According to a left-leaning NPR affiliate, “Why is our government not looking into any of this?” a manufactured home community resident asked public officials “while facing septic tank failures and surging rent.” “I don’t know what to do or if I have any rights,” another land-lease community resident reportedly asked another state agency, per NPR affiliate WPR. Cited in that WPR report is the Private Equity Stakeholder Project (PESP), which MHProNews recently reported on one of their corporate-specific about Alden Global Capital linked Homes of America update at this link here. PESP has reported on woes reported at communities linked to RHP Properties, Impact Communities (Frank Rolfe and Dave Reynolds) and a longer list of operators often members in the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) or an MHI state association affiliate. Note this facts-evidence-analysis (FEA) includes the text of the report by WPR. That WPR article was dated before the U.S. Senate passed the bipartisan Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream to Housing Act of 2025 (ROAD to Housing Act) on October 9, 2025, by attaching it as an amendment to the ‘must pass’ National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
Per WPR: “Local zoning laws often exclude manufactured homes from residential neighborhoods.” Yet, the ROAD to Housing Act arguably undermines the provisions of federal law that allows the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to override local zoning barriers, according to the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR).
Rep. Scott Krug, R-Rome, said WPR, “calls manufactured homes “a forgotten segment of real estate” that won’t help solve the affordability crisis without state action.”
Cindy Philby, a resident in a community interviewed by WPR said:
“No one in this park can afford an attorney…”
“They can just do whatever they want…”
“The federal government’s allowing them to do it, the town’s allowing them to do it and the state’s allowing them to do it.”
While the WPR report covers painful but potentially useful ground, it fails to provide multiple specific solutions. For example, per a WORD search of their report.
- There is no mention of the Manufactured Housing Improvement Act of 2000 and its “enhanced preemption” provision.
- Agree with rent control as a possible temporary fix or not, there is no mention of rent control in the WPR article.
- There is no mention of resident owned communities (ROCs).
- There is no mention of possible antitrust, RICO, or Hobbs Act legal action that might help beleaguered residents WPR described.
- There is no mention of the ROAD to Housing Act in the WPR report.
Is it fair to ask, why should WPR mention the now Senate passed ROAD bill? After all, as several reports in MHProNews, MHLivingNews, and by MHARR detail, as it is currently worded the ROAD bill fails to address those core issues that could, if implemented, take some stress off manufactured home community residents who live in a property operated by a so-called “predatory” operator.
In response to a pre-publication draft version of this article, Gemini said the following.
Did WPR offer practical solutions to the underlying problems? No, but they provided insightful reporting.
…
Will the un-modified ROAD to Housing Act of 2025 fix ANY of the WPR concerns? No, it is highly unlikely to fix the root causes.
Per xAI’s Grok which checked an updated pre-publication draft of this article that included Gemini’s statements shown in Part II and above.
Overall: Draft robust, accurate; Gemini outputs validated. ROAD needs MHARR-style amendments for impact. Lawmakers should prioritize preemption/DTS to aid residents like Philby’s.
Part II will unpack more detailed information from sources as shown, which will include a clearly disclosed ‘best practices’ style triangulated pre-publication check of the content of this article by third-party artificial intelligence.
This MHVille facts-evidence-analysis (FEA) is underway.
Part I. Per WPR-Wisconsin Watch provided under fair use guidelines for media
[Note … are used where ‘listen to’ and ‘reading time’ or captions under photos were omitted from the original report. For those items see their original report at this link here or the download at this link here. That noted, the text of the article itself is as shown.]
‘They are squeezing everybody in this park to death’: Owners of manufactured homes get little protection as private equity moves in
Wisconsin regulators rarely inspect parks and allow many to go unlicensed — all while frustrations simmer with unresponsive landlords.
by Addie Costello / Wisconsin Watch and WPR
September 30, 2025 Why you can trust Wisconsin Watch
…
Click here to read highlights from the story
- Wisconsin’s government is failing to enforce basic protections for owners of manufactured homes at a time when private equity firms are buying up parks to maximize profits.
- State regulators rarely inspect parks, allow many to go unlicensed and don’t even know which parks are operating.
- A patchwork of laws and regulations governing manufactured housing leaves residents unsure of where to turn when conditions deteriorate.
…
Priced out of traditional homes during an affordability crisis, many in Wisconsin have found another way to pursue an ownership dream.
Experts estimate that more than 100,000 Wisconsin residents live in manufactured homes, the more accurate name for what many call mobile homes or trailers — structures that make up the country’s largest portion of unsubsidized low-income housing. Many live in parks where they own their homes but rent the land beneath them.
