bland, just like I like it. Highly fact-based versus opinion-based. Also BBC (UK), France 24 (France), DW (Germany), & SCMP (Hong Kong). And when I want opinion, I opt for NPR (US), NYTimes (US), Guardian (UK), FOX News (US), Al Jazeera (Qatar), Sputnik (Russia), HB (Ukraine). And I recently added the National Review (US).” I’ve not fact-checked any of these alleged mainstream news media.

Yet another industry influencer, working nationwide, described “One of my theories is mainstream news media declined because of the political slant of all news sources. When you and I were young (and Conestoga wagons roamed the plains), we watched the news and then formed a political opinion. Today, people form an opinion first and then watch a news source to justify their views. One of the reasons I read left-leaning sources is to challenge my own personal views.”

My parting comment. Somehow the Indianapolis Star read this blog and quickly offered this deal: “Sign up for $1 for the first month, then just about $1 a day for the next two years. NO added fees, no extra charges.” A pleasant surprise yes, but frankly, I’m content with my present daily diet of USA Today and a local rag, followed by the New York Times (Sunday only), and my subscription to the weekly newspaper, the Epoch Times. What’s your diet? Gfa7156@aol.com



YES, ‘The Sleeping Giant (MH) Is A-Stirring!’

Watch this space next week for a possible update relative to the Sleeping Giant focus in last week’s blog (#716). There was a zoom meeting on this subject earlier this week, but not enough time for me to write it into this particular blog posting.

GFA/cc

Blog Posting # 717. Copyright 5 December 2022. EducateMHC

Perspective. Land lease communities, previously manufactured home communities, and earlier, ‘mobile home parks’, comprise the real estate component of manufactured housing! EducateMHC is the online national advocate, realty asset class historian, trend spotter, education resource, and textbook supplier 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

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


The Decline of Mainstream News Media


How do you get your news? Print media, cable & local television, radio, and or the internet? Where print media is concerned I’ve found a combination that ‘works’ for me. I read USA Today daily (despite its’ liberal slant) and a local rag (the Daily Journal), the New York Times (Gasp!) Sunday only, and the rapidly growing Epoch Times weekly. All this because our local state newspaper, the Indianapolis Star – besides its’ left-leaning political slant, has become a billing nightmare, charging extra when subscription invoices are paid by personal check instead of online, and more subscriber affronts. Reading USA Today and New York Times reminds me, with each and every issue, why I deplore the decline of mainstream media in society today. I think to myself: OK, then the truth must be 180 degrees different from what’s printed here!

Recently read a confirming – of my opinion – article on the decline of mainstream news media (a.k.a. MSM) in SALVO magazine. Titled ‘The Signaling Class’ by Denyse O’Leary, its’ subtitle laying the groundwork for what’s to follow: ‘Today’s Mainstream Media Exist to Disseminate Approved Thought’. Leading off, is a supporting collection of performance statistics worth knowing and noting:

“…CNN’s ratings are down 27 percent from last year, and MSNBC’s are down 23 percent. Print media have probably fared worse. A recent study showed, in the U.S., a country of 332 million people, no newspaper has a print circulation greater than one million. Only nine US newspapers today have more than 100,000 subscribers, and over a quarter have ceased to publish in the last 15 years.” In my subdivision neighborhood alone, among the 25 or so families I know well, only two of us even take (read) the daily newspaper!

“A related, more ominous decline is in public trust. In 2021, public trust in media, as surveyed by Gallup, plunged to the second lowest point ever recorded, only four percentage points above the all-time low in 2016. The US ranks last in 46 countries surveyed for trust in media.” Is this even a surprise, as MSM avoids reporting news like illegal immigrants flooding the US southern border, underutilization of national energy resources, and on and on?

“This year, Pew Research found that 65 percent of nearly 12,000 journalists surveyed felt they did a good job on the most important stories. But only 35 percent of the public agreed. Thirty percent is a pretty significant gap, and of course shows up in profitability. CNN’s profits, for example, are expected to dip below $1 billion for the first time since 2016. Newspapers are hurting too.” But not hurting enough for them to return to professional journalism in their pages.

