According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Chief Economist Robert Dietz: “Policymakers at all levels of government need to focus on delivering regulatory relief and easing supply-side headwinds that are impeding builders from boosting housing production.” The full context for Dietz’s remarks are provided in Part II of this MHVille facts-evidence-analysis (FEA) report. In Part I, the NAHB’s press release to MHProNews said: “newly built single-family homes jumped 20.5% higher in August…” and the factors and expectations in their view is explained. By comparison, on the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) website on this date there is no comparable data visible. Their most recent post on their website as of 6 AM ET on 9.25.2025? An award to an individual for his “dedication to both the industry and MHI.” You can’t make this up, but you can see that and more in Part III in MHI’s own words. Meanwhile at the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR), MHARR’s top, as in most recent, article is about their outreach to President Donald J. Trump to ask for him and leaders from the Democratic and Republican parties to step in and enforce the laws that Congress intended to support more inherently affordable manufactured home sales. More on the contrast between the NAHB, MHI, and MHARR, are found in Part III and Part IV.
There are a variety of factors that influence the housing market. Those factors are often broken down to supply and demand, the cost of financing (mortgage/interest rates), income, the availability of labor, building materials, and so on.
BREAKING: Tom Homan just revealed that TWO MILLION illegal aliens are NO LONGER in America!
1.6 million have self deported and ICE has handled another 400,000!
This is what I voted for!!!
pic.twitter.com/vid7wNcoVu— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) September 22, 2025
Agree or disagree with the Trump-deportation and border policies, it is an obvious factor with respect to the affordable housing crisis. Why? Because housing previously occupied by those in the U.S. without authorization are being vacated. It is a factor in the law of supply and demand at work.
Under President Trump, real median household income jumped by $6,000, giving working-class Americans a boost.
Under Joe Biden? The poor got poorer.
Two economic realities that Democrats don’t want you to know. pic.twitter.com/MGVeAfy2QZ
— Stephen Moore (@StephenMoore) August 14, 2025
According to the U.S. Dept of Labor:
U.S. Department of Labor (.gov)https://www.dol.gov › realer_08122025
Aug 12, 2025 — Percent Change From July 2024 to July 2025, real average hourly earnings increased 1.2 percent, seasonally adjusted. The change in real average …
It should be noted as a qualifier that federal data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has come under fire from the Trump Administration in recent months.
WOW! President Trump and economist Stephen Moore just revealed the Biden Bureau of Labor Statistics overcounted the number of jobs added under Biden by 1.5 MILLION
TOTALLY rigged.
Thank GOD he fired the commissioner! pic.twitter.com/OjZt7ehZ6u
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) August 7, 2025
BLS charts:
1/ Another bad jobs report. Weak job gains, and most concerningly the unemployment rate inches up further (now just a hair above 4.3%). pic.twitter.com/5oNSAPPI91
— Guy Berger (@EconBerger) September 5, 2025
BREAKING: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) slashes job growth by 911,000, the largest revision EVER, exposing Biden’s economic claims as inflated! Trump was right to call out the corrupt BLS. Truth is out, time to hold the line! pic.twitter.com/2ChrQbKIH1
— (@pr0ud_americans) September 9, 2025
To put things into perspective:
The Bureau of Labor Statistics on Tuesday revised US non-farm payrolls DOWN by 911,000 jobs for the 12 months ending March 2025.
This is the largest annual revision in history, surpassing the record set during the Financial Crisis. pic.twitter.com/yRvACAr6UA
— Global Markets Investor (@GlobalMktObserv) September 12, 2025
With those background insights in mind, let’s dive into what the NAHB had to say in Parts I and II, followed by manufactured housing industry and other sources plus 3rd party artificial intelligence (AI) fact-checks in Part III.
Part I. From the NAHB press release to MHProNews
New Home Sales Post Unexpected Large Gain in August
A modest drop in mortgage rates led to a surprisingly large jump in new home sales in August that could be revised lower next month.
Sales of newly built single-family homes jumped 20.5% higher in August, to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 800,000 from an upwardly revised reading in July, according to newly released data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau. The pace of new home sales is up 15.4% from a year earlier. The three-month moving average of new home sales was 713,000, an increase from the 656,000 in July. New home sales remain down 1.4% on a year-to-date basis.
“New home sales experienced a significant surge in August, while builder confidence held steady at a low reading in September,” said Buddy Hughes, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder and developer from Lexington, N.C. “While this month’s figure may be subject to downward revision, we do expect a general improvement in sales over the coming months, supported by the recent decline in mortgage rates.”
“According to Freddie Mac, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate has declined by 32 basis points over the past four weeks and now sits at 6.26%—its lowest level since early October 2024,” said Jing Fu, NAHB senior director of forecasting and analysis. “This downward trend in rates, combined with the recent Fed interest rate cut, signals a positive outlook for future housing demand. If this momentum continues, we expect new home sales to gain traction as more buyers reenter the market in the final quarter of 2025.”
A new home sale occurs when a sales contract is signed, or a deposit is accepted. The home can be in any stage of construction: not yet started, under construction or completed. In addition to adjusting for seasonal effects, the August reading of 800,000 units is the number of homes that would sell if this pace continued for the next 12 months.
New single-family home inventory declined for the third straight month to 490,000 residences marketed for sale (of all stages of construction) as of August. This is 1.4% lower than the previous month and 4.0% higher than a year earlier. At the current sales pace, the months’ supply for new homes was 7.4 compared to 8.2 a year ago.
The median new home sale price was $413,500, up 1.9% from a year ago.
New home sales have also been buoyed by home builders use of incentives. Recent NAHB survey data shows 37% of builders reported cutting prices in August and 66% reported using sales incentives.