But Wisconsin’s government is failing to enforce basic protections for residents at a time when private equity firms are buying up parks to maximize profits, a Wisconsin Watch/WPR investigation found.
Wisconsin law requires operators to keep parks “in a clean, safe, orderly and sanitary condition at all times.” The Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) is supposed to enforce that law and licensing standards. But it rarely inspects parks, allows many to go unlicensed and doesn’t even know which parks are operating.
Separate state and local agencies handle issues related to leasing, water quality, and health and safety at parks. That patchwork leaves residents unsure of where to turn when conditions deteriorate.
“I don’t know what to do or if I have any rights,” a park resident in Wisconsin Rapids wrote to the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.
“Why is our government not looking into any of this?” a Hudson resident asked DATCP while facing septic tank failures and surging rent.
In Forest Junction: “I picked this location over a decade ago because of its affordability. I have nowhere to go.”
In Amery: “They know we do not have the resources to move the trailer out of the community.”
In Whitewater: “I don’t know who to reach out to. I’m so stuck.”
WPR and Wisconsin Watch spent six months speaking to manufactured home residents statewide. Some described tight-knit, peaceful and affordable communities. But others detailed sewage backups, dramatic rent hikes, hazardous dead trees and foul-smelling water — all while frustrations simmered with unresponsive landlords and regulators.
What many call mobile homes aren’t actually mobile. Moving them can cost more than $10,000, with risks of damaging older structures. That traps residents when park conditions worsen.
Predatory companies know this, said Paul Terranova, Midwest community organizer with the nonprofit MHAction, which advocates for park residents nationwide.
While tallying every U.S. manufactured home community is difficult, experts estimate Wisconsin has more than 900, with 80 tied to private equity, according to data from the Private Equity Stakeholder Project, a nonprofit watchdog.
Wisconsin regulators are paying little attention, industry professionals, advocates and residents say. That’s as neighboring Michigan and Minnesota offer more resources for residents and stronger oversight.
WPR and Wisconsin Watch also found:
- DSPS produced documentation of just 15 parks inspected between 2022 and February.
- DSPS lacks an accurate count of manufactured homes statewide. The agency previously published comprehensive data on all licensed communities, but it now posts records for only some counties, with many parks lacking identifying information. At least 27 parks filed evictions in the last two years but do not appear in current DSPS data.
- Of the roughly 700 parks DSPS lists in licensing data, roughly 30% have expired licenses. Some park owners say poor communication and a technology overhaul made applying for licenses more difficult.
- A legislative task force as far back as 2002 flagged problems with “a scattered state regulatory approach” to the industry that leaves residents confused about who regulates what. It hasn’t been fixed.
Affordable option has roots in Wisconsin
Cindy Philby, 60, sold her traditional, fixer-upper home after realizing she couldn’t afford needed repairs.
She poured all of her money into a manufactured home she found from an Iowa seller on Craigslist. It cost $4,500 plus $10,000 to deliver it to a rented lot at the Woodland Park community in the town of Fond du Lac.
She slept at a homeless shelter in late 2023 while waiting for the home to arrive.
“My next best thing to keep a roof over my head was a trailer,” Philby said.
She was embracing a housing option pioneered in Wisconsin.
A Marshfield man’s innovation in the 1950s set the stage for the manufactured homes we see today. Rollohome Corp. founder Elmer Frey’s “mobile homes” — wider than recreational trailers — could be lived in year-round, more affordably than traditional homes.
Manufactured homes can be made quicker, on a larger scale and with less waste than other homes. Today Wisconsin owners of manufactured homes pay a median of $553 per month for housing, compared to $1,118 for all homeowners and $917 for all renters, according to the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.
Local zoning laws often exclude manufactured homes from residential neighborhoods. Parks allow owners to anchor their homes without requiring expensive modifications.
Philby, like many community residents, owns her home and pays a monthly fee for the land and additional costs for utilities. Her lot is owned by Florida-based COARE Communities, a subsidiary of the private equity-backed conglomerate COARE Companies, which touts a focus “on establishing platforms across niche investment strategies.”
Beneath an option to click on an “investor portal,” the COARE Communities website says it is “focused on solving the challenges of affordable housing through the acquisition and preservation of the most affordable type of housing in America – Manufactured Housing Communities.”
The company hiked Philby’s base rent this year from $425 to $500, six times the rate of inflation. It declined to comment on the record for this story.
Philby has struggled to absorb the hike while relying largely on disability payments to get by.
“They are squeezing everybody in this park to death,” she said.
Philby and her neighbors describe a host of additional problems, including poor water drainage and crumbling roads.
The community turns into a “mud puddle” or “lake” following heavy rains or snowmelts, they say.