And the article goes on from there, offering this tidbit: “…some observers cite the fact that journalists as a group are much more progressive than the public.” Do ya think?

How ‘bout you? Any suggestions for how to get factual, timely news from one or more of the MSN platforms? I’d like to know. Send your musings to gfa7156@aol.com



‘Manufactured Housing Action’ – On the Move!


A newsletter distributed (11/30/22) by Manufactured Housing Action (‘MHAction’) describes how tenant activist members made recent visits to the White House, Illinois (Springfield, Peoria, Bloomington, and Urbana-Champaign), New York (re: rent justification law) and Michigan, to share the organization’s “…perspective on the predatory business model affecting manufactured housing residents….”

Land lease community owners/operators have only themselves to blame for this sorry state of affairs. Not all owners/operators, mainly the ones who’ve acquired their properties and portfolios of communities during the past few years – and then, despite cautions otherwise, raised rental homesite rates excessively. Result? A wave of landlord-tenant legislation and threats of regulatory oversight not suffered during the past 30+/- years.

I’ve suggested several measures, in past blog postings, how to address this serious and timely abuse of homeowners/site lessees in land lease communities. Not going to do it again here today. But if you really wish to know, contact me via gfa7156@aol.com and I’ll share the ‘formula’ with you.

GFA/cc

Blog Posting # 715. Copyright 18 November 2022. EducateMHC

Perspective. Land lease communities, previously manufactured home communities, and earlier, ‘mobile home parks’, comprise the real estate component of manufactured housing!
EductaeMHC is the online national advocate, realty asset class historian, trend spotter, education resource, and textbook supplier 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

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


‘Go Along to Get along’ OR ‘Aggressive Opposition’

When I began my manufactured housing career in 1978 I expected to learn a raft of new trade terminology, rules of thumb, helpful formulae, ‘tricks of the trade’, acronyms and abbreviations. And that’s precisely what happened – then and during the nearly five decades that followed. Still learning! In the paragraphs to follow I’ll share just some of those Lessons Learned along the way. Ready? Here goes:

Have you wondered why, in a relatively small segment of the U.S. housing industry (i.e. factory-built homes), it appears necessary to have not one but two national trade or advocacy organizations? Well, we do: Manufactured Housing Institute (‘MHI’) and the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (‘MHARR’). MHI has been around for more than 60 years; MHARR was formed during 1985 by former members of MHI. But why? Because the largest producers of ‘mobile homes’, then in 1976 ‘manufactured homes’, MHI lobbied in ‘Go Along to Get along’ fashion with legislators and regulators. Smaller producers of the same product, however, unable to absorb increased product costs oft associated with increased regulation, formed MHARR engage in ‘aggressive opposition’ to what they viewed as unfavorable legislation and onerous regulation. So the die was cast, and the rest is history, e.g. today’s differing opposition to incorporation of Department of Energy Standards into the HUD Code for manufactured housing, by MHI & MHARR. Read their respective newsletters for details.

Have you ever wondered why HUD-Code manufactured housing, in general, lacks the ‘bells & whistles’ one encounters in traditional site-built (stick) housing? Now, opinions vary about this, but the general rule is NOT to add anything to the basic home that will increase its’ cost to the home buying consumer! It’s why ‘smart (manufactured) homes’ are not commonplace yet – if ever. And in years past, attempts to build single unit smoke alarms, weather radios, gas detectors and intrusion detection devices have just about always failed. And frankly, that’s a major reason why both national trade entities are fighting the product cost control battle alluded to in the previous paragraph, albeit from different perspectives.

For many years I heard the phrase ‘D&R Deliveries’ voiced in regards to manufactured housing delivery. Took me a while to learn this meant the manufactured housing industry had a wide reputation for delivering housing product, then leaving right away! This was early in the day, when independent (street) MHRetailers took delivery of homes into their retail homes sales center, onto privately-owned, scattered building sites, and into ‘mobile home parks’. D&R was a symptom of a much larger, more serious problem: lack of responsibility, on the part of anyone, for the safe and secure installation of new HUD-Code homes! Some have posited that D&R deliveries are the Achilles Heel of this industry. How so? Manufacturers routinely pushed this responsibility off onto the MHRetailer and community owners/operators; who, in turn, passed the responsibility onto homebuyers. And know what? The matter has improved today only because there are fewer MHRetailers in business, and the trend that 40+ percent of new homes are going directly into land lease communities where property owners/operators know the consequences of ‘drop and run deliveries and installations’. Safe and secure home installation remains an unresolved matter across much of the country, e.g. even in the face of empirical evidence the Frost Free Foundation system created and espoused by George Porter, continues to languish when it should, in this industry observer’s opinion, be HUD-approved methodology.