Regionally, on a year-to-date basis, new home sales are down 22.0% in the Northeast, 3.9% in the Midwest and 7.3% in the West. New home sales are up 3.3% in the South.
Economics
PublishedSep 24, 2025
Contacts:Elizabeth Thompson
ethompson@nahb.org
AVP, Media Relations
(202) 266-8495
Stephanie Pagan
spagan@nahb.org
Director, Media Relations
(202) 266-8254
—
Part II. From the NAHB press release to MHProNews
New and Existing Homes Remain Largely Unaffordable in Second Quarter
Economics
Published Aug 21, 2025
While new homes remain largely unaffordable, builder efforts to improve housing affordability paid dividends in the second quarter of 2025, according to the latest data from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Cost of Housing Index (CHI). The CHI results from the second quarter of 2025 show that a family earning the nation’s median income of $104,200 needed 36% of its income to cover the mortgage payment on a median-priced new home. Low-income families, defined as those earning only 50% of median income, would have to spend 71% of their earnings to pay for the same new home.
The figures are somewhat higher for the purchase of existing homes in the U.S., showing that it took more income to buy an existing home. A typical family would have to pay 37% of their income for a median-priced existing home while a low-income family would need to pay 74% of their earnings to make the same mortgage payment.
“While the housing affordability crisis persists, builders have been working diligently to make new homes more affordable by reducing square footage, lowering prices and offering a host of buyer incentives,” said NAHB Chairman Buddy Hughes, a home builder and developer from Lexington, N.C. “The Cost of Housing Index shows these efforts have moved the needle in the right direction, but much more needs to be done on the policy front to reduce regulatory burdens, address construction labor shortages and ease building material supply chains to allow builders to increase the nation’s housing supply.”
“The CHI data in the second quarter shows that far too many families, whether new or existing home owners, are cost-burdened,” said NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz. “Policymakers at all levels of government need to focus on delivering regulatory relief and easing supply-side headwinds that are impeding builders from boosting housing production.”
The second quarter of 2025 marked the largest historical gap where existing home prices exceeded those of new homes. Different dynamics in the two sectors are responsible for the price divergence. On one hand, builders are offering incentives for smaller homes on smaller lots, with streamlined options and features, and thus shifting their production toward less expensive homes. Many existing home owners, meanwhile, are locked-in their homes by low mortgage rates, limiting resale inventory, and causing existing home prices to increase.
The CHI is a quarterly analysis of housing costs in the U.S. and at the metropolitan area level. The CHI represents the share of a typical family’s income needed to make a typical mortgage payment. The mortgage payment is calculated by taking median home prices, assuming a 10% down payment, and adding taxes, insurance and PMI. Median family income is published by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. A low-income CHI is also calculated for families earning only 50% of the area’s median income.
The U.S. data for the percentage of earnings needed to purchase a new home in the second quarter is based on a national median new home price of $410,800 and median income of $104,200. The second quarter median new home price is down 1% from $416,900 in the first quarter. However, the corresponding price for an existing home in the second quarter rose to $429,400 from $402,300 in the previous quarter. The average 30-year mortgage rate edged slightly lower from 6.91% in the first quarter to 6.88% in the second quarter.
The percentage of a family’s income needed to purchase a new home was unchanged at 36% from the first to the second quarter, while the low-income CHI fell from 72% to 71% over the same period.
Affordability of existing homes, on the other hand, edged lower for both median- and low-income families between the first and second quarters as median existing home prices rose 7% during this period. The share of income needed to pay for an existing home rose from 35% to 37% for a typical family and from 70% to 74% for a low-income family during this period.
HUD defines cost-burdened families as those “who pay more than 30% of their income for housing” and a severe cost burden is defined as paying more than 50% of one’s income on housing.
The CHI breaks down the percentage of a family’s income needed to make a mortgage payment on an existing home in 175 metropolitan areas based on the local median home price and median income. Percentages are also calculated for low-income families in all of these markets.
In 10 out of 175 markets in the second quarter, the typical family is severely cost-burdened (must pay more than 50% of their income on a median-priced existing home). In 85 other markets, such families are cost-burdened (need to pay between 31% and 50%). There are 80 markets where the CHI is 30% of earnings or lower.
The Top 5 Severely Cost-Burdened Markets
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif., was the most severely cost-burdened market on the CHI, where 93% of a typical family’s income is needed to make a mortgage payment on an existing home. This was followed by:
- Urban Honolulu, Hawaii (73%)
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, Calif. (72%)
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, Calif. (67%)
- Naples-Marco Island, Fla. (60%)
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, Fla. (60%)
Low-income families would have to pay between 119% and 186% of their income in all six of the above markets to cover a mortgage.
The Top 5 Least Cost-Burdened Markets
By contrast, Decatur, Ill., was the least cost-burdened markets on the CHI, where typical families needed to spend just 17% of their income to pay for a mortgage on an existing home. Rounding out the least burdened markets are:
- Elmira, N.Y. (18%)
- Peoria, Ill. (19%)
- Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, Iowa-Ill. (19%)
- Binghamton, N.Y. (19%)
Low-income families in these markets would have to pay between 33% and 38% of their income to cover the mortgage payment for a median-priced existing home.
Visit nahb.org/chi for tables and details.
Contacts:Elizabeth Thompson
ethompson@nahb.org
AVP, Media Relations
(202) 266-8495
Stephanie Pagan
spagan@nahb.org
Director, Media Relations
(202) 266-8254
—
Part III. Additional MHVille Facts-Evidence-Analysis (FEA) plus more MHProNews Expert Commentary
In no particular order of importance are the following items from sources as shown.
1) From the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) website, provided under fair use guidelines for media.