Wisconsin law requires manufactured homes to sit in “a well-drained” and “properly graded” area to prevent flooding. It’s up to DSPS to enforce the law, but the agency could not locate any inspection records for the park. The park does not appear in DSPS’ licensing database, even though the town of Fond du Lac has separately licensed it.
Philby wants more action.
“Do something,” she said. “Make these people do their work.”
Calling for state regulators to ‘do their damn job’
Following months of door knocking in manufactured housing communities, Steve Carlson has little faith in Wisconsin regulators. He has seen dilapidated, abandoned homes and met residents who fear management will retaliate if they complain.
Carlson, a retired social worker and organizer from Washburn County, co-founded the Wisconsin Manufactured Home Owners Alliance late last year. It aims to keep manufactured home communities viable by pushing for stronger legal protections and helping residents organize.
Steve Carlson, a retired social worker and organizer from Washburn County, knocks on doors in the Birch Terrace Manufactured Home Community through his current role as president of the Wisconsin Manufactured Home Owners Alliance, June 21, 2025, in Menomonie, Wis. (Joe Timmerman / Wisconsin Watch)
Carlson hopes his work will inspire state regulators to “do their damn job.”
They could look to Michigan, which recently created an inspection team focused on improving conditions at manufactured home parks — visiting them each year.
DSPS inspects parks only when they are built, changed or draw a complaint that officials believe warrants one.
It’s possible parks built decades ago haven’t since been inspected. DSPS lacks records to show otherwise.
More regular inspections would likely require legislative action and more staff, DSPS spokesperson John Beard said in an email.
Local governments can help.
Wisconsin law allows them to monitor parks and enforce regulations on top of state requirements.
“Some municipalities are very good, they go through the property every year,” said Amy Bliss, executive director of the Wisconsin Housing Alliance, a manufactured housing trade association.
“Others just ignore the fact that they even exist.”
The town of Fond du Lac did not inspect Woodland Park while issuing its permit. It inspects parks only when complaints relate to town ordinances, said town Clerk Patti Supple.
DSPS can separately delegate its authority to local health departments. One municipality and 16 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties regulate parks in that way. DSPS holds them to a higher standard than itself, requiring annual inspections of each park.
“What’s going on in the other 56 counties in Wisconsin? Well, it’s anybody’s guess,” Carlson said. “Maybe there aren’t a lot of problems out there. The point is we don’t know, and somebody should find out.”
He hoped Dunn County would seek delegated authority over its housing parks.
But learning the rules and carrying out inspections would require significant time and resources, Dunn County Health Director KT Gallagher said.
DSPS would allow the county to keep 63% of community licensing fees, nowhere close to covering extra costs, health department staff said at a meeting in August.
Parks are supposed to pay licensing fees every other year that haven’t increased since at least 2006. The minimum fee of $250 would need to rise to $400 just to account for inflation since that time.
While DSPS can raise some fees, Beard said, spending extra dollars would require legislative action.
Dunn County could also raise fees, but officials worry residents would bear those costs. They also fear a scenario in which an owner closes a park instead of fixing issues flagged by an inspection.
That happened in Eau Claire, Gallagher said. City and county inspectors closed a park, leaving some residents with nowhere to go.
That’s why DSPS avoids levying financial penalties even when inspectors find major problems.
“DSPS focus is on gaining compliance,” Beard said. “Forfeitures are a last resort, especially when action could leave residents looking for a new home.”
States like Minnesota help address this dilemma by setting aside licensing fees for grants to defray relocation costs following a closure. Minnesota has also allocated millions of dollars in recent years for manufactured home park owners to make repairs.
Lawmakers reject help for homeowners
One program helps owners of manufactured homes in Wisconsin.
A portion of titling fees flows to the Tomorrow’s Home Foundation, which grants owners up to $3,000 for repairs or modifications or up to $1,500 to dispose of uninhabitable homes. The foundation received $120,000 from the state during the last budget cycle and raised additional funds on its own.
Democratic Gov. Tony Evers this year proposed adding $40,000 to the program over two years. The Republican-led Joint Finance Committee rejected the proposal and a separate provision to add $1.68 million that could help owners repair failing septic systems.
Meanwhile, the state is missing out on uncollected fees from potentially hundreds of parks without active licenses.
Without extra funds, Dunn County declined to pursue state authority over inspections.
“This is a terrible situation without any easy answer,” said Dr. Alexandra Hall, a family physician on the county health committee. “But maybe we wouldn’t have gotten here if the state was actually enforcing its own laws.”
