Time for Another Manufactured Housing Industry Paradigm Shift?
Status Quo, One Consolidated National Advocacy Body, or reorganized ‘Producer Only’ & ‘Post Production’ Associations dba MHARR & MHI?
I.
Disclaimer = ‘a statement of disavowal’. Webster. “I have no dog in this fight! OK, maybe three.”*1 However, I have no proclivity to or for any of the alternatives described in the above subtitle, simply a strong and enduring desire to see the HUD Code manufactured housing industry and landlease (nee manufactured home) community asset class well and effectively represented in our nation’s capitol!” GFA
So, what’s a paradigm shift? Popularized more than a decade ago, it was a trendy term to describe “a (business) example serving as a model or pattern”. Not heard much today, but know the manufactured housing industry (‘MHIndustry’) has experienced at least a half dozen paradigm shifts (i.e. Changing manner in which we ‘do business’) since the early 1970s.*2 However, what hasn’t changed or shifted during the past 30 years, is the way we’re represented and lobbied in behalf of, in Washington, DC and Arlington, VA. Hence the ‘question title’ of this week’s blog posting.
This conversation started, somewhat unexpectedly, with responses to the BEBA (‘Blast Email Blog Alert’) announcing last week’s blog posting titled: ‘The CAMPAIGN, Calculating Housing Price Points, & $$$ Talk!’ Hopefully you read that blog in its’ entirety, and ‘took action’ in one or more of the means suggested! In any event, last week’s BEBA went something like this: ‘Have YOU compared MHI’s WEEK IN REVIEW one pager ‘MHI Participates in MHCC Committee this Week’ with MHARR’s 12 page REPORT AND ANALYSIS describing the same event?’ If not, I suggested readers contact both advocacy bodies for copies of said documents, both dated 29 October 2010. Did YOU?
First off; I misspoke. MHARR’s REPORT AND ANALYSIS was not twelve pages long, only six. The ‘other six pages’ were three two pagers of talking points, describing why the Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee (‘MHCC’) should 1) ‘Oppose HUD Actions Undermining MHCC’s Role, Authority & Independence Provided by Law’; 2) ‘Reject the HUD – MHI Proposed Fire Sprinkler Standard for Manufactured Housing’; & 3) ‘Asset Its’ Statutory Right to Review and Comment on HUD’s Expansion of its’ Regulations’. Sorry ‘bout that. But know what? YOU should still obtain and read all 12 pages. To obtain a copy, phone (202) 783-4075. And, while you’re at it, contact MHI, via (703) 558-0678 and ask Thayer Long to point you towards a copy of (last week’s) WEEK IN REVIEW.
What I’m not going to do here, is pen a paragraph by paragraph comparison of these two disparate descriptions (As I’ve done before…) of this recent MHCC meeting – the volunteer body created more than a decade ago, upon passage of the Manufactured Housing Improvement Act of 2000. If you’re a businessman or woman with ownership stakes (a.k.a. Have ‘skin in the game’!) regarding one or more business interests related to HUD Code manufactured housing and or the LLCommunity asset class, YOU should be concerned enough about ‘What’s Happening!’ and ‘How You’re Represented!’ in our nation’s capitol to ‘Stay Informed!’ Nuff said.
A related perspective. Was recently made privy to informal correspondence among individuals debating the merits, or lack thereof, regarding creation of separate ‘Producer Only’ & ‘Post Production’ (nee ‘the aftermarket’) national advocacy bodies. One telling argument, against such a split, contained points presently ‘not on the table’, by dint of our semi – united industry, heavily influenced by housing manufacturers:
• Implement five & ten year warranties on all new homes
• Require final & comprehensive inspections of every new home prior to shipment
• Shift total responsibility for all new home installations to manufacturers
• Disallow direct sales of new homes by manufacturers
• Proscribe preferential new home pricing by manufacturers
Point? Enter ‘Producer Only’ & ‘Post Production’ advocacy bodies, and expect these five – and likely more, presently assuaged sore points, to become lively issues of dissension. No, the most desirable scenario is to speak with one voice, underwrite one national body!
The most pressing need of contemporary manufactured housing, and by extension, the LLCommunity asset class, is a united focus on solving (chattel) finance issues; which in large part, keeps annual shipments at the 60 year nadir 50,000 ‘new homes’ level, versus 372,843 ‘new homes’ shipped during 1998, the final year of our too short renascence.
OK, so where do we go from here? I have no idea. That is entirely up to those of you who patronize this website and blog posting each week, and have valuable stakes in the future (good) health of this industry and asset class. First step, obviously, is to become and stay informed. Reading this weekly blog posting, and monthly Allen Letter professional journal, are good starts. And there’s not better way to continue that process, than to become an active, direct member of the national advocacy body best representing your business interests, whether HUD Code home manufacturer, supplier, financier, or from the realty side of the house. What will YOU do?
II.
FLASH! Breaking News! You’re reading about it first here! The RV/MH Hall of Fame of the RV/MH Heritage Foundation in Elkhart, IN – national repository of our RV/MHIndustries’ and asset class’ history and heritage, via museum and library, will soon launch Invest in a Dream, an aggressive fund – raising program, to finance the final phase of facility construction!
Here’s what makes this NEWS. The RV/MH Hall of Fame will soon launch a ‘once in a lifetime and career opportunity’ for YOU to acquire ‘naming rights’, for yourself or someone of renown in the RV/MH industries, to be affixed to the new Grand Hall and Manufactured Housing (exhibit) Hall @ $1,000,000.00 apiece! There’re also naming rights opportunities for the Outdoor Show Area @ $1,000,000 per year; and various Roadways/Streets/Boulevards @ $100,000 apiece; plus five lakes at $50,000 apiece. It’s also going to be possible to buy large engraved Paving Bricks @ $500 apiece, and smaller engraved Paving Bricks @ $250 each. Point? You’re hearing about this NOW, before anyone else in the MH & RV industries. SO, if you’ve wanted to ensure your good name, or that of someone of renown from either of these industries or the landlease community real estate asset class, is publicly recognized and honored in perpetuity, phone (574) 293-2344 or (800) 378-8694 today, and ask for information and application form! Remember, this is truly a ‘once in a lifetime and career opportunity’. Don’t miss this opportunity and regret it later! GFA
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End Notes.
1. Given my loyalty to three dozen HUD Code manufacturer Business Development Managers, a.k.a. ‘BDMs’ named at the NSAC II in Elkhart, IN., on 2/27/09; being a direct, dues – paying member of the Manufactured Housing Institute (‘MHI’) – as YOU should be too – phone (703) 558-0678; and, founding and present day board member of the National Communities Council (‘NCC’) division within MHI. As a 30 year industry consultant and LLCommunity owner, I’ve been told I don’t qualify for membership in the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (‘MHARR’) – or I’d belong there too.
2. If you’d like a free copy of the recently updated (November 2010) ‘MOBILE & MANUFACTURED HOSUING; serving the shelter needs of ‘newly weds & nearly dead’ for 50+ years! The PARADIGM SHIFTS: (are)….Phone the MHIndustry HOTLINE: (877) MFD-HSNG or 633-4764 and request it.
George Allen, Realtor®, CPM®Emeritus, MHM
Consultant to the Factory – built Housing Industry &
The Landlease Community Real Estate Asset Class
Box # 47024, Indianapolis, IN. 46247
(317) 346-7156