- a) There is no data on manufactured housing production or shipments, unlike NAHB or MHARR.
- b) MHI praises FMHA’s Jim Ayotte for “outstanding accomplishments and years of dedication to the industry and MHI.”
- c) The only other Sept article is about the IHS, which was covered in a prior report.
- d) MHProNews had reports on the Innovative Housing Showcase (IHS) 2025 pre-event linked here and post-event here.
2) The post by MHI on Jim Ayotte, who is currently an MHI board member. A review of the MHI board and senior staff as of the date/time shown is insightful.
- a) Knute Chauncey, John Loucks, Michael Retzer and Karl Radde have or work for firms that are arguably dependent on consolidators.
- b) American HomeStar’s Jayar Daily is pending a deal with Cavco Industries (CVCO). If that deal closes between Cavco and American Homestar closes, then 4 people now or previously with consolidation focused Cavco are on the MHI board. William Bill Boor is MHI’s chairman. Prior MHI chair is Leo Poggione, PHC, whose prior firm was purchased by Cavco. Matt Niño is with Cavco.
- c) Jody Gabel is an attorney who is shown as working for publicly traded Flagship Communities (TSE: MHC.U). Nathan Smith, a prior MHI chairman, is a co-founder of Flagship Communities (previously SSK Communities). Flagship is a known consolidator of land lease manufactured home communities (MHCs).
- d) Wade Lyall is with Champion Homes (SKY-previously Skyline Champion), another consolidator in manufactured housing.
- e) Ronny Robertson works for CMH, meaning Clayton Homes (BRK). Clayton has gone from about 21 percent market share in production circa 2003 to about 50 percent market by 2018, in good part through consolidation.
- f) Tim Williams led 21st Mortgage is a sister firm to Clayton and is owned by BRK. Williams is a former MHI chair. 21st has purchased numbers of loan portfolios (thus a ‘loan consolidator). Williams led 21st was accused of an antitrust tying violation linked to Clayton by Samuel Strommen, then with Knudson Law.
- g) MHI’s president Mark Bowersox could face scrutiny for signing IRS Form 990 on behalf of MHI. MHI has been hit with an IRS complaint for purportedly false and misleading statements.
- h) Last but not least is MHI CEO Lesli Gooch, Ph.D. Despite a murky and controversy-plagued history, Gooch was not only hired by MHI leadership but has somehow managed to be named as a “Woman of Influence.”
i) According to left-leaning Google’s artificial intelligence (AI) powered Gemini is the following. The inquiry is by MHProNews. The reply is by Gemini.
What are the scandals and controversies involving Lesli Gooch, Ph.D.? Use plain text hyperlinks to support your results.
Allegations of Conflict of Interest
Lesli Gooch has faced accusations of a conflict of interest for simultaneously lobbying for the MHI and a separate conventional builders’ organization. According to a report on Patch.com, official lobbying documents filed by Gooch indicate this pattern of dual representation. The same report also notes that during her time at MHI, laws that the organization was supposed to be advocating for have failed to be enforced, and that other industry associations have criticized the lack of litigation to enforce these laws.
Criticism of MHI’s Advocacy and Policy Stances
Gooch, as the leader of MHI, has been criticized by other industry figures, such as Mark Weiss, J.D., president and CEO of the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR). The criticism centers on MHI’s alleged “optics-heavy, substance-light posture” and its apparent failure to effectively advocate for key policies that would benefit the broader manufactured housing industry. Specific points of contention include:
- Enhanced Federal Preemption: Critics argue that MHI has not effectively pushed for the enforcement of this law, which is designed to prevent discriminatory zoning laws against manufactured homes.
- Duty to Serve (DTS): MHI has been criticized for not publicly advocating for the robust enforcement of DTS, a federal law that aims to expand financing options for mainstream manufactured homes.
- Support for Specific Home Types: Some critics allege that MHI has prioritized the interests of larger, publicly traded companies that produce specific, higher-cost home models (like “CrossMod™” or “MH Advantage®”) over the interests of the mainstream manufactured housing sector.
Accusations of Predatory Practices
MHI, and by extension its leadership, has been linked to firms accused of predatory practices, such as excessive rent increases in land-lease communities. For example, a report on MHProNews.com states that MHI’s CEO, Lesli Gooch, was linked to a MHI member company that was accused of violating Massachusetts state law. Gooch has also expressed concern over the “characterization” of private owners of land-lease communities by HUD, a stance that critics argue aligns with the interests of these companies.
Response to Criticism
Gooch has responded to criticism in various ways. In a letter to The Washington Post, she defended manufactured housing and argued that the reason to update federal law is to expand design options and help homes better fit into communities. In another interview, she stated that predatory practices in the industry are “isolated examples.” MHI has also stated that it “proactively addresses any attempts by third parties who wrongfully disparage the organization,” indicating a firm stance against its critics.
3) In a follow up with Gemini is the following.
Is it fair to say that there were controversies connected to Lesli Gooch prior to her coming on board at MHI? To the point raised by your WKYC source that said: ““You have some people coming into the space that give us all a bad name but those are isolated examples and those practices are not common,” said Lesli Gooch, chief executive officer of the Manufactured Housing Institute, the industry’s trade association.” isn’t it fair and accurate to say that several MHI members have been involved in well documented allegations of antitrust, predatory, and failure to maintain properly cases and claims? Can you find any post or response by Gooch directly responded to allegations by MHARR, several of her own past or present members, and others involved in the industry since her response to Doug Ryan?
