Blog Posting # 818; Copyright 8 November 2024. EducateMHC
Know this! HUD-Code manufactured housing (‘MH’) is federally-regulated, performance-based, affordable-attainable, factory-built housing (a.k.a. another type of offsite construction). And land lease communities (a.k.a. manufactured home communities & ‘mobile home parks’), comprise the commercial real estate (‘CREs’) component of MH! EducateMHC is the online advocate, official historian, trade term & trend tracker, as well as information resource for both business models, and to a lesser extent, the recreational vehicle (‘RV’) industry. Access EducateMHC via (317) 881-3815; email: gfa7156@aol.com, and via www.educatemhc.com to purchase Community Management in the Manufactured Housing Industry and SWAN SONG – a history of land lease communities & official record of annual MH production totals since 1955. Also my autobiography, From SmittyAlpha6 to MHMaven, describes personal combat adventures in Vietnam as a USMC lieutenant, a 45 year entrepreneur business career in MH & community owner ship, as well as freelance consulting, and authoring many nonfiction texts.
George Allen is the sole emeritus member of the Manufactured Housing Institute (“MHI’), a founding member of MHI’s National Communities Council (‘NCC’) division, an RV/MH Hall of Fame enshrinee, MHInsider magazine’s ‘Allen Legacy’ columnist and editor at large. He’s a Vietnam combat veteran, retired lieutenant colonel of U.S. Marines, author/editor of 30 books and chapbooks on MH, communities, business management, prayer, and figures of speech.
VETERANS DAY, 11 November 2024
Three times annually, I purposely pause and reflect on the sober meanings of Vietnam Veterans Day, 28 March; Memorial Day in late May; and Veterans Day on 11 November this year. I pause and reflect, remembering those who’ve made ‘the ultimate sacrifice’ in behalf of you, me, and our nation! I also think upon the many military servicemen and women I’ve known since my enlistment in March 1964, often reaching out to some of them to say ‘Thank You’. Do you?
Here I’d like to share with you, the true but little known history of Samuel Whittemore, Jr. of Charlestown, Massachusetts. He was born in 1696 and died in 1793. As a young man he was involved in the capture of the French Fortress of Louisbourg. Some sources claim he also fought in the French and Indian War of 1754-63.
Subsequently, during April 1775, as British forces returned to Boston from Battles of Lexington and Concord, they were continually fired upon by American militiamen. At this time Whittemore, who was 79 years of age, was working in his fields, when he observed a British relief brigade coming to assist in the retreat. Whittemore, with his one shot musket, and from behind a stone wall, ambushed the British grenadiers, killing one. Then drawing his dueling pistols, killed a second grenadier and mortally wounded a third. By then the British detachment reached his position, where Whittemore drew his sword and attacked. He was subsequently shot in the face, bayoneted many times, and left for dead. Soon thereafter he was found by colonial forces, attempting to reload his musket. Whittemore was taken to a local doctor who held no hope for his survival. However, Whittemore revived and lived another 18 years, finally dying of natural causes at the age of 96 years.
Now there’s someone who gave more than his fair share of time, health and life to being an American patriot, and yes, veteran.
Rest of the story? “In 2005, Massachusetts Senator Robert Havern III proposed Whittemore be proclaimed the official state hero of Massachusetts, and his memory be commemorated on 3 February each year.” Wikipedia
STEALING HOME
Here’s something for you to read and ponder. During September 2024 MHAction (a.k.a. Manufactured Housing Action) prepared ‘Stealing Home’, subtitled (How) ‘Out-of-state Private Equity Executives Spend Lavishly to Thwart Reforms and Make It Easier to Take (a specific state) Mobile Homes’.
The next paragraph is a paraphrase of the Executive Summary introducing this STEALING HOME report. The specific state has been omitted, as this alleged landlord-tenant offenses appear to be occurring in several regions of the U.S. today. And contemporary manufactured housing trade terminology replaces inaccurate extinct renderings. Here’s where to read and ponder!
‘The state has a clear choice – to support hundreds of thousands of homeowners/site lessees live in land lease communities (a.k.a. manufactured home communities) OR the private equity firms, hedge funds, and corporations harming them and their communities. In land lease communities, residents often own their homes and rent the property on which they are installed. Most of these homes cannot be moved (i.e. lack of wheels & axles, no similar properties nearby, and high cost of moving to include tear-down and set-up), making residents vulnerable to the practices of corporate owners who often raise rents and add on fees while disinvesting in the property, leading to water quality problems, sewer issues, dangerous roads, residents losing their homes, and more.’
Elsewhere in this STEALING HOME report, mention is made of landlords sending “…seniors’ modest Social Security income to out-of-state and overseas investors.” This being in reference to rental homesite fees, and likely, overseas investors like China – where at least one large property portfolio owner/operator is concerned. Mention is also made of how this state of affairs only increases “an acute housing shortage’ in the state” and “undermines the state’’ push to create more affordable housing.”
So, how are matters like this in your state – if even a challenge, to begin with? My fear is that if our elected and salaried national manufactured housing trade advocacy leaders don’t get busy researching and addressing this sort of (now public) issue, we’ll soon see onerous, business-restricting landlord-tenant legislation like never seen before!
Now you cannot say I didn’t warn you! GFA
SECO’s MH2X Community Infill & Upgrade Workshop
November 20 & 21, 2024, at the Country Inn & Suites in Atlanta, GA. For more information and to register, visit secoconference.com
This workshop is the product of land lease community owners/operators whose goal is to see the production of new manufactured homes double during year 2025. How? Land lease community ‘players’ to buy and sell many more new homes to fill vacant rental homesites and upgrade their properties. YOU interested in doing this? Then send key on-site property personnel to this workshop, even attend yourself, and get motivated to be a key manufactured housing ‘difference maker’ in 2025!
George Allen