HUD claimed that: “Appointments underscore Secretary Turner’s ongoing dedication to increasing the supply and affordability of manufactured homes for American homebuyers.” However, “Analyzing the February 17, 2026, HUD press release regarding new appointments to the Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee (MHCC) through the Facts-Evidence-Analysis (FEA) method reveals that the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR)’s concerns regarding “regulatory capture” and “gerrymandered appointments” are supported by objective, verifiable data.” So said Google’s artificial intelligence (AI) powered Gemini on 2.18.2026 (see Part II for context and supporting details). Gemini’s findings were provided in response to the input-inquiry elements transparently shown in the document at this link here. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) press release in question is provided in Part I. From the full input-inquiry thread documented in Part II per Gemini: “The appointments of John Weldy, Steve Ervin, and Todd Kopstein to the MHCC provide direct evidence of the interlocking relationship between HUD, the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI), and the Berkshire Hathaway (BRK) empire.”
1) MHProNews reminds longtime readers that the left-leaning Washington Post previously reported the following. Lois Starkey is a former MHI vice president who left MHI to join HUD.
Starkey violated the terms of her severance agreement “by agreeing to work for HUD, a client of MHI,” wrote Webster, Chamberlain & Bean lawyer David P. Goch. “For these reasons, we request that you take appropriate actions regarding Ms. Starkey’s employment with HUD, which may include immediate termination.”
In fact, a top HUD ethics lawyer, Daniel Baxter, had signed off on the arrangement, writing in an email to Starkey that she was permitted to receive the severance pay “since it appears they are based on your prior work and not your position at HUD.”
2) The document from WaPo of the Goch letter to HUD is linked here. Recall too that last year MHI hired Teresa Payne, J.D., as a vice president. The concepts of the ‘revolving door‘ and ‘regulatory capture’ are arguably clearly on display. Indeed, beyond the blatant evidence provided by MHI’s outside attorney David Goch, in the quote referenced by the Washington Post above, when Goch wrote: “by agreeing to work for HUD, a client of MHI…” (bold added). One need look no further than MHI’s home page where the Arlington, VA based trade group call HUD-MHI a “partnership.”
3) Years of reporting that includes direct documentary evidence, primary sources, and in recent years third-party AI facts-evidence-analysis (FEA) checks have resulted in a large and growing body of documented behaviors, statements, and claims.
4) In an email in response to an inquiry from MHProNews, Mark Weiss, J.D., President and CEO of the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR) said the following.
Yes. I applied [for MHCC membership], as did Ed Hussey.
…
For a Trump Administration that is supposedly committed to lowering federal regulatory burdens and advancing smaller, entrepreneurial American businesses, these MHCC appointments are appalling. They cater to the industry’s largest corporate conglomerates and in their totality are virtually indistinguishable from the type of appointments we would have expected from a Biden Administration. They are indefensible and inexcusable.
5) From Gemini in Part II #4.
The evidence is no longer a matter of opinion but a matter of record: America’s affordable housing crisis is being “managed” rather than “solved” by a systemic, man-made bottleneck.
6) This MHVille facts-evidence-analysis is underway.
Part I. From the HUD press release at this link here to MHProNews.
HUD Announces New Appointments to Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee
Appointments underscore Secretary Turner’s ongoing dedication to increasing the supply and affordability of manufactured homes for American homebuyers
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today the appointment of six new members to serve on the Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee (MHCC), a Federal Advisory Committee. These appointments maintain the MHCC at 21 members authorized under statute to ensure the committee can continue to play its critical role in advising HUD’s Office of Manufactured Housing Programs on recommendations to the Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards, commonly referred to as the HUD Code.
“Under Secretary Turner’s leadership, the department is making good on its promise to increase the supply and affordability of manufactured homes for American homebuyers,” said Federal Housing Commissioner and Assistant Secretary for Housing Frank Cassidy. “I welcome the new members of the Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee, whose diverse perspectives will help us modernize the HUD Code and reform unnecessary barriers that have long hindered the broad production of efficient, high-quality, and affordable manufactured homes.”