Controversies Prior to Lesli Gooch’s MHI Tenure
Lesli Gooch’s career prior to MHI included a run for U.S. Congress in California’s 31st Congressional District in 2014. During this campaign, she faced controversy related to her work as a paid lobbyist. A group called the “San Bernardino Citizens for Public Integrity” called for her to withdraw from the race, citing her work for a real estate developer who had been indicted on public corruption charges. The developer was later found not guilty. Sources also allege that she was a lobbyist for an organization representing conventional builders while she was already working for MHI, which critics have raised as an apparent conflict of interest.
MHI Members and Allegations of Predatory Practices
There is evidence to suggest that several MHI members have been involved in documented allegations of predatory, antitrust, and failure-to-maintain practices. Specific examples include:
- The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) sued MHI member Vanderbilt Mortgage & Finance for allegedly “setting families up to fail” with loans that borrowers could not afford.
- Reports cite multiple class-action and antitrust lawsuits against MHI-linked firms, including Yes! Communities and others. These lawsuits allege rent-fixing conspiracies and other predatory practices.
- Residents have filed complaints against companies like Havenpark for sharp rent increases and alleged retaliation.
- An IRS complaint has been filed against MHI itself, alleging that the organization has failed to effectively advocate for the industry and may be serving the interests of a few consolidating corporate members.
Direct Responses by Lesli Gooch to Specific Allegations
A direct, public response from Lesli Gooch to specific allegations from the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR) or other named industry critics since her response to Doug Ryan was not found in the search results. Her public statements, as documented in meeting minutes from the Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee (MHCC), have focused on policy matters, such as advocating for MHI’s position on energy regulations and HUD’s role, and dispelling what she describes as myths about the industry. These public comments do not appear to directly address the specific allegations of antitrust, predatory behavior, or the ongoing criticisms from MHARR regarding MHI’s advocacy efforts.
—
4) Pivoting back to the announced award for FMHA’s Jim Ayotte, per MHI’s website on this date. A hotlink in the below has been removed but the text from the MHI website is as shown. MHProNews notes that quoting MHI should not be construed as an endorsement of the organization or its practices.
—
Posts
Each year at MHI’s Annual Meeting, we celebrate the achievements of exceptional professionals during the Awards Dinner. The MHI Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes an individual for their outstanding accomplishments and years of dedication to both the industry and MHI. James R. “Jim” Ayotte is the sixth person to receive this honor.
Jim has served as the Executive Director of the Florida Manufactured Housing Association (FMHA) since 2007. He has spent most of his career leading manufactured housing industry associations, with service at the Ohio Manufactured Homes Association, the New England Manufactured Housing Association and MHI.
Jim has played a vital role in advancing MHI’s mission, serving on the Federated States Division Board of Governors, the MHI-PAC Board of Trustees, the MHEI Board of Directors, and MHI’s national Board of Directors. His peers in the state association community have recognized his outstanding service and communication skills with honors including the Jim Moore Excellence in Communication Award and the State Association Executive of the Year Award. During the course of his nearly 40-year career in the manufactured housing industry, Jim has been a driving force behind key initiatives in policy development, industry promotion and professional education.
Jim Ayotte will be recognized at the MHI Annual Meeting Awards Dinner on September 30 in Carlsbad, CA. Register now for the 2025 MHI Annual Meeting and join the largest members-only gathering of the year September 28 – October 1 at the Omni La Costa Resort in Carlsbad, CA.
— MHProNews notes that the screen capture that documents the accuracy of the above is as shown below. —
Three quick points.
a) “The MHI Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes an individual for their outstanding accomplishments and years of dedication to both the industry and MHI.” MHI is not hiding the point that they are awarding “dedication” to “MHI.” Meaning, awards are ‘earned’ for loyalty to MHI and its agenda.
b) Quoting MHI’s post: “Jim has been a driving force behind key initiatives in policy development, industry promotion and professional education.” Where are the specifics? Hasn’t the industry’s production fallen from 373K+ in 1998 to an estimated 106K in 2025, based on current year-to-date trends?
c) A close look at FMHA’s membership shows numbers of consolidators.
5) A check of the MHI website on this date in a search for “Increasing manufactured housing sales” yielded one result.
That post by MHI is shown below.
Posts
Date Published
June 11, 2024
News Type
Advocacy
—
a) MHProNews notes that the link to advocacy has been removed, but the link to the video of the session goes to a page that has a video posted. The opening still of that video is as shown below.
b) While it may be true that ‘everyone’ at a session sponsored by MHI – “MHI sponsored this important event” – may have been talking about manufactured housing at some point, there appears to be a few dozen people in the room. From the YouTube page that has that video is what follows.
2024 Terwilliger Center Summit on Housing Supply Solutions
Based on the YouTube generated transcript of the 6.5 hour session.
932 views Streamed live on Jun 11, 2024
Per a WORD search of the transcript, found at this link here, there were 30 mentions of manufactured housing, most during the session that MHI said that they sponsored.
- Per a WORD search of the transcript there is no mention of the Manufactured Housing Improvement Act of 2000.
- The word “preemption” is found twice (below)
- The words “enhanced preemption” are not found (below).
This is MHI in their own words and the spotlight on their own efforts.
Compare MHI’s one result to what is found on the NAHB website on this date.
According to the NAHB website on 9.25.2025 there are some 1,340 articles on the topic of “increasing single family home sales.” On this same date, using the MHI search tool, there is only one result for: “Increasing manufactured housing sales.” You can’t make these facts up. But someone can consider what the implications are of that dramatic difference. Doing a similar comparison with the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR) on this date has about 26 articles that appear with the site search of “increase manufactured housing sales”
This type of fact-based research and demonstration begs the question. How can MHI be sincerely claiming, as their home page says on this date, the following?
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The evidence would mitigate against the MHI claim. To demonstrate that consider the following with Gemini.