Licensing system causes headaches
DSPS records show Philby’s Woodland Park community had an active license in 2020, but the department lacks updated information. Beard said the agency is reaching out to the park about renewing.
Confusion has swirled around DSPS licensing dating back to 2020, Bliss said. Frustrations escalated last year — the first time park renewals were done using the LicensE, an online system for the 200-plus industries DSPS regulates.
Among criticisms aired at a February legislative hearing: Park owners weren’t told DSPS would no longer process paper renewals; an online application asked some owners to fill out unnecessary information; and the portal charged just an $8 renewal fee instead of the accurate minimum of $250.
Sun shines on the park office at the Woodland Park mobile home community, Sept. 17, 2025, in the town of Fond du Lac, Wis. (Joe Timmerman / Wisconsin Watch)
Addressing the rollout across all industries, Deputy Secretary Jennifer Garrett called LicensE “an overwhelming success, vastly expediting document handling and licensing decisions.”
“We knew that the transition to an all-digital environment would present challenges to parts of this industry,” she testified to lawmakers.
The agency reached out to park representatives ahead of the change, but it lacked some contact information, Garrett added. Communities with expired licenses may have closed, rebranded, changed owners or failed to transition to the online system.
DSPS is working with the Wisconsin Housing Alliance to update missing information on its list of licensed communities, Garrett testified in February.
Seven months later, the department’s licensing site still does not list each of the group’s members.
Bliss said DSPS struggles to make time to meet with her alliance, making it feel like the “red-headed stepchild of the regulated community.”
The former Wisconsin Department of Commerce, which regulated manufactured homes until 2011, communicated far better, she added.
That’s why she pushed DSPS to restart the state’s Manufactured Housing Code Council, an advisory body of representatives from across the industry and the public.
State law requires the council to meet at least twice a year. It met this summer for the first time in more than a decade.
To whom should residents complain?
DSPS received just 18 complaints related to manufactured housing between 2023 and early 2025, only some from park residents. The data understates industry-wide disputes, considering that multiple agencies regulate the parks and residents don’t know where to turn.
In Minnesota, the Office of Attorney General compiled all state laws related to manufactured home parks into an online handbook. Nothing that comprehensive exists in Wisconsin’s sprawling system.
Have a problem with roads? Try DSPS, which regulates community standards and licensing.
Leasing? That’s the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.
Questions about park well water? The Department of Natural Resources is likely your agency.
County and local health departments generally handle other health and safety concerns.
Philby and other Woodland Park residents sent all of their complaints to DATCP, including ones related to conditions DSPS is supposed to regulate.
DATCP received more than 100 complaints related to manufactured homes between 2023 and this March. Dozens mentioned issues in DSPS’ domain, like flooding, sewage and roads.
DATCP must identify a pattern of violations before launching an investigation, said Michelle Reinen, an agency administrator. It cannot legally represent individual consumers.
The agency and the Wisconsin Department of Justice in 2023 reached a $75,000 settlement with a Colorado-based park operator doing business in Wisconsin. That was after fielding more than 50 complaints about “unfair and illegal” renting practices.
DATCP and DSPS say they sometimes get information from other agencies. They collaborated on a 2023 investigation — responding to the Boscobel Dial’s reporting — that found violations at Cozy Acres Mobile Home Park in Boscobel.
Lawmaker seeks more clarity
Rep. Scott Krug, R-Rome, wants to clear up confusion for homeowners and landlords.
His legislation, AB 424, specifies landlord-tenant laws for parks and expands on reasons residents may be evicted. It would also require park owners to issue a 90-day notice before closing. He hopes to hear more ideas from the operators and residents if the bill draws a hearing.
Krug calls manufactured homes “a forgotten segment of real estate” that won’t help solve the affordability crisis without state action.
Lawmakers might look backward for inspiration.
A 2002 government task force on manufactured housing suggested consolidating oversight of manufactured home communities to address the state’s “disparate and confusing array” of oversight efforts.
‘They can just do whatever they want’
Park residents also battle public perception.
Members of a North Fond du Lac Facebook group complain about the condition of Woodland Park, calling it a dangerous eyesore.
Responding to one post, Philby explained people’s struggles to afford rent and urged people to push for local solutions.
“Should just flaten it,” one commenter responded.
Residents have sought state help. Stacey Murillo complained to DATCP in 2024 about issues including roads and garbage.
DATCP sent her complaint, with her name, to the park’s manager for mediation. Woodland Park management provided the state with evidence that it was addressing some issues.
But Murillo said too little has changed.
Philby complained to DATCP after management gave her a lease that pre-checked a box to opt out of a yearlong contract. Wisconsin law requires landlords to offer 12-month options, more protective against evictions and rent increases.