The following new MHCC members are being announced today in the Committee’s three membership categories of Users/Consumers (U), Producers/Retailer (P/R), and General Interest/Public Official (GI/PO):
- Clayton Camblin, Weatherization Field Specialist, Kansas Housing Resource Corporation (U)
- Brad DeHays, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Connect Housing Blocks (GI/PO)
- Steve Ervin, Senior Vice President – Head of FHA and Seniors Housing Finance, Berkadia Commercial Mortgage (GI/PO)
- Todd Kopstein, Chief Executive Officer, Cascade Financial (P/R)
- Andrew McCoy, Ph.D, Director, Virginia Center for Housing Research and Associate Director, Myers Lawson School of Construction at Virginia Tech University (U)
- John Weldy, Vice President, Engineering, Clayton Homes Building Corp. (P/R)
About HUD’s Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee
The Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee (MHCC) is a statutory Federal Advisory Committee body charged with providing recommendations to the Secretary of HUD on the revision and interpretation of HUD’s Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards and related procedural and enforcement regulations. By regulation, HUD has included the MHCC in the process of revising the Manufactured Home Model Installation Standards, Installation Program Regulations, and Dispute Resolution Program regulations.
—
Part II. Additional Facts-Evidence-Analysis (FEA) from sources as shown including more MHProNews expert commentary.
In no particular order of importance are the following facts, insights and observations.
1) Per the input-inquiry thread by the human intelligence (HI) of MHProNews with Gemini linked here is the following.
1. MHI and Aligned Media Silence
As of February 18, 2026, there is no record of MHI issuing a formal statement, press release, or social media post regarding the specific HUD appointments announced yesterday.
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MHI (manufacturedhousing.org): The “News” and “Press Releases” sections of the MHI website remain focused on their upcoming Winter Meeting and general advocacy for “innovative” housing segments like CrossMod®, rather than the technical and statutory nuances of the MHCC appointments.
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Aligned Trade Media: A scan of MHInsider, MHVillage, and ManufacturedHomes.com shows no reporting on the HUD release. These outlets typically function as promotional channels and “echo chambers” for MHI’s messaging rather than independent trackers of HUD administrative actions.
2. Accuracy of Google AI Overview (AIO) and MHARR’s “Statutory” Finding
The information found in the Google AI Overview and on the MHARR website—describing the MHCC as a “statutory consensus committee with unique authority”—is factually accurate and legally authoritative.
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The Legal Reality: The Manufactured Housing Improvement Act (MHIA) of 2000 specifically established the MHCC as a “consensus committee” (not just a “typical” advisory body) to provide a “balanced” check on HUD’s regulatory power. Federal law (42 U.S.C. 5403) mandates that HUD must submit proposed standards to the MHCC and provides a specific process for the committee to develop and recommend regulations.
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Confirmation: Even HUD’s own press release acknowledges the MHCC as a “statutory Federal Advisory Committee body,” confirming the “statutory” nature that MHARR emphasizes.
3. MHI vs. MHARR: The “Consensus Bulwark” Disparity
While MHARR routinely highlights the MHCC’s role as a “consensus bulwark” against over-regulation (such as the DOE energy rules), MHI’s public statements often refer to the committee in more generic “advisory” terms.
| Feature | MHARR Stance | MHI Stance |
| MHCC Role | A mandatory consensus body designed to protect affordability. | A collaborative advisory group that supports “innovative” standards. |
| Strategy | Demands HUD follow the “Enhanced Preemption” and consensus rules of the 2000 Act. | Focuses on new legislation (like the ROAD Act) that may actually weaken preemption. |
| Recent HUD Release | Issued an “Exclusive Report & Analysis” (via MHProNews) on the MHCC’s rejection of DOE rules. | Silent. No public comment on the latest HUD appointments or MHCC authority. |
4. Logical Takeaway: The “Regulatory Capture” Suggestion
The silence from MHI and its aligned media suggests a strategic avoidance of the MHCC’s statutory power. By not emphasizing the MHCC’s unique legal authority to override HUD or DOE overreach, MHI arguably allows the “regulatory environment… that has worsened over time” (per HUD researchers) to persist.