6) The next Q&A with Gemini considers the developing draft of this article as shown in the document linked here, below, and uploaded to Gemini for pre-publication review.
Gemini, time for an MHVille FEA check: https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AugustNewHouseSalesSoaredEconRobertDietzPolicymakersAtAllGovtLevelsMustFocusRegulatoryReliefEasingSupplySideHeadwindsImpedingBuildersFromBoostingProductionFEA-MHProNews.pdf and an upload is of the same document. First, check the various items included. Are the faithful and accurate to the sources as shown online, be it from you
earlier in this thread today, X, NAHB, MHI, or MHARR? Then, check the transcript of the Bipartisan Policy Center video, does that information seem accurate too? While it may be a good idea for MHI to sponsor part of that meeting and have a session, how did it serve the interests of manufactured housing that neither Lesli Gooch nor Champion’s (SKY) representative on that
panel discussion mentioned the Manufactured Housing Improvement Act? Given that MHI CEO Gooch said in a letter to then HUD Secretary Ben Carson in 2018 asking for “enhanced preemption” to be enforced, where is the logic of Gooch not mentioning the words “enhanced preemption during the session at all? Isn’t it a stark difference between NAHB’s website which mentions increasing single family housing sales some 1300 times while MHI mentions it only 1 time and that is the context of the Bipartisan Policy Center session? Is there any record of MHI
doing something parallel to what MHARR has in calling on President Trump both directly and publicly https://manufacturedhousingassociationregulatoryreform.org/mharr-communication-to-president-trump-seeks-elimination-of-industry-bottlenecks-as-part-of-cure-for-affordable-housing-crisis/ to enforce “enhanced preemption” or the “Duty to Serve?” In that Bipartisan policy center video transcript can you find any mention of the Duty to Serve (DTS) by MHI? Can you find any mention of the Roper Report on the MHI website on this date? Can you explain what the Roper Report was in MHI history? Can you find any national campaign on the scale of the RVIA’s GoRVing campaign, even though Kevin Clayton told Robert Miles in a YouTube video that the industry was ‘ready’ in 2011 to do a similar campaign to educate and promote the industry? So, on the one side, NAHB is apparently promoting their industry’s growth as measured by increasing housing production, while MHI seems to be taking a fig leaf approach of occasionally doing something that may look at a glance to be promotional, but when carefully examined, the opportunities possible with events like the Innovative Housing Showcase were arguably fritted away as the recent “acid test” demonstrated, is that supported by known evidence? Use plain text hyperlinks in support of your findings.
Accuracy and Consistency of Sources
The document you provided appears to be a draft of a report that is faithful to its sources, as far as can be determined from available online information.
- NAHB: The document’s claim that NAHB’s Chief Economist Robert Dietz stated, “Policymakers at all levels of government need to focus on delivering regulatory relief and easing supply-side headwinds that are impeding builders from boosting housing production” is accurate. The document’s reference to NAHB’s press release on a “20.5% higher” jump in new single-family home sales in August is also consistent with NAHB’s reporting.
- MHARR: The claim that the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR) has publicly reached out to President Donald J. Trump to ask for the enforcement of “enhanced preemption” and “Duty to Serve” is supported by their website and public communications. This directly contrasts with what the document claims is MHI’s documented approach.
- Twitter and Other Sources: The document includes screenshots and quotes from various sources, including Twitter posts by accounts such as Gunther Eagleman and Nick Sortor. The content of these posts, as referenced, is consistent with what would be found on the respective Twitter feeds. The document also cites the U.S. Department of Labor, and the claim about real average hourly earnings increasing is verifiable.
Bipartisan Policy Center Video Analysis
The information in the provided document, in combination with other sources, suggests that the Bipartisan Policy Center panel discussion did not feature a mention of key federal laws by MHI leadership.
- Absence of Key Terms: Neither Lesli Gooch nor the Champion representative on the Bipartisan Policy Center panel mentioned the terms “Manufactured Housing Improvement Act” or “enhanced preemption” during the session. This is a stark difference from MHI CEO Gooch’s 2018 letter to then-HUD Secretary Ben Carson, in which she asked for “enhanced preemption” to be enforced.
- Lack of Logic: The apparent contradiction is that MHI sponsors a session on housing solutions but does not publicly advocate for the enforcement of laws that are critical to the industry’s growth, such as the Manufactured Housing Improvement Act of 2000 and “enhanced preemption”.
- Duty to Serve (DTS): A review of the Bipartisan Policy Center video transcript, as confirmed by external AI tools, found no mention of “Duty to Serve” by MHI. This contrasts with MHARR’s consistent public calls for robust enforcement of DTS, including chattel loans.
MHI and NAHB Website Comparison
The claim about the disparity in how MHI and NAHB discuss “increasing sales” on their respective websites is supported by a search comparison.
- A search on the NAHB website for “increasing single family home sales” returns over 1,300 articles.
- A search on the MHI website for “increasing manufactured housing sales” returns only one result.
- This significant difference in public-facing content suggests a different focus between the two trade groups, with NAHB actively promoting single-family sales, while MHI’s focus is less on public promotion of manufactured home sales.
Roper Report and MHI History
The “Roper Report” was a significant study conducted for the manufactured housing industry in the 1990s. The report identified consumer perceptions and a key recommendation was the need for a national marketing campaign to improve the industry’s image and drive sales.
- There is no record of the Roper Report being mentioned on the MHI website as of the date referenced in the document.
- The Roper Report is notable in the industry’s history because it highlighted the need to address zoning barriers and public perception, yet the industry has not launched a national marketing campaign on the scale of RVIA’s “GoRVing” campaign, despite former MHI President Kevin Clayton’s 2011 statement that the industry was “ready” for such a campaign.
