Blog Posting # 871; Copyright 19 December 2025. EducateMHC
Know this! HUD-Code manufactured housing (“MH’) is federally-regulated, performance-based, affordable-attainable, factory-built housing (a.k.a. one of four types of offsite construction: being manufactured, modular, panelized housing, & Park Model RVs – or accessory dwelling units, a.k.a. ADUs), routinely paired with traditional stick-built single-family residential housing (a.k.a. onsite construction, where building permits are tallied and reported monthly by U.S. Census Bureau). Land lease communities, a.k.a. manufactured home communities, ‘mobile home parks’) are the commercial real estate (‘CRE’) component of MH. And, along with various types of housing finance (e.g. chattel or ‘home only’ loans, and real estate-secured mortgages) constitutes the post-production segment of the MH industry.
EducateMHC is an MH historian, trade term and trend tracker, as well as perennial MH information source! Contact EducateMHC via (317) 881-3815; email gfa7156@aol.com, or visit www.educatemhc.com, to purchase ‘Community Management in the Manufactured Housing Industry’. This book belongs in every land lease community nationwide! And ‘SWAN SONG’ – 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 as a USMC lieutenant, a 45 year entrepreneur business career in MH & community ownership, as well as freelance consulting and authoring of 20 nonfiction texts.
George Allen is the sole emeritus member of the Manufactured Housing Institute (‘MHI’), a founding board member of MHI’s National Communities Council (‘NCC’) division, an RV/MH Hall of Fame enshrinee, Allen Legacy columnist, and editor at large for ‘MHInsider’ magazine.
Will You Be Part Of, Or Lost to MH History?
Now that’s a pretty sobering, perhaps even woebegone question, regarding one’s career role in the manufactured housing industry – including land lease community ownership and operation. But know what? It’s certainly one that deserves pondering and answering, on an individual basis.
That salient question came to mind this past week, initially as I learned of the passing of an old old friend in the MH business. His name was Craig White, ACM, married to Joyce, and living in Lee’s Summit, Missouri when he died. I’ve known Craig since the early 1970s when we lived in the same Indianapolis suburb, Greenwood, IN. We attended the same local church, and for a while shared active interest in ‘all things manufactured housing’. Craig was already a force to be reckoned with, writing feature articles in Herb Tieder’s ‘Manufactured Housing Merchandiser’ magazine, and representing mobile home park owners via MHI’s Communities Council, forerunner to today’s National Communities Council (‘NCC’) division, founded in 1996. When I took my first job as a regional property manager I used his property Wymberly, in GA., as an operations template. And in 1991 we co-authored MHEI’s Accredited Community Manager (‘ACM’) course # 101, later teaching it together in Seattle, WA. During the following decade Craig took on various freelance consulting assignments, often helping during the acquisition process. Around the turn of the century he relocated to Missouri and finished out his career there as a real estate broker.
The point in telling you all this? Actually there are several reasons. First; for nearly three decades this individual was a community pioneer, regarding evolving trade terminology, PM training, and operating expense ratio calculation. But today, sans any sort of autobiography, or induction into the RV/MH Hall of Fame, Craig will be lost to MH history – except for what you’re reading here.
And this is not a solitary example of what happens to one’s career role in manufactured housing if steps are not taken beforehand to mark one’s place in history – if that is even a concern at all.
Earlier this year, in a blog posting, I told you of the passing of another old old friend in the MH business. That was Charles G. Irion, a popular novelist who made his mark in the Arizona land lease community business as a real estate broker and part owner of several properties.*1 Chuck ‘lived large’ during the past several years (Did he know he was dying soon?) traveling the world with Nora, and being a philanthropist of the first degree, relative to various overseas medical facilities. Charles attended one Networking Roundtable – where we met, and he had me edit several of his earliest novels. Expressed his gratitude to me in his thriller novel ‘FOUR’, by naming one of the lead characters General George Allen. But know what? Chuck too will be lost to MH history – except for what you’re reading here, and possible future induction into the RV/MH Hall of Fame. For he too, despite his talent and penchant for writing, and my encouragement, never penned his autobiography.
But there is hope. There’re individuals, in manufactured housing, who are writing their memoirs (i.e. short stories of their youth, career, relationships and more), to be later collected and self-published in autobiographies. One executive is focused on describing his role in bringing common sense to manufactured housing finance via lease options; another is preparing her recollections and thoughts on female business success, with an eye to motivating young women entering MH and land lease community operations. How ‘bout you? What is the MH industry awaiting you to share about your career experiences?
And there’s so much more that can be said about this whole milieu of manufactured housing and land lease community operations. I maintain a list of dozens of names of individuals I’ve known during the past five decades, who’ve contributed to the evolution of our homes and income-producing properties. And I sometimes get to insert their achievements in articles penned for ‘MHInsider’ magazine (i.e. Allen Legacy column). But it’d be so much more interesting and helpful if these same individuals, those who are still with us, would sit down and share their wisdom! Some examples. Who coined ‘independent (street) MHRetailer’ to supplant image-damaging ‘dealer’? That was MH consultant Bill Carr in Iowa. Who, in 2004, introduced the Urban Institute to manufactured housing? That was Randy Rowe of Green Courte Partners. Who conceived and popularized the Frost Free Foundation methodology – still ignored by HUD? That was RV/MH Hall of Fame enshrinee George Porter of Delaware. And the list goes on. But I’d love to read histories written by these industry pioneers. You guys listening out there? Hope so. Same can be said about Jim Ayotte and the very early days of the NCC;, Dick Bessire and his ’functionally obsolete’ Lido Peninsula community now featuring redesigned two story homes in Newport Beach, CA.
Some more examples? How ‘bout the very large Saddlebrook Farms land lease community in Grayslake, IL., developed by visionary Chuck Fanaro – who then filled vacant rental homesites with his own brand of upscale manufactured home. To date, the only description of that model project is recorded in ‘SWAN SONG’.*2 Finally, let’s not forget Dr. Chrissy Jackson, ACM., semi-retired community owner, writer, and itinerant PM instructor. Wouldn’t you like to read her career story?
But know what? Nary has a week gone by anymore, where I don’t hear of yet another death of a longtime friend in the MH business. Just this past year we also lost Mel Fath (community owner in northern Indiana), Bud Parkhill (developed his Mahomet, IL. community while a teenager many years ago), and Don Gedert, who with his wife Kay developed what is, in my opinion, the largest genuine MH subdivision (Stardust Hills) in the U.S. I had just finished his RV/MH Hall of Fame application package when he died just a month or two ago. The story of Stardust Hills is worthy of a book in its’ own right. Oh well…
Now to end this blog on a positive note. If this week’s posting has motivated you to think about penning your memoirs, but need more incentive and guidance, ask me to send you a FREE copy of ‘Who Will Preserve Your Legacy? Answer: You!’ This helpful booklet was first published and distributed in 2018, and since then has gone through three updates. Make your request via email: gfa7156@aol.com and be sure to include your preferred US postal address.
End Note.
- Charles G. Irion’s Bookshelf Checklist includes Murdered by God Series of three novels, Summit Murder Mystery Series of eight novels, The Hell Series of four novels, and his ‘Roadkill Cooking for Campers’. My favorite? ‘FOUR’, available from Amazon.com
- ‘SWAN SONG’ available for purchase via www.educatemhc.com
George Allen