Did you know? In many parts of the U.S. it is commonplace, within land lease communities, to find water and sewer lines laid in the same utility trench? This is one reason infiltration of sewer lines, by ground and potable water, remains one of the most difficult challenges to address in this unique property type. How ‘bout another trade secret?

New Rule of 72. Until recently, when community valuations became unjustifiably high, this was a handy means of estimating the potential and real capitalized income values of average land lease communities. In the first instance, multiply the number of rentable homesites, occupied and vacant, by the prevailing rental homesite rate and then multiply by the whole number 72. For example: 200 sites X $300/month rent X 72 = $4,320,000. For the actual present estimated capitalized income value (not including the presence of rental units, if any), multiply the number of occupied and paying rent sites (e.g. 180) X $300/month X 72 = $3,888,000.

How ‘bout the traditional 3:1 Rule for estimating land lease community rental homsite rates in a given local housing market? Simply perform a Market Survey of 3BR2B conventional apartments in the local market. Once ascertained, e.g. $1,500/month. Divide this figure by ‘3’ for a result of $500/month estimated rental homesite rate. Now, of late, some portfolio owners/operators of large properties are dividing by ‘2’. Do it both ways to decide which is the reasonable approach.

And the beat goes on. There’re more such ‘tools’ to share with you in future blog postings. Are there such rules of thumb you’d like to share? Send them to me via gfa7156@aol.com

GFA

Blog Posting # 714. Copyright 11 November 2022. EducateMHC
Perspective. Land lease communities, previously manufactured home communities, and earlier, ‘mobile home parks’, comprise the real estate component of manufactured housing! EducateMHC is the online national advocate, realty asset class historian, trend spotter, education resource, and textbook supplier 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

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

BIG NEWS – THAT’S NOT BIG NEWS

But first, a Disclaimer Statement. I am not an expert on all things related to the content of this blog; rather, these are my viewpoints and opinions. Also not responsible for any loss or damage caused by information provided here. It is your responsibility to verify the accuracy, completeness and usefulness of information contained herein. Any reliance you place on such information is strictly at your own risk. GFA

An introduction to the BIG NEWS – THAT’S NOT BIG NEWS. As many, if not most, of you who read my weekly blog postings know, I’ve been reporting Institute for Building Technology & Safety (‘IBTS’) unadulterated monthly ‘Shipments and Production Summary Reports’ for several years.*1 And during the last two years or so, I’ve added a Stock Market Report that follows the performance of five HUD-Code housing manufacturers and five land lease community portfolio owners/operators – at least three of whom are Real Estate Investment Trusts (‘REITs’). Part of the latter reporting includes a Composite Stock Index (‘CSI’) that excludes but one publicly-owned firm, and includes an unchanging ad hoc factor.

It’s the most recent ‘MHShipment Volume @ September 2022, and Stock Market Report of 3 November 2022’ that sets the stage, so to speak, for the BIG NEWS – THAT’S NOT BIG NEWS.

Quoting from the subject Report: “Manufactured housing/land lease community Composite Stock Index (‘CSI’) on 3 November 2022 is $612.02, down $178 from this year’s starting point of $790.07 during early January 2022.” This is a nearly 20 percent decline in the CSI during the past 11 months! This is the BIG NEWS – THAT’S NOT BIG NEWS, at least where our national advocacy entities and trade press coverage appears to be concerned, or not concerned.

Why the overall decline in stock prices? Our monthly production and shipment totals are, at 89,222 units YTD, on track to eclipse 2021’s 105,772 new manufactured homes – maybe by another 10,000 units (Think 115,000+). There’s an unsolved mystery regarding what is going on in the manufactured housing industry and land lease community real estate asset class these days.