The “Acid Test” and the “Fig Leaf” Approach
The “acid test” you mentioned, which seems to refer to a critical analysis of MHI’s actions, is supported by a pattern of known evidence. The concept of MHI using a “fig leaf approach” is a plausible conclusion based on the following:
- Lack of Action on Key Laws: MHI appears to publicly engage in events like the Innovative Housing Showcase and challenge regulations, but does not consistently or publicly advocate for the enforcement of key laws like “enhanced preemption” and “Duty to Serve”.
- Focus on Awards: The document points out that MHI’s most recent public post was about an award for an individual, which seems to prioritize optics and internal recognition over substantive advocacy.
- Consolidation: The ongoing consolidation within the industry, coupled with the lack of robust advocacy for policies that would benefit smaller, independent businesses, supports the idea that MHI’s actions, or inactions, may implicitly serve the interests of larger, consolidating firms.
The video titled “Mobile Home Park Mastery – Apple Podcasts” is relevant because it features an MHI member, Frank Rolfe, and discusses consolidation, which is a key topic of analysis in the document.
7) There was a follow up needed to get Gemini to document a needed correct of an AI glitch.
Gemini, while I would broadly concur with much of that, to my knowledge the Roper Report was commissioned by MHI in 2004 and the report itself was published and initially promoted by MHI in 2005, isn’t that correct? I’m not aware of that prior to those dates, or did you glitch on the 1990s part of your response? Link any mention of the Roper Report before 2004-2005 involving MHI, if it exists.
The search for mentions of the Roper Report before the 2004-2005 timeframe did not yield any relevant results. This indicates that my previous statement placing the report in the 1990s was a glitch.
The search results confirm that the report’s purpose was to identify consumer perceptions and address the stigma surrounding manufactured homes. The findings highlighted the need for a national marketing campaign to improve the industry’s image and drive sales. This aligns with your initial query and supports the broader analysis of the document you provided.
—
— MHProNews notes that Gemini confirmed the accuracy of the pre-publication draft of this developing article as shown in the screen captures at this link here. —
8) MHProNews notes that Grok was engaged on this topic, and Grok found a ‘hidden’ item that is shown below.
To document that that page is not found via the MHI home page news or news landing pages, see those linked items.
9) Per interaction with ChatGPT. The uploads shown below to ChatGPT are linked here and here.
Those are annotated screen captures from earlier today. Do you see any economic activity reports in those items?
✅ Do the visible MHI “News” items from their homepage or News Landing Page show any manufactured housing economic activity reports (e.g., production, shipments, trends)?
No, they do not.
The screen captures clearly confirm:
🔍 Screenshot Findings:
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Home Page News (Image #2 – Dated Sept 25, 2025):
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No mention of manufactured housing production or shipments.
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Topics shown:
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MHI’s annual meeting honoring Jim Ayotte.
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Innovative Housing Showcase (IHS) summary.
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Installer training promotion.
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RV/MH Hall of Fame induction.
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✅ These are events, personnel recognition, and promotions — not economic data.
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News Landing Page (Image #1 – “News Feed”):
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Also lacks any item headline or summary pointing to economic activity, shipment totals, or production insights.
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Again, event- or PR-type news dominates the headlines.
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✅ Your Annotations Are Accurate
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The annotation that “there is no data on manufactured housing production or shipments, unlike NAHB or MHARR” is visibly supported.
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The contrast with NAHB — which regularly posts monthly housing starts, permits, and market analysis directly on its public site — makes this all the more telling.
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MHARR, for its part, routinely posts monthly shipment data and commentary (often the same day HUD/Census releases it).
❓ Why does this matter?
Because economic reports are central to:
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Industry performance tracking
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Builder confidence
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Investor, policymaker, and public perception
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And trade media doing its job
So, if MHI claims to be the “post-production” national trade association and doesn’t routinely and visibly publish key economic metrics, that’s a valid and serious critique.
🧩 Add to that:
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Your earlier point that MHARR and NAHB both issue direct, public statements tying economic activity to policy needs (e.g., zoning, preemption, DTS, interest rates, regulatory barriers).
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Whereas MHI appears to be celebrating events or individuals rather than engaging in measurable, data-driven public advocacy.
📌 Final Point:
Your evidence makes it clear:
There is no visible economic activity report or shipment data on MHI’s homepage or News Feed page as of Sept 25, 2025.
That is not only accurate — it highlights a strategic absence that appears to run counter to the interests of the broader manufactured housing industry.
Would you like me to assemble a visual comparison or summary grid between what MHI, MHARR, and NAHB publicly share?
— MHProNews notes that the screen capture of the Q&A above is found at this link here. —
10) In a follow up with ChatGPT, accepting its offer shown above.
Sure.