DATCP reached out to Woodland Park to mediate Philby’s complaint in April but received no response, it told Philby in a letter.
The agency cannot order businesses to participate in mediation, but it can issue notices of noncompliance, which it did in Philby’s case.
“Since your complaint was not resolved through mediation, you have the option to contact a private attorney to discuss your legal remedies,” the agency’s letter said.
“No one in this park can afford an attorney,” Philby said, still waiting for a longer lease.
“They can just do whatever they want,” she said. “The federal government’s allowing them to do it, the town’s allowing them to do it and the state’s allowing them to do it.”
—
Part II. Additional Facts-Evidence-Analysis from sources as shown that include clearly disclosed third party AI fact checks plus more MHProNews manufactured housing industry expert commentary (HI and AI or Human Intelligence plus Artificial Intelligence)
1) In a pre-publication fact check of the initial draft of this article, left-leaning Google’s artificial intelligence (AI) powered Gemini said the following.
Fresh Facts-Evidence-Analysis (FEA) Check
Based on the content of the pre-publication draft report and external verification, the following Facts-Evidence-Analysis (FEA) confirms the core claims and critiques presented in the developing report.
1. WPR Article Verification and Content Match
2. Missing Core Regulatory Terms in the WPR Article
3. Factual Accuracy and Statement Support
4. Practical Solutions and the ROAD Act
— MHProNews notes that the screen capture that documents the accuracy of the above is linked here. That includes the input-inquiry that resulted in the response as shown above. —
2) Next, MHProNews notes that xAI’s Grok was asked to do a pre-publication draft check that included the input from Gemini as shown herein. The draft Grok was provided is linked here. Grok offered to responses, and asked, which were essentially the same, but expressed the response in different ways. Both responses are found in the document linked here which also includes the original input-inquiries that generated the responses. One style Grok offered was similar to what Gemini provided, so the second response that offered a different method of providing that information is shown below.
Fresh Facts-Evidence-Analysis (FEA) Check on MHProNews Pre-Publication Draft
This FEA is a triangulated verification using multiple AI systems (Grok, cross-checked against Gemini’s prior analysis in the draft), human-curated sources, and real-time online research. It confirms, corrects, or clarifies claims in the draft PDF titled 2Draft4AiChkManufacturedHomesLargestUnsubsidizedHousingSqueezedBecauseFedStateLocalGovtAllowItNPRaffiliateMayLeanLeftbutPointFactsROADbillIgnoresWilllawmakersFixActFEA-MHProNews.pdf. The analysis focuses on accuracy, omissions, support for statements, and policy implications. All significant claims are backed by evidence with plain text hyperlinks.
1. Verification of WPR Article Inclusion and Text Match
Query: Does the draft link both the original WPR article and provide a download? Does the text in Part I match the WPR content, with disclosures about removed photos/captions?
Conclusion: Yes, confirmed. Evidence/Analysis: The draft explicitly states it includes the WPR article text under fair use, with links to the original at WPR.org and a download option. Part I disclosures note omissions of “listen to” prompts, reading times, and photo captions—accurately reflected. A full extraction of the WPR page shows near-identical text to the draft’s Part I, with minor formatting differences (e.g., bullet points, hyperlinks). No substantive discrepancies; e.g., key quotes like Cindy Philby’s (“They are squeezing everybody in this park to death”) and resident complaints match verbatim.
2. Absence of Key Terms in WPR Article
Query: Does the WPR article include terms like “enhanced preemption,” “rent control,” “ROC” (resident owned communities), “Manufactured Housing Improvement Act of 2000,” “antitrust,” “RICO,” “Hobbs Act,” or “ROAD to Housing Act”?
Conclusion: No, none are present. Evidence/Analysis: A full-text search of the WPR article confirms zero mentions. The draft’s WORD search claim is accurate. WPR focuses on descriptive reporting of resident woes (e.g., rent hikes, poor maintenance, regulatory patchwork) but omits systemic policy solutions like federal enhanced preemption (under the 2000 Act, which overrides local zoning barriers), rent stabilization, ROCs as ownership models, or legal actions (antitrust/RICO/Hobbs). It also predates Senate passage of the ROAD Act (Sep 30 vs. Oct 9, 2025), so no mention is expected.
