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

Blog Posting # 872; Copyright 26 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, plus 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 the 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 tend tracker, as well as perennial MH information source! Contact EducateMHC via (317) 881-3815; email gfa7156@aol.com, or visit www.edcatemhc.com, to purchase ‘Community Management in the Manufactured Housing Industry’. This book belongs in very 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 Fam enshrinee, Allen Legacy columnist;, and editor at large for ‘MHInsider’ magazine.

Christmas’ Present & Past

As I pen these lines, Christmas is still a few days away. Today I’m wrapping presents for family members and friends.

Something unique I do that you might want to emulate next year, is to make a list of ten or more individuals closest to you. Then, during the year ahead, watch for gift ideas within your budget (Mine is $25.00 /gift), that your hand-picked recipients would like. Since most (everyone) on my list is male, I‘ve gifted things like high quality fingernail clippers, leather coin purses, combination flashlight/stun guns, and pocket-sized multi-tools. This year I’m going with a dozen small handheld binoculars for the 12 guys on my list.

I bring gift-giving up because it’s fun to do, and I wanted to share with you what former clients (now that I’m retired) sent to Carolyn and me over past years.

The most unique, albeit humorous Christmas card received to date was one from the late Bob Bross, founder and longtime proprietor of BROPFS Mobile Homes in St. Charles & Festus, MO. A joker ‘from the word go’, Bob was always the prankster and ready with witty anecdotes. Well one year his friends received a Christmas card in the mail with this tongue-in-cheek alternative message: Inside, Bob had crossed-out original sender’s name, and printed this business message: ‘It’s been a rough year!’ signed Bob B. Turns out, he’d saved Christmas cards he received the previous year and made this adjustment before readdressing and sending them out to business associates and friends. It remains one of my prize business mementoes.

Recently I opined, in this weekly blog posting, ‘Will You Be Part Of, Or Lost to MH History?’ Well Bob Bross is one of those individuals to which I was referring. Tales of his comic exploits (e.g. showing up at formal affairs wearing a T-shirt with tuxedo bow tie and lapels screen-printed on it) continue to be shared – years after his passing. And Yes, he was a very successful independent (street) MHRetailer and community owner/operator in Missouri. Then there’s the late Tom Raper of RV fame! Bet you never heard of him. Well, for decades he was the largest RV & MH dealer in the U.S., with a huge sales lot in Richmond, IN. and constant ads on TV. But is he in the RV/MH Hall of Fame? Unfortunately, no. And that list goes on and on. How ‘bout the late Tom Horner, Jr., the only former NFL player/CPA businessman in MH industry history not inducted (yet) into the RV/MH Hall of Fame.

OK, back to past Christmas gifts from business associates and friends. One year Carolyn and I received an entire pre-cooked turkey! And there’ve been many large, heavy boxes of citrus fruit from Newby Management and other business clients in Florida and California. (Just ate one huge juicy orange this morning!). The most unique gifts over the years, however, have come from Matt Follett. One year he sent us a 12 inch art-deco ceramic serving plate that always generates comments. Another year he gifted us an art print mounted on aluminum backing plate, depicting the famous Chasing Firefall in Yosemite Valley, California. Matt’s most unique gift has been a 9”X16” wood slab home-décor piece featuring unique grain.

This year, as case in the point, we received a Harry & David box of summer sausage, cheeses, crackers and candy from Mike Sullivan, fellow RV/MH Hall of Fame inductee in California. Another faithful friend, to us, has been Kamal Shouhayib of the Choice Group in Michigan, yet another RV/MH Hall of Fame enshrinee. Kamal thrills Carolyn with his gift of extra virgin olive oil, grown on his property in Lebanon. His gift box also includes unique herbs for seasoning the olive oil when preparing a bread dip. Also a tin box of Lebanese sweets, and this year, Dubet chocolates. See what I mean, Carolyn and I have been very blessed over the years by the generosity of many many friends.

What will you be gifting your friends and family members next year?

George Allen

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.

1. 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

Blog Posting # 870; Copyright 12 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, those being manufactured, modular & panelized housing, plus Park Model RVs or accessory dwelling units a.k.a. ADUs). Offsite construction is routinely paired with traditional stick-built, single-family residential housing (a.k.a. onsite construction) which is tallied and reported monthly, per building permits, by the U.S. Census Bureau. No one tallies and reports offsite construction! 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 www.educatemhc.com, to purchase ‘Community Management in the Manufactured Housing Industry’- a book that 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, RV/MH Hall of Fame enshrinee, as well as  Allen Legacy columnist & editor at large for ‘MHInsider’ magazine.