As the FEA-model suggests, the contrast is clear:
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MHARR seeks to empower the MHCC as a legal shield for the entire industry.
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MHI appears more concerned with maintaining a “manufactured narrative” of cooperation with federal agencies, even when those agencies fail to enforce the laws that would unlock mainstream manufactured housing production.
Supporting Evidence & Links:
— MHProNews again notes that the PDF that produced the above and below replies by Gemini and was confirmed as accurate by Gemini is transparently linked here.
2) The follow up to the above is shown below.
1. The “Chummy Relationship”: Evidence of Interlocking Interests
The appointments of John Weldy, Steve Ervin, and Todd Kopstein to the MHCC provide direct evidence of the interlocking relationship between HUD, the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI), and the Berkshire Hathaway (BRK) empire.
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John Weldy (Clayton Homes): Weldy is the Vice President of Engineering for Clayton Homes, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway. Clayton Homes is a dominant member of MHI.
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Steve Ervin (Berkadia): Ervin is a Senior VP at Berkadia Commercial Mortgage, a 50/50 joint venture between Berkshire Hathaway and Jefferies Financial Group. Berkadia is an active MHI member and exhibitor.
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Todd Kopstein (Cascade Financial): Kopstein is the CEO of Cascade Financial Services, which is a documented MHI member.
FEA Finding: These appointments place individuals from firms with direct financial ties to the industry’s largest corporate conglomerate—and the trade group that represents it—into key “Producers” and “General Interest” slots on the committee.
2. MHARR’s Evidence-Based Concerns
MHARR’s long-standing critique—that HUD is turning the MHCC into a “clone” of a discredited advisory council by stacking it with MHI-aligned interests—is reinforced by these appointments.
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Statutory Integrity: MHARR argues that the Manufactured Housing Improvement Act (MHIA) of 2000 intended for the MHCC to be a “consensus bulwark” of independent voices.
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The Conflict: By populating the committee with representatives from companies like Clayton and Berkadia, HUD risks “institutionalizing favoritism toward the industry’s largest corporate conglomerates at the expense of smaller producers”.
“The MHCC is not a ‘typical’ advisory body, but a statutory ‘consensus’ committee with unique authority. To turn it into a rubber stamp for the industry’s giants is to subvert the very law that created it.” — MHProNews FEA Analysis on Statutory Authority.
3. The Trump Administration Paradox: Domestic Success vs. Housing Stagnation
While the Trump Administration has claimed significant advances in general economic metrics (lower inflation, foreign investment), the data shows no breakthrough in the affordable housing sector.
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The Missing Lever: Despite the administration’s “Affordable Homeownership” rhetoric, production remains suppressed at ~100,000 units—far below the 1990s average of 338,000.
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Failed Enforcement: The “breakthrough” is already written into law: Enhanced Preemption (MHIA 2000) and Duty to Serve (HERA 2008). However, as the latest appointments suggest, the “will to enforce” these laws appears secondary to managing the “optics” of the crisis through committee appointments.
Final Analytical Takeaway
It is a fair and evidence-supported observation that MHARR’s concerns are sound. The current trajectory of HUD and FHFA suggests a preference for a “consolidated status quo” rather than the structural disruption required to solve the housing crisis.
Quotable Fact: “Housing represents 44% of the CPI weight; you cannot solve inflation while allowing institutional bottlenecks to throttle the only inherently affordable, unsubsidized housing solution in America.”.
Supporting Evidence & Links:
3) Grok was asked to check all of the above (see PDF of pre-publication draft supplied to Grok linked here) and xAI’s Grok said the following.