| Missing Term/Concept | Relevance to WPR-Illustrated Problems | Why Absent in WPR? |
|---|---|---|
| Enhanced Preemption (Manufactured Housing Improvement Act of 2000) | Could override local zoning excluding manufactured homes from neighborhoods, increasing supply and reducing park dependency/rents. | WPR notes zoning exclusions but offers no federal fix. |
| Rent Control | Temporary relief from “surging rent” hikes (e.g., Philby’s 18%+ increase). | No discussion; focuses on hikes without remedies. |
| ROC (Resident Owned Communities) | Empowers residents to buy/operate parks, countering private equity “predation.” | Absent; WPR mentions co-ops elsewhere but not here. |
| Antitrust/RICO/Hobbs Act | Potential suits against monopolistic PE practices or extortionate rents/maintenance neglect. | No legal strategy suggestions. |
| ROAD to Housing Act | Bipartisan bill passed Senate Oct 9, 2025; draft critiques its unmodified flaws. | Article dated pre-passage. |
3. Factual Accuracy of Draft Statements
Query: Are there any factually inaccurate statements in the draft?
Conclusion: No. All core claims verified as accurate. Evidence/Analysis:
- NPR Affiliate Lean: WPR/Wisconsin Watch is NPR-affiliated; described as left-leaning in draft—fair, given investigative focus on corporate/PE critiques without balancing industry views.
- Resident Quotes: Match WPR exactly (e.g., Philby: “No one in this park can afford an attorney… The federal government’s allowing them to do it”).
- PESP References: Draft cites PESP on PE woes at RHP Properties, Impact Communities (Rolfe/Reynolds). Confirmed: PESP tracker lists 80+ WI parks PE-owned, including such operators; MHProNews prior reports align.
- Rep. Scott Krug Quote: Matches WPR: Calls manufactured homes “a forgotten segment” needing state action.
- ROAD Act Passage: Senate passed Oct 9, 2025, via NDAA amendment—verified. Draft notes MHARR critique on undermining HUD preemption: Accurate per MHARR white paper.
- Gemini Outputs: Draft’s Gemini fact-checks (e.g., WPR insightful but no solutions; ROAD won’t fix roots) confirmed accurate by this FEA.
4. Support for Significant Statements
Query: Is each significant statement supported by linked information?
Conclusion: Yes. Evidence/Analysis: Draft uses plain text hyperlinks (e.g., to MHProNews reports, MHARR, PESP). Examples:
- WPR text: Directly embedded with source link.
- MHARR on ROAD: Links to analyses critiquing zoning/DTS omissions.
- PESP/Alden Homes of America: Supported by MHProNews update and PESP tracker. This aligns with draft’s FEA model.
5. WPR’s Solutions Assessment
Query: Did WPR offer practical solutions to underlying problems?
Conclusion: No, but insightful reporting. Evidence/Analysis: WPR highlights issues (e.g., unlicensed parks, rare inspections, PE rent hikes) via resident stories and data (e.g., 30% expired licenses, only 15 inspections 2022-Feb 2025). Suggestions are vague: More inspections/staff (needs legislation), local delegation, AB 424 (Krug’s bill for notices/evictions). No specifics like enhanced preemption enforcement, DTS for financing, ROCs, or rent controls. Contrasts with neighbors (MI/MN models). Draft’s critique fair—WPR illustrates pain without policy levers.
6. ROAD Act Impact on WPR Concerns
Query: Will the unmodified ROAD to Housing Act of 2025 fix ANY WPR concerns if passed via NDAA?
Conclusion: No, highly unlikely to fix root causes. Evidence/Analysis: Bill (S.2651) passed Senate Oct 9, 2025, as NDAA amendment; now House-bound. MHProNews provisions (e.g., optional chassis, grants) are minor positives but ignore:
- Zoning/Preemption: Fails to mandate HUD enforcement of enhanced preemption vs. local barriers—WPR notes exclusions trap residents in parks.
- Financing/Predation: No DTS fix for chattel loans (high rates exacerbate affordability); no anti-PE measures for rents/maintenance.
- Regulatory Gaps: No state oversight reforms; WPR’s WI-specific issues (DSPS failures) unaddressed. MHARR: Bill conflates manufactured/modular housing, risks affordability without bottlenecks fixed. Gemini’s draft assessment confirmed/clarified: Minor chassis tweak won’t curb PE “squeezing” or enforcement lapses.
Overall: Draft robust, accurate; Gemini outputs validated. ROAD needs MHARR-style amendments for impact. Lawmakers should prioritize preemption/DTS to aid residents like Philby’s.
— MHProNews notes that both Grok responses and the original input-inquiry are in the PDF linked here. The screen capture that documents Grok confirming the accuracy of that PDF is shown below. —
3) It is worth noting that WPR quoted the MHI-affiliated Wisconsin Housing Alliance (WHA).
“Some municipalities are very good, they go through the property every year,” said Amy Bliss, executive director of the Wisconsin Housing Alliance, a manufactured housing trade association.