OUR MOTHER WAS AN AIRCRAFT SPOTTER DURING WWII

My brother Mark Allen is a columnist for the ‘Cape May Star & Wave’ newspaper in New Jersey. He recently (11/26/2025) penned and titled his weekly feature: ‘Aircraft spotters played key role in WWII’. What follows here is a marked departure (excusing the pun) from the usual fare of this weekly blog posting, but I think you’ll enjoy the lightly edited history lesson.

*****

It is a small strip of wool cloth, royal blue in color, maybe four inches wide by 18 inches long. In the middle of the cloth, gold wings bracket a white disc bearing ‘AWS’ in large letters. Surrounding the ‘AWS’ is ‘U.S. Army Air Force’, and under the disc, ‘OBSERVER’

This is an armband once worn by my mother Margaret J. Allen, during World War II when she volunteered as an observer for the Aircraft Warning Service, or AWS. I came across the armband recently while cleaning out an ancient footlocker, long forgotten in an equally ancient attic. It was not my first time seeing the armband, as I remember discovering it years ago while a small boy.

I had been intrigued then, as I still am, reflecting on my mother’s wartime service. This time however, in addition to the armband I found other related items. There’s an ‘Aircraft Spotters’ Guide’, edited by Lt. Col. Harold F. Harney. Published in 1942, the book contains “three positon silhouettes, general specifications and photographs of fighting planes of the U.S., Great Britain, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Russia, Japan and France.”

There was also a ‘Silhouette Handbook of U.S. Army Air Forces Airplanes’, published in 1942. Tucked inside this handbook were two answer sheets completed in my mother’s beautiful cursive penmanship. I suspect my mother had been much dismayed, taking the aircraft recognition test, since she correctly identified only seven of 13 planes. Fortunately, she did far better on the second test, in which she sketched 16 different wing and rudder configurations.

Since there was a war going on, this ‘Silhouette Handbook’ warned it was classified as being restricted’. Furthermore, the cover also warned the content was subject to the Espionage Act, and transmission of its contents to unauthorized persons was prohibited.

Mother was one of 750,000 volunteers who manned observation posts and associated information/filter centers set up along both coasts during the early days of World War II. Even before 7 December 1941 (i.e. attack on Pearl Harbor naval base) there had been concern about the development of long-range bombers that might make the coasts vulnerable to aerial attack. That concern prompted the Army Air Force to organize the AWS under the auspices of the 1^st Interceptor Command.

On the east coast, thousands of observation posts were established, from the northern edge of Maine to the southern tip of Florida, extending inland to the western slopes of the Appalachian Mountains. Each post had its own code name and number. When an aircraft was spotted, it would be logged and a ‘flash’ message forwarded to the respective Army Filter Center.

Observers were taught to transmit their ‘slash’ messages in short, concise phrases that conveyed: number of aircraft, estimated altitude, heading, and number of engines. For example, eight four-engine aircraft flying north at 13,000 feet might be transmitted via ‘flash’ message as “eight-high-north-four”.  Rather than being ‘manned’, the vast majority of those 750,000 AWS observers were women.

Upon launch of the AWS, Adelaide Rickenbacker, wife of famous WWI fighter ace Eddie Rickenbacker, volunteered to recruit women as AWS observers. And women of all backgrounds volunteered: housewives, office workers, actresses, nurses, teachers, and entertainers. I remember my mother telling me my grandmother even served as a volunteer observer.

AWS training was serious business. Extensive training of Aircraft Spotters was so successful that spotting spilled over into the general population, giving rise to a new hobby for men and women alike. With the plethora of books, publications, and Aircraft Spotters’ Guides, aircraft recognition clubs and ‘recognition bees’ sprang up along both coasts. Hard plastic or rubber aircraft models were widely used as a means for acquainting observers and hobbyists with the many different types and variants of aircraft, and how they looked from different perspectives. Today those models, when found, are sought  by museums, and often worth hundreds of dollars.

Observation posts were as varied as they were numerous. They were situated at elevated locations that offered clear views in all or most directions, especially toward the coast. Fire towers, elevated water tanks, church steeples, and tall buildings were all employed as AWS observation posts. As a boy, when I came across my mother’s armband, I inquired about her observation post. It had been atop the old Glassboro Ice House. She also told me my grandmother’s post had been the East Point Lighthouse at the mouth of the Maurice River.

In retrospect, we know today the aerial threat was indeed very real. At that time, Adolf Hitler’s scientists were racing to develop a nuclear weapon, and his engineers striving to design what they called the ‘New York Bomber’. If his plans had come to fruition, the New York Bomber, not the Enola Gay, would have delivered the first nuclear weapon to New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, or Washington, DC.

So now you know how our government and citizens protected our nation from attack 80 years ago!

Next week? Depends on whether the U.S. Census Bureau is back up and running (i.e. tallying and reporting on the number of onsite construction permits, construction starts, and completions. I have the data for offsite construction, just waiting on the ‘dog to catch up with its’ tail’, so to speak.

George Allen