And I’d be interested in hearing your thoughts on the matter. Send them to me via gfa7156@aol.com Confidence assured. GFA

End Note. Unadulterated? Reference to the unfortunate fact that IBTS data, contracted for by HUD, is not accepted as carte blanche by at least one national manufactured housing trade advocacy group. Furthermore; for a copy of the only comprehensive record of annual MH production/shipment totals (from 1955 till 2021), order a copy of SWAN SONG via www.educatemhc.com


STORIES I’D LIKE TO READ!

Manufactured housing history is rich with exciting tales of entrepreneurial enterprise, business acumen (‘keenness of perception’) and product innovation. Just as land lease communities are diverse in size, location and ownership, with unique stories of personal and corporate success and failure. So, where can we find these ‘tales of yore and nowadays’?

Best place to start is the library at the RV/MH Heritage Foundation Hall of Fame facility in Elkhart, IN. Though not as well-archived, in my opinion, befitting the legacy guardian of our industry and realty asset class’ historical records, one can find dozens of corporate biographies and personal autobiographies within its stacks.

For example, here’re the authors and titles of 11 such works; all well worth reading and studying for the practical lessons they teach even today:

Kristian Jensen, Sr., ‘A Danish American’. Dutch immigrant and 1972 Hall of Fame inductee. Here we have a long deceased entrepreneur whose portfolio passed to the third generation before being sold off to another firm. Fascinating tale.

John Crean, ‘The Wheel & I’. Late founder of Fleetwood Enterprises. Probably one of the earthiest of MH moguls, in his writing style. His book is leather bound with gold-edged pages.

James Clayton, ‘First A Dream’. Still shows up at MH industry events. Son Kevin today runs the firm his father founded decades ago – but for Berkshire-Hathaway.

Borislav (‘Boro’) Vukovich. ‘The Life & Times of B.M. Vukovich’.His family, after his death, produced a photo-autobiography of his life before and after immigration to the U.S.

Harrell & Darrell Cohron, identical twins, now deceased. ‘The Trailer Twins’. Friends of mine who developed and grew the largest portfolio of land lease communities in Indiana. Now in the hands of their third generation of family members.

Mike Conlon’s ‘Unconventional Wealth’ reads like Part I of his life story – sharing his secrets to financial success, e.g. ‘go ugly early’. Watch for Part II sometime in the future.

George N. Goldman, ‘The Road Less Traveled’. An old, but now deceased, ‘friend in the MH business’. Besides communities, George owned the Woodall Publishing Company for a while (Think ‘MH & RV directories)

Alvan L. Schrader’s ‘No Respect At All…A PATH TO MILLIONS’. This should be required reading for every MH industry professional! 100 memoirs and a timely commentary on our industry.

Samuel Zell. ‘Am I Being Too Subtle?’ Only autobiography published by a traditional publisher. It’s subtitle says it all: ‘Straight Talk from a Business Rebel’. One of my favorite ‘reads’.

Jim, Ralph & Jeff Scoular’s ‘Leap of Faith’. Newest of the 11 autobiographies, a collective effort by three generations of the Scoular family. Ralph is deceased but Jim and Jeff continue active.

George Allen’s ‘SWAN SONG’. A history of land lease communities from 1970s to now, & Official Record of MH Production Since 1955. ‘From SmittyAlpha6 to MHMaven’ is my autobiography, chronicling overlapping 40+ years careers as a Marine officer and community owner/operator

All but three of these books are available for purchase from the RV/MH Hall of Fame. Conlon, Goldman, and Zell books are available via amazon.com

Now for those titles – not yet penned or published, that I’d like very much to read and study:

Eugene Landy of UMH Properties. ‘Name Your Passions: Sulky Racing & mid-1980s REIT’

Rob tunnel, III of Pots-Nets. ‘Three Generations of Land Reclamation & Development in Delaware’

Spencer Roane, MHM of Pentagon Properties. ‘Birth, Growth & Today’s Role of SECO’

Chuck Fanaro of Saddlebrook Farms. ‘Visionary Community Developer & High End Housing Manufacturer’

David Nap & Colleen Edwards. ‘Reinventing Oneself Over and Over and Over Again!’