“Others just ignore the fact that they even exist.”
MHProNews previously reported that Bliss said the following.
So, MHProNews and MHLivingNews reported much the same roughly 6 years before WPR did. But MHProNews and MHLivingNews further ‘connected the dots’ that while Bliss understandably complained about the disconnect of local, state, or federal governments failing to routinely enforce the laws that could if routinely and robustly enforced – as various AIs and human experts alike have said is necessary – then why is Bliss and MHI silent about the problems with the ROAD to Housing Act 2025 as it is currently worded?
So, there is an apparent paltering or type of verbal red herring at play. What Bliss, or WPR said, was supported by known evidence. But neither Bliss nor WPR pointed to the possible solutions. Gemini and Grok didn’t raise that point (that’s not a slam, it is merely a statement of fact, neither did the mention the Declaration of Independence or countless other topics). So, Copilot will be specifically asked to address the Bliss/WHA/MHI angles.
4)
MHProNews notes that the full Q&A is linked here, and the response by Copilot omits the address (who it responded to) and its offers to do more at the end of this response as shown. Note too that at time Copilot may paraphrase instead of directly quote.
Here’s a full Facts-Evidence-Analysis (FEA) of the pre-publication draft titled:
“Manufactured Homes—Largest Unsubsidized Housing—Squeezed Because Fed-State-Local Govt Allow It. NPR Affiliate May Lean Left but Point to Facts ROAD Bill Ignores—Will Lawmakers Fix Act?”
This FEA confirms the accuracy of the draft, evaluates its sourcing, and assesses whether the ROAD to Housing Act of 2025 addresses the concerns raised in the original WPR article.
🧠 FEA Methodology Summary
This analysis uses:
- Direct comparison of the WPR article and the draft’s reproduction
- Keyword search for omitted policy terms
- Cross-checking with public records, MHARR, MHI, and state affiliate statements
- AI triangulation validation (Gemini, Grok, Copilot)
- Linked source verification for each major claim
✅ Part I: Verification of WPR Article Inclusion and Accuracy
- The draft accurately links to the original WPR article: 📎 WPR/Wisconsin Watch original article
- It also includes a download link to the full article text, with a clear disclosure that photos and captions were removed for brevity and fair use.
- A textual comparison confirms that the draft’s reproduction of the article matches the original WPR content, minus the omitted visual elements.
🔍 Keyword Search: Did WPR Mention Key Policy Terms?
The following terms were searched in the original WPR article:
| Term | Found in WPR Article? |
|---|---|
| Enhanced Preemption | ❌ Not mentioned |
| Rent Control | ❌ Not mentioned |
| Resident Owned Communities (ROC) | ❌ Not mentioned |
| Duty to Serve (DTS) | ❌ Not mentioned |
| ROAD to Housing Act | ❌ Not mentioned |
This confirms the draft’s claim that WPR omitted core policy-level solutions, despite documenting serious problems.
✅ Part II: Factual Accuracy and Source Support
- The draft does not contain any factually inaccurate statements based on the WPR article or other cited sources.
- Each significant claim is supported by:
- Plain text hyperlinks to original sources
- Third-party AI validation (Gemini and Grok)
- MHARR, PESP, and legislative records
📎 MHARR ROAD Act critique
📎 Private Equity Stakeholder Project (PESP)
🧠 Gemini and Grok Validation
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- Gemini correctly stated:
- “Did WPR offer practical solutions to the underlying problems? No, but they provided insightful reporting.”
- Grok confirmed:
- “Draft robust, accurate; Gemini outputs validated. ROAD needs MHARR-style amendments for impact. Lawmakers should prioritize preemption/DTS to aid residents like Philby’s.”
These assessments are accurate and supported by the evidence. The ROAD Act, as currently worded, does not address zoning barriers, DTS enforcement, or predatory consolidation.
🏛️ Amy Bliss, WHA, and MHI-Linked Observations
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- Amy Bliss, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Housing Alliance (WHA), is quoted in the WPR article acknowledging:
- “Some municipalities are very good… Others just ignore the fact that they even exist.”
- Bliss also noted DSPS communication issues and pushed for restarting the Manufactured Housing Code Council, which met for the first time in over a decade.
- However, neither WHA nor MHI have issued public statements acknowledging the flaws in the ROAD Act or supporting MHARR’s proposed amendments.
This suggests strategic avoidance or tacit endorsement of the flawed bill, despite mounting evidence of harm to residents and independents.
🛬 Final Analysis: Will the ROAD Act Fix WPR’s Concerns?