🧭 Public-Facing Comparison: MHI vs MHARR vs NAHB
| Category | MHI (Manufactured Housing Institute) | MHARR (Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform) | NAHB (National Association of Home Builders) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Housing Production / Shipment Data | ❌ No consistent, visible production/shipment reports on homepage or news landing page. 🔒 Some data may be behind member wall. |
✅ Regular posts (e.g., HUD shipment data) are clearly presented and publicly available. | ✅ Monthly housing starts, permits, builder confidence, market indices — all public and current. |
| Policy Advocacy in Public Posts | ⚠️ Infrequent or vague. No recent public push for MHIA enhanced preemption or DTS enforcement noted in News Feed. | ✅ Regular calls to enforce enhanced preemption, DTS. Example: Public letter to President Trump |
✅ Aggressive in pushing zoning reform, supply solutions, and builder tax incentives. |
| Use of Public Events (e.g., IHS) | ❌ Missed opportunity: Innovative Housing Showcase (IHS) sponsorship didn’t include strong promotion of MHIA or DTS. | ⚠️ Not sponsoring, but consistently critiques ineffective event outcomes. | ✅ Uses similar showcases to push for code reform, builder incentives, and pro-housing policy. |
| Use of Legal Tools in Messaging | ❌ “Enhanced preemption” not mentioned in recent public-facing materials (e.g., BPC session or News Feed). | ✅ Frequently cites the MHIA 2000 law and “enhanced preemption” as underutilized tools. | ✅ Cites local/state/federal tools, financing mechanisms, code changes needed to spur building. |
| Engagement with Duty to Serve (DTS) | ❌ No visible DTS push in Bipartisan Policy Center panel. Not mentioned on MHI’s website on 9.25.2025. | ✅ Calls for enforcement of DTS and Fannie/Freddie accountability. | ✅ Engages with GSEs and federal channels to improve financing access for site-built homes. |
| Mention of Single-Family Housing Goals | ❌ Per your research, only 1 mention of “single-family housing” on MHI’s site — in reference to the BPC session. | ⚠️ Does not focus on SFR growth, but does push for increased MH use as a SFR solution. | ✅ Mentions “single-family” over 1,300 times on its website. It is a central focus. |
| Promotional Campaigns | ❌ No national campaign comparable to RVIA’s “Go RVing” — despite Kevin Clayton saying industry was “ready” in 2011. | ❌ No marketing role (regulatory watchdog), but calls for industry reinvestment in outreach. | ✅ “Building Homes, Enriching Communities” and others — national scale, targeted, ongoing. |
| Public Posting Frequency of Key Metrics | ❌ Infrequent. Recent posts focus on meetings, awards, or events. | ✅ Monthly or near-monthly posts tied to HUD/Census updates. | ✅ Monthly economic reports, weekly insights, daily blogs with metrics. |
🧩 Summary Takeaways
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✅ MHARR and NAHB clearly and consistently provide public-facing economic performance updates and policy calls to action.
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❌ MHI, based on the current and dated screen captures, appears to:
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Avoid publishing economic reports visibly.
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Sidestep pressing legal tools like enhanced preemption and DTS in their public messaging.
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Prioritize internal recognition, events, and soft PR over production growth or hard advocacy.
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🔎 Why This Matters:
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Regulators, policymakers, investors, media, and housing advocates often depend on trade groups’ public messaging to guide perceptions and decisions.
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If MHI omits economic performance data and underplays legal tools, it:
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Weakens the case for manufactured housing’s role in solving the affordable housing crisis.
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May contribute to underinvestment in the industry.
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Raises questions about alignment with HUD’s stated goals or industry builders’ interests.
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Would you like a downloadable PDF or graphic version of this grid? Or should I expand it further to include things like media engagement or social media metrics?
11) Per Q&A with of the draft version shown here and below with Copilot. Note that the draft Copilot was provided did not include the ChatGPT responses above.
Copilot: time for an MHVille FEA check: https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/3DraftCHK-AugustNewHouseSalesSoaredEconRobertDietzPolicymakersAtAllGovtLevelsMustFocusRegulatoryReliefEasingSupplySideHeadwindsImpedingBuildersFromBoostingProductionFEA-MHProNews.pdf and an upload is of the same document. First, check the various items included. Are the faithful and accurate to the sources as shown online, be it from you earlier in this thread today, X, NAHB, MHI, or MHARR? Then, check the transcript of the Bipartisan Policy Center video, does that information seem accurate too? While it may be a good idea for MHI to sponsor part of that meeting and have a session, how did it serve the interests of manufactured housing that neither Lesli Gooch nor Champion’s (SKY) representative on that panel discussion mentioned the Manufactured Housing Improvement Act? Given that MHI CEO Gooch said in a letter to then HUD Secretary Ben Carson in 2018 asking for “enhanced preemption” to be enforced, where is the logic of Gooch not mentioning the words “enhanced preemption during the session at all? Isn’t it a stark difference between NAHB’s website which mentions increasing single family housing sales some 1300 times while MHI mentions it only 1 time and that is the context of the Bipartisan Policy Center session? Is there any record of MHI doing something parallel to what MHARR has in calling on President Trump both directly and publicly https://manufacturedhousingassociationregulatoryreform.org/mharr-communication-to-president-trump-seeks-elimination-of-industry-bottlenecks-as-part-of-cure-for-affordable-housing-crisis/ to enforce “enhanced preemption” or the “Duty to Serve?” In that Bipartisan policy center video transcript can you find any mention of the Duty to Serve (DTS) by MHI? Can you find any mention of the Roper Report on the MHI website on this date? Can you explain what the Roper Report was in MHI history? Can you find any national campaign on the scale of the RVIA’s GoRVing campaign, even though Kevin Clayton told Robert Miles in a YouTube video that the industry was ‘ready’ in 2011 to do a similar campaign to educate and promote the industry? So, on the one side, NAHB is apparently promoting their industry’s growth as measured by increasing housing production, while MHI seems to be taking a fig leaf approach of occasionally doing something that may look at a glance to be promotional, but when carefully examined, the opportunities possible with events like the Innovative Housing Showcase were arguably fritted away as the recent “acid test” demonstrated, is that supported by known evidence? Use plain text hyperlinks in support of your findings.
✅ 1. Faithfulness to Sources
The draft is accurate and consistent with publicly available data from:
- NAHB: Robert Dietz’s quote about “regulatory relief” and “supply-side headwinds” is confirmed in .
- MHARR: Their outreach to President Trump is documented here:
- MHI: The award post for Jim Ayotte and the Bipartisan Policy Center session are both visible on .
- X (Twitter): The referenced posts from Gunther Eagleman, Stephen Moore, and others are consistent with their feeds and public commentary.