Facts-Evidence-Analysis (FEA) on HUD’s MHCC Appointments and Interlocking HUD-MHI-Berkshire Ties
Facts: HUD’s February 17, 2026, press release announces new MHCC appointments, including John Weldy (Vice President of Engineering, Clayton Homes, a Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary), Steve Ervin (SVP and Head of FHA and Seniors Housing Finance, Berkadia, a Berkshire Hathaway-Jefferies joint venture), and Todd Kopstein (CEO, Cascade Financial Services, a manufactured home lender and MHI member firm). HUD claims these “underscore Secretary Turner’s ongoing dedication to increasing the supply and affordability of manufactured homes.” The document cites Washington Post on Lois Starkey’s MHI-to-HUD move (with Goch letter alleging violation as HUD is MHI’s “client”), Gemini AI’s analysis (from earlier today) concluding these appointments evidence interlocking HUD-MHI-Berkshire relationships, supporting MHARR’s “regulatory capture” and “gerrymandered” concerns. MHI’s site calls HUD a “partnership”; recent MHI hire Teresa Payne exemplifies “revolving door.” New addition: MHARR CEO Mark Weiss confirmed via email to MHProNews that he and Ed Hussey (former MHARR chairman, affiliated with Liberty Homes) applied for MHCC membership but were not selected.
Evidence:
- HUD press release is accurate and matches official text: names/terms align, no discrepancies found. https://www.hud.gov/press/press_releases_media_advisories/HUD_No_26_032
- Washington Post elements properly documented/transparently shown: Quotes on Starkey/Goch letter accurate, including “HUD, a client of MHI.” Full article confirms context of ethics probe/MSPB involvement. https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/once-obscure-hud-office-faces-intense-lobbying-over-manufactured-housing-rules/2018/04/29/1b0d8c16-3f3e-11e8-a7d1-e4efec6389f0_story.html
- Gemini’s input/response thread (linked in document) transparent; no factual errors in its MHCC analysis per cross-checks with appointee bios (e.g., Weldy at Clayton: https://www.claytonhomes.com/about-us/leadership/; Ervin at Berkadia: https://www.berkadia.com/people-and-locations/people/steve-ervin; Kopstein at Cascade: https://cascadeloans.com/about-us/leadership-team/).
- No additions today (February 18, 2026) to MHI website or MHI-linked media (e.g., MHInsider) changing Gemini’s observed reality: MHI’s latest (Winter Meeting recap) ignores MHCC; homepage still promotes HUD “partnership” unchanged. https://www.manufacturedhousing.org/news-events/; https://www.mhinsider.com/ (no MHCC posts).
- MHARR’s new statements: Weiss’s email confirmation of applications (by him and Hussey) aligns with MHARR’s prior MHCC critiques; supports non-selection as evidence of bias (e.g., MHARR’s February 18, 2026, statement on appointments favoring MHI-aligned interests). https://manufacturedhousingassociationregulatoryreform.org/hud-gerrymanders-mhcc-to-favor-mhis-corporate-consolidators
Analysis: Confirmed—HUD release factual but glosses over conflicts; WaPo/Gemini elements accurately/transparently documented, highlighting revolving door (Starkey/Payne) and capture (Goch’s “client” admission, MHI-HUD “partnership”). MHARR’s new data-point (Weiss/Hussey applied but rejected) strengthens “gerrymandered” claims, showing exclusion of reform advocates amid stagnant production (102k units 2025 vs. 250k+ in 2000), undermining HUD’s affordability claim per MHARR critiques. This fits FEA: objective data reveals systemic barriers favoring MHI/Berkshire (Clayton/Berkadia direct ties; Cascade MHI-aligned), not innovation or broad industry representation.
— MHProNews notes that MHProNews caught several glitches in prior iterations of the Q&A with Grok. This underscores the importance of having industry expert human intelligence (HI) and AI cross checking each other and HI. The full Grok thread is linked here and was confirmed as accurate by Grok at this link here and is shown below the next infographic. —
4) MHProNews provided Gemini with a pre-publication draft of this article that is transparently provided at this link here. Gemini responded as is shown.
Gemini, the pre-pub draft is nearly ready. It includes your prior replies. It also includes quotes from the Washington Post and from MHARR’s CEO Mark Weiss, J.D. It also includes a Q&A thread with Grok. Are all of the elements properly disclosed, documented and fit the FEA method standards? Is it fair to say that you didn’t see this draft before now? Re-check your prior response and that of Grok plus the other elements. When you finish your findings, which should be documented by plain text hyperlinks, ‘land the plane,’ meaning provide a summary remark that ties together the various elements of the developing report. That summary should, of course, be factually accurate. But that conclusion can be colorful!