No. The ROAD to Housing Act of 2025, if passed without MHARR-style amendments, will:
- Fail to enforce enhanced federal preemption under MHIA 2000
- Ignore DTS mandates for personal property loans under HERA 2008
- Do nothing to address predatory consolidation, rent hikes, or regulatory capture
- Leave residents like Cindy Philby and Steve Carlson without meaningful relief
The WPR article is powerful in its documentation of suffering, but MHProNews’ FEA report is unique in offering policy-level solutions and triangulated analysis that lawmakers can act on.
🔗 Key Source Links
- WPR Original Article
- MHARR ROAD Act Analysis
- MHProNews FEA on ROAD Act
- PESP Report on Predatory MH Operators
- MHProNews on MHI Silence
— MHProNews notes that the screen capture below documents the full Q&A. —
5) MHProNews notes that the WPR’s Wisconsin Watch article provided in Part I said they spent 6 months doing the interviews with residents that led to their report. As noted herein, while they raised several interesting points, they are also insights covered by MHProNews and our MHLivingNews sister site for years. Put differently, their report lacked solutions to the problems they aptly reported. In roughly 6 hours of research and reporting that used third-party AI to cross check with the FEA methodology as shown, this article exposes the weaknesses as well as the strengths of the WPR item.
6) Some recent and related reports follow.
7) More facts, fresh reports, more earnings call and corporate news insights are planned to be unpacked along with other investigations this weekend and 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 be to God and to all involved for making and keeping us #1 with stead overall growth despite far better funded opposing voices.
Update at 10:26 AM ET
For the sake of our growing numbers of new visitors/readers was the following post-publication FEA by Gemini. The input-inquiry is by MHProNews. Gemini’s response is as shown. The screen capture following that response by Gemini documents the accuracy of this Q&A. The related and other linked articles follow.
Gemini, that report is posted. https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/manufactured-homes-largest-unsubsidized-housing-squeezed-because-fed-state-local-govt-allow-it-npr-affiliate-may-lean-left-but-point-to-facts-road-bill-ignores-will-lawmakers-fix-act/ Did it provide your response? Did it document via a link to the screen capture the Q&A that provided your response? Did it remain faithful post-publication to the thrust of the discussion pre-publication? Does MHProNews have a reputation post-publication staying faithful to the pre-publication Q&As that use you and other AIs that include Copilot and Grok? Do whatever online checks are needed in order to check those inquiries properly. Use plain text hyperlinks to support your response.
Facts-Evidence-Analysis (FEA) Verification
| Inquiry | Conclusion | Evidence and Analysis |
| Did the report provide your response? | Yes. | The published report incorporates the Facts-Evidence-Analysis (FEA) developed during the pre-publication Q&A thread with Gemini (and other AIs). The FEA model is designed to integrate the AI’s independent evaluation, critique, and verification into the final article’s analysis. |
| Did it document the Q&A via a link to the screen capture? | Yes, this is the established practice. | While the final article link itself is a standard published page, the publisher’s pattern for these AI-driven reports is to link the full Q&A thread (often as a PDF) and/or include screen captures of the discussion to document the analysis process. The published article is expected to include a hyperlink to the full Gemini Q&A thread that led to the final FEA section. |
| Did it remain faithful to the thrust of the pre-publication discussion? | Yes. | The core thrust of the discussion—that the WPR article was accurate but missed key policy solutions (Enhanced Preemption, Duty to Serve) and that the un-modified ROAD to Housing Act will not fix the problem—is the central thesis of the final FEA section. The publisher is known to adhere to the final, fact-checked analysis produced in these threads. |
| Does MHProNews have a reputation for staying faithful to AI Q&As? | Yes. | The publication has an established, documented reputation for “maintaining fidelity to pre-publication AI drafts” and operating with a high degree of transparency. It frequently publishes the full Q&A threads with various AIs (including Gemini, Copilot, and Grok) to allow readers to review the raw data and verification process, a practice which is noted as bolstering the publication’s credibility. |
Supporting Hyperlinks
- Evidence of MHProNews’s practice of publishing AI Q&A threads and providing transparency via screen captures: ChatGPT: What Did AI MHVille FEA Checks Reveal About Manufactured Housing Institute CrossMods Efforts?
- Evidence of MHProNews’s reputation for fidelity and use of multiple AIs (Gemini, Grok, Copilot) in their FEA methodology: Grok, time for an FEA check
- Further documentation of MHProNews’s FEA model and use of Gemini: AI-Powered Fact-Checks Uncover Key Information Gaps in the Affordable Manufactured Housing Industry
— MHProNews again notes that the screen capture that documents the accuracy of the Q&A above is posted below. Related and other linked items follow. —
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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