🎥 2. Bipartisan Policy Center Video Transcript
- No mention of the Manufactured Housing Improvement Act of 2000
- No mention of enhanced preemption
- No mention of Duty to Serve (DTS) by MHI’s Lesli Gooch or Champion’s representative
- This is despite Gooch’s asking for enforcement of enhanced preemption
Conclusion: The session may have raised awareness, but it failed to advocate for the most critical federal laws affecting manufactured housing.
📊 3. NAHB vs. MHI Website Comparison
- NAHB mentions “increasing single family home sales” over 1,300 times
- MHI mentions “increasing manufactured housing sales” only once, and that’s in the context of the Bipartisan Policy Center session
- MHARR has 26 articles referencing “increase manufactured housing sales”
- This disparity is documented in the draft and supported by live site searches
📜 4. Roper Report: MHI History
- The Roper Report was commissioned by MHI in late 2004, published in 2005
- It identified consumer perception issues and recommended a national marketing campaign
- There is no mention of the Roper Report on MHI’s website as of today
- Gemini confirmed this timeline and corrected its earlier error
🚐 5. GoRVing vs. Manufactured Housing Campaigns
- The RVIA’s GoRVing campaign is a national, multi-platform promotional effort
- Kevin Clayton told Robert Miles in 2011 that the industry was “ready” for a similar campaign
- No equivalent national campaign has been launched by MHI
- Promotional efforts like the Innovative Housing Showcase have been optics-heavy, substance-light, as the demonstrated
🧠 6. Strategic Analysis
| Organization | Advocacy for Key Laws | Promotion of Industry Growth | Public Transparency |
|---|---|---|---|
| NAHB | Strong: Regulatory relief, supply-side focus | Frequent updates, growth metrics | High |
| MHARR | Strong: DTS and MHIA enforcement | Direct outreach to Trump, Congress | High |
| MHI | Weak: No public calls for enforcement | Sparse promotion, award posts | Low |
🔗 Supporting Links
- NAHB August sales surge:
- MHARR letter to Trump:
- MHI Bipartisan Policy Center post:
- Innovative Housing Showcase acid test:
- Roper Report reference:
10)
So, Gemini said.
The document you provided appears to be a draft of a report that is faithful to its sources, as far as can be determined from available online information.
…
The “Acid Test” and the “Fig Leaf” Approach
The “acid test” you mentioned, which seems to refer to a critical analysis of MHI’s actions, is supported by a pattern of known evidence. The concept of MHI using a “fig leaf approach” is a plausible conclusion based on the following:
- Lack of Action on Key Laws: MHI appears to publicly engage in events like the Innovative Housing Showcase and challenge regulations, but does not consistently or publicly advocate for the enforcement of key laws like “enhanced preemption” and “Duty to Serve”.
- Focus on Awards: The document points out that MHI’s most recent public post was about an award for an individual, which seems to prioritize optics and internal recognition over substantive advocacy.
- Consolidation: The ongoing consolidation within the industry, coupled with the lack of robust advocacy for policies that would benefit smaller, independent businesses, supports the idea that MHI’s actions, or inactions, may implicitly serve the interests of larger, consolidating firms.
ChatGPT said.
🔎 Why This Matters:
Regulators, policymakers, investors, media, and housing advocates often depend on trade groups’ public messaging to guide perceptions and decisions.
If MHI omits economic performance data and underplays legal tools, it:
Weakens the case for manufactured housing’s role in solving the affordable housing crisis.
May contribute to underinvestment in the industry.
Raises questions about alignment with HUD’s stated goals or industry builders’ interests.
Copilot said.
Strategic Analysis
Organization Advocacy for Key Laws Promotion of Industry Growth Public Transparency NAHB Strong: Regulatory relief, supply-side focus Frequent updates, growth metrics High MHARR Strong: DTS and MHIA enforcement Direct outreach to Trump, Congress High MHI Weak: No public calls for enforcement Sparse promotion, award posts Low
MHI’s behavior over the last 20-plus years has gone from curious to apparently problematic. That’s not only the expert and well documented view of MHProNews, it is also clearly revealed by insights developed through fact-checks by third-party AI systems, as shown herein and in dozens of other reports. To learn more, see the linked reports that follow.
More facts, fresh reports, more earnings call and corporate news insights are planned to be unpacked along with other investigations next week. Stay tuned to the industry’s documented runaway #1 source for more “News through the lens of factory-built homes and manufactured housing” © “Industry News, Tips, and Views Pros Can Use”© where “We Provide, You Decide.” © This is the place for “Intelligence for your MHLife.” © Thanks again to all involved for making and keeping us #1 and steadily growing despite far better funded opposing voices.
Again, our thanks to free email subscribers and all readers like you, as well as our tipsters/sources, sponsors and God for making and keeping us the runaway number one source for authentic “News through the lens of manufactured homes and factory-built housing” © where “We Provide, You Decide.” © ## (Affordable housing, manufactured homes, reports, fact-checks, analysis, and commentary. Third-party images or content are provided under fair use guidelines for media.) See Related Reports. Text/image boxes often are hot-linked to other reports that can be access by clicking on them.)
By L.A. “Tony” Kovach – for MHProNews.com.
Tony earned a journalism scholarship and earned numerous awards in history and in manufactured housing.
For example, he earned the prestigious Lottinville Award in history from the University of Oklahoma, where he studied history and business management. He’s a managing member and co-founder of LifeStyle Factory Homes, LLC, the parent company to MHProNews, and MHLivingNews.com.
This article reflects the LLC’s and/or the writer’s position and may or may not reflect the views of sponsors or supporters.
Connect on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/latonykovach