Randy Rowe. ‘My Road from ELS to Hometown America to Green Courte Partners’

Sharon Niccum of ACT III. ‘Succeeding in a Man’s World & Inspiring Young Women Entrepreneurs’

Donald Westphal. ‘My Legacy? Landscaping This Nation’s Best Communities’

Paul Bradley, MHM. ‘ROC USA; from Concept to a Popular New Path to Community Ownership’

Martin, Tim & Todd Newby of Newby Management. ‘Christian Approach to Professional Fee Management’

Danny Ghorbani of MHARR. ‘Washington Watchdog’ for the Manufactured Housing Industry’

Dave Hegemann of Rent Manager. ‘Flying Under the Radar Growing Property Management Software for You’

Walter Comer of Adventure Homes. ‘Growing the Employee-Owned Manufacturing Firm’

Ross Partrich of RHP Properties. ‘Following in Dad’s Footsteps & Passing Him Along the Way’

John Rogosich, CPM. ‘Executive Property Managers Have Thick Skin to Survive & Thrive!’

And yes, there are more titles I’d like to see materialize during the next few years. But that is not going to happen unless those with ‘stories to tell’, begin to take time now to organize their thoughts and memoirs, for eventual compilation into their life story.

Need help to this end? Reach out and let me know. Gfa7156@aol.com

George Allen, CPM®Emeritus, MHM®Master
Author/consultant for EducateMHC
Member, RV/MH Heritage Foundation’s Hall of Fame
Emeritus member, Manufactured Housing Institute
(317) 881-3815

Blog Posting # 713. Copyright 4 November 2022. EducateMHC

Perspective. Land lease communities, previously manufactured home communities, and earlier, ‘mobile home parks’, comprise the real estate component of manufactured housing! EducateMHC is the online national advocate, realty asset class historian, trend spotter, education resource, and textbook supplier 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

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


What Are SFRs, & WWII Vets Quickly Dying Off

We’ve noticed it in our neighborhood; have you noticed it in yours? A greatly increased number of SFRs! Huh? That’s the abbreviation for ‘single family rentals’; you know, those homes traditionally bought and sold as conventional suburban housing, now being rented out. Well, thanks to the pandemic, and now the national economy, large investment firms are buying-up single family houses at a record rate, in some local housing markets, comprising as much as 40 percent of the volume listed and sold.

Quoting from a recent (October 2022, pp. 17-19) issue of GLOBEST. REAL ESTATE FORUM magazine, “…the US has failed to match population growth with housing expansion for years. On the single-family home side, according to a study commissioned by the National Association of Realtors, ‘While the total stock of U.S. housing grew at an average annual rate of 1.7% from 1968 through 2000, the U.S. housing stock grew by an annual average rate of 1% (during) the last two decades, and only 0.7% in the last decade’.”

Today, thanks to a variety of factors (e.g. working from home and remote learning require more space, millennials now forming new households, and increasing home prices and rising interest rates make it difficult if not impossible to ‘buy’), the single-family rental (‘SFR’) market has exploded during the past few years.

Another interesting observation has to do with why the SFR market was not an institutional market a decade or two ago. Why? “…the complexities of managing it institutionally (involved) the ‘three Ts: tenants, trash and toilets.” But now, aggregation and consolidation have eased the property management challenge somewhat. And rental agents, thanks to technology (e.g. ‘showing’ via You Tube videos, online instructions re maintenance, and cel phone aps) typically work out of call centers – never having to leave to drive around to demonstrate units.

But, in my opinion, there’s another side of this story; and it’s somewhat akin to the challenge we face when renting homes within land lease communities. If management does not keep close watch on how their tenants (residents) live, curb appeal and home interior cleaning and maintenance can get out of hand. I see this in the SFR across the street from my home: grass is cut as a last resort, several trees are now dangerously overgrown, and ‘last year’s leaves’ are still piled around the base of one tree. Oh, and we just learned a not for profit organization has converted two large homes (i.e. four bedrooms) into SFR group living units for recovering addicts. Nothing in the subdivision covenants and restrictions prevents this risky change in use.

It will be interesting to observe how the investment future of SFRs evolved during the months and years ahead.