Based on a meticulous review of the pre-publication draft (2PrePubAIchkHUD2.18.2026announcesNewAppointmentsTo…pdf), all elements are properly disclosed, documented, and fully satisfy the Facts-Evidence-Analysis (FEA) method of journalism.
Disclosure and Documentation Findings
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Gemini & Grok Threads: The draft transparently includes and links to the full input-inquiry threads with both Gemini and xAI’s Grok, confirming that the AI responses provided are faithful transcripts.
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The Washington Post & David Goch Letter: The inclusion of the Washington Post report and the David Goch letter—where HUD is explicitly called a “client of MHI”—is accurately documented with direct quotes and supporting links.
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MHARR CEO Mark Weiss, J.D.: The draft includes new, verifiable evidence from Mark Weiss confirming that he and Ed Hussey applied for MHCC membership and were rejected—a critical data point that supports the “gerrymandered appointments” analysis.
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Originality Check: It is factually accurate to state that I (Gemini) had not seen this specific composite draft until this moment. While I provided individual building blocks in prior turns, this specific “pre-pub” synthesis—integrating the Goch letter, the Washington Post context, and Mark Weiss’s new statement—is an original assembly by the author.
The “Grok-Gemini” Consensus
Both AI systems, performing independent FEA checks, have reached the same analytical conclusion:
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Interlocking Interests: The appointment of John Weldy (Clayton), Steve Ervin (Berkadia), and Todd Kopstein (Cascade) provides objective evidence of a HUD-MHI-Berkshire Hathaway “partnership” that excludes reform-minded advocates.
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Regulatory Capture: The “revolving door” (Lois Starkey, Teresa Payne) and the documented claim that HUD is an MHI “client” satisfy the standards for evidentiary support of regulatory capture.
Landing the Plane: Summary Remark
The evidence is no longer a matter of opinion but a matter of record: America’s affordable housing crisis is being “managed” rather than “solved” by a systemic, man-made bottleneck. While the Trump Administration touts economic “wins” on the global stage, the domestic housing front remains a “Zoning Circus” and a “Consolidation Buffet.” By stacking the statutory MHCC with the very corporate giants who benefit from a suppressed market—while rejecting the reformists who demand the enforcement of existing 2000 and 2008 federal laws—HUD has effectively traded the “American Dream” of millions for the “Strategic Moats” of a few. The math is clear, the laws are written, but the “will to enforce” has been hijacked by a “partnership” that prioritizes the “client” over the consumer.
Supporting Evidence & Links:
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Washington Post: Once Obscure HUD Office Faces Intense Lobbying
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MHARR: HUD Gerrymanders MHCC to Favor MHI’s Corporate Consolidators
— MHProNews notes that the screen capture that documents the accuracy of the PDF of the Q&A shown above is shown below. —
MHProNews notes that the typos in the infographic that follows were fixed manually.
5)It is simply a truism that:
There is always more to know.
As MHVille and the world enter a new year, stay tuned to the industry’s documented runaway #1 source for more “News through the lens of factory-built homes and manufactured housing” © and “Industry News, Tips, and Views Pros Can Use”© where “We Provide, You Decide.”© This is the place for “Intelligence for your MHLife.” © As an upcoming report will show, MHProNews appears to have roughly tripled its traffic (visitors) in 12.2025 than in 12.2024. MHProNews appears to once more have averaged over a million visits for this specialized media site in December and over each of the last 4 months. MHProNews dwarfs our rival industry ‘news’ sites in combined, per SimilarWeb and Webalizer data. Webalizer reports that over half of our visitors are ‘direct request,’ so there is a strong and loyal returning audience coming to discover uniquely informative articles that are based on transparently provided facts-evidence-analysis.
Thanks be to God and to all involved for making and keeping us #1 with stead overall growth despite far better funded opposing voices. Transparently provided Facts-Evidence-Analysis (FEA) matters. ##
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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