16 Million + U.S. Service Members Fought in WW II

In a recent issue (5 November) issue of WORLD news magazine, researchers shared some salient, startling statistics obtained from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and the National WWII museum. The date goes like this:

• WWII veterans are dying at the rate of 180 per day!

• 70% of WWII veterans served in the Army, 26% in the Navy,& 4% in the Marines

• 291,557 died in battle

• 113,842 died in non-theater service

• 670,846 suffered non-mortal wounds

• 167,278 were still living as of 30 September 2022

77 years following the end of WWII, the actions and sacrifices of WWII veterans remain with us. My maternal uncle was wounded and awarded the bronze star for heroism during the Battle of the Bulge; and, Carolyn’s lifelong girlfriend Billie Ann was orphaned when her father was killed in action during that same conflict, and her mother died soon thereafter. Want to read a book that well-describes the battles fought, as the war drew to a close? I recommend Alex Kershaw’s ‘The Longest Winter’ – The Battle of the Bulge & the Epic Story of WW IIs most decorate platoon.

George Allen, CPM®Emeritus, MHM®Master
Author/consultant EducateMHC
Member, RV/MH Heritage Foundation’s Hall of Fame
Emeritus member, Manufactured Housing Institute

Blog Posting # 712. Copyright 28 October. EducateMHC

Perspective. Land lease communities, previously manufactured home communities, and earlier, ‘mobile home parks’, comprise the real estate component of manufactured housing! EducateMHC is the online national advocate, realty asset class historian, trend spotter, education resource, and textbook supplier for land lease communities throughout North America! To input this blog and or connect with EducateMHC, telephone (317) 881-3815 and or visit educatemhc.com

What You Missed on 24 October 2022

An eclectic mix of manufactured housing and land lease community history, contemporary business musings, useful resources, and more. Following the SECO Conference of a few weeks ago, the ‘MHP Tribe Team’ (specifically, Katerina, Mario & Pablo) asked me to be guest presenter in a Zoom call this past Monday evening. This was a first for me. Since retiring mid-2021 I’ve been very selective as to where and when I participate in industry and realty asset class events. But this opportunity played to my interests: MH & community history, current state of business affairs, and sharing of key resources.

What follows here is a summary of what was covered during the ‘more than hour long’ Zoom call. I hope you find it interesting and helpful. Have questions? Reach me via gfa7156@aol.com

HISTORY. The early history of manufactured housing is well-covered in Allan Wallis’ classic, ‘Wheel Estates’ – The Rise & Fall of Mobile Homes (1997). The history of land lease communities is documented in George Allen’s ‘Swan Song’ – 1970s to present day (2017).

Terminology changes over decades: mobile homes to manufactured homes; mobile home park to land lease community; singlewide & doublewide to single section & multisection. And site rent. Once collected in cash – now rarely the case. Rents due on 1st of month, no longer move-in date. And yes, tenant, over time became resident and or homeowner/site lessee.

But, how many know tales of the ‘bad boys of manufactured housing’? Here’s a succinct review:

• Joseph (‘Joey’) Testa, according to UPI, was ‘a millionaire mobile home (park) and restaurant owner, and alleged associate of Chicago crime figures’ – possibly using Sterling Estates, one of his properties, to launder mob money. Read ‘Double Deal’ – The Inside Story of Murder, Unbridled Corruption, and the Cop Who Was a Mobster’, 2003

• Gian Ferre came to Indianapolis, IN., in 1979, buying four ‘mobile home parks’. Things soon went awry, due to far less cash flow than his due diligence team projected. He sold out, and a decade later murdered several attorneys and their clients in a downtown San Francisco high rise office building. Google: ‘101 California Street Shootings’.

• John Robinson, for a short time in the mid-1980s, published ‘Manufactured Modular Living’ newsletter in IL. Used his wife’s job as a transient community manager to cover his nefarious preying on single women, to get their money, and then murder them. His story is in ‘Anyone You Want Me to Be’ – A True Story of Sex & Death on the Internet.

CONTEMPORARY. At present, the Manufactured Housing Institute (‘MHI’) is working hard to reconcile the controversial DOE energy standards for manufactured homes, with the HUD-Code. They’re doing this via the Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee (‘MHCC’) and legislation (HR-7651). The Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (‘MHARR’), a.k.a. ‘Washington Watchdog for Manufactured Housing’ is an additional force to be reckoned with in this battle. If we lose? New home prices jump by around $6,000 per unit.

MHI’s s National Communities Council (‘NCC’) division is the land lease community real estate asset class’ sole national advocate. And while the NCC was launched with great enthusiasm in 1996; in the eyes of some, it has not lived up to early expectations. Some examples: lack of asset class statistics (i.e. with discontinuation of the 30 year ALLEN REPORT, a.k.a. ‘Who’s Who of Land Lease Community Owners/operators Nationwide, no NCC effort to replace it); lack of communication (i.e. no land lease community-focused print or online newsletters from the NCC, or from anywhere else now); and, lack of emphasis on professional property management (i.e. few to no in-person ACM courses and MHM is dormant), with only 125 Certified Property Managers expressing affinity to our unique income-producing property type. This is really an embarrassing state of affairs among commercial real estate property types!

SECO Conference. Land lease community owner/operator focused, now in its’ 12th year, and hosted in Atlanta, GA. Rapidly becoming ‘the place to go’ for community training and interpersonal networking. A dozen new homes on display last month, with dozens of exhibitors.

RESOURCES. In my opinion, the following texts, then trade publications, belong on every land lease community owner/operator’s desk:

• SWAN SONG. Mentioned earlier in this blog as historical profile of land lease communities, it is also the only Official Record of Manufactured Housing Production, year by year, since 1955.

• Community Management in the Manufactured Housing Industry. This is 8th edition of Mobile Home Park Management, first published during 1988. Chock full of helpful property management information for land lease community owners/operators.

• From SmittyAlpha6 to MHMaven. My autobiography, describing 30 years career as a USMC officer, and 40 year overlapping career as a land lease community owner/operator, and author/consultant to the manufactured housing industry.

All three texts are available for purchase from www.educatemhc.com
And here’s what you should be receiving and reading relative to the MH trade press:

• MHIndustry magazine. Published quarterly and available via MHVillage.com. Be sure to read my Allen Legacy column at the very end of every issue – a mix of industry/asset class history and lessons we learn that can be applied to today’s business decisions.

• MHInsider BUYER’S GUIDE. A new resource, but an important one. Also available via MHVillage .com

• Manufactured Housing Review, a periodic online communique for everyone in manufactured housing and owning/operating land lease communities. Contact manufacturedhosuingreview.com

MY CURRENT PROJECTS. There are two; and for good measure…

Louisville MHSHow Interlude will occur during the timeframe of 18-20 January 2023. Specific date and location TBA. This will be a half day opportunity to convene, discuss and parse industry and realty asset class issues and more. Ask yourself, ‘What other venue offers me the opportunity to talk openly about matters that affect my MH-related business interests?’ Answer? None! So, if seriously interested, let me know via gfa7156@aol.com

‘RVs as Affordable Housing’. I’ve begun research on this timely topic; my manuscript will be due to the publishers of VISIONS, an academic magazine, during fall 2023. If you have thoughts and or experience to this end, please let me know, again, via gfa7156@aol.com or phone me via (317) 881-3815.

RV/MH Heritage Foundation Hall of Fame, Museum & Library. Most readers of this blog already know this legacy organization is celebrating its’ 50th anniversary during year 2022. But, how many know that a new, huge ‘manufactured housing museum’ or exhibit hall, was opened to the public during August? Add a visit to this facility in Elkhart, IN. (right adjacent to I-80) to your bucket list! And while there, after touring the RV and MH museums, take time to visit the extensive library – where you’ll also see the showcased George Allen collection (recently donated to the RV/MH Hall of Fame) of all land lease community books published since the 1970s. Also while there, inquire as to how to nominate someone, even yourself – if qualified, to be considered for election into the prestigious RV/MH Hall of Fame.


George Allen, CPM®Emeritus, MHM®Master
Member, RV/MH Heritage Foundation’s Hall of Fame
Emeritus Member, Manufactured Housing Institute.
Contact via www.educatemhc.com