“In an era of deep economic cynicism, a recurring theme has emerged in housing analysis: the most effective solution to America’s affordable housing crisis is not a new government program, but the enforcement of existing federal law,” said Google‘s artificial intelligence (AI) powered Gemini as part of a detailed Q&A thread linked here and confirmed as accurate by Gemini at this link here. “As artificial intelligence (AI) systems increasingly validate, the “man-made” nature of the housing shortage is nowhere more apparent than in the dramatic decline of the HUD Code manufactured housing industry. The following report examines this decline through a Facts-Evidence-Analysis (FEA) lens, supported by AI insights and historical data.”
The Facts-Evidence-Analysis (FEA) methodology is explained in the document linked here. Gemini also said the following.
1)
The U.S. currently faces a housing shortage estimated between 5 to 8 million units. Curiously, this gap aligns almost perfectly with the cumulative loss in production within the manufactured housing sector over the last quarter-century.
From 1995 to 2000, the industry averaged 338,924 units annually, peaking at 373,143 in 1998. Had that average production simply been maintained through 2025, the U.S. would have produced roughly 8.4 million more homes than it actually did. Instead, 21st-century production has languished, often struggling to exceed the 100,000-unit threshold.
| Era | Average Annual Production | Total Units Produced (Approx.) |
| 1995–2000 | 338,924 units | 2,033,545 units |
| 2001–2025 | ~100,000 units | ~2,500,000 units |
This staggering performance gap begs a question few researchers ask: Why did production crater just as the need for affordable housing began to explode?
AI Analysis: A “Man-Made” Crisis
When tasked with evaluating this data, multiple AI platforms—including Gemini, Grok, and ChatGPT—have reached a consistent conclusion: the crisis is not a product of market failure, but of regulatory capture and strategic throttling.
- The “Moat” Strategy: AI insights suggest that large industry consolidators may favor a “low-volume, high-margin” environment. By allowing “moats” of restrictive zoning to persist, incumbent giants protect their existing assets from new competition.
- The RV Comparison: While manufactured housing (a necessity) has stagnated, the Recreational Vehicle (RV) industry (a luxury) surged to highs of 600,000 units annually in the same timeframe. This disparity highlights that the issue isn’t “factory-built” capacity, but rather the artificial bottlenecks unique to permanent housing.
“The recreational vehicle (RV) industry has seen production highs of 600,000 units annually in the 21st century, while the manufactured housing industry… drags at roughly 100,000 units.”
Legislative Scrutiny: “Trojan Horses” vs. Meaningful Reform
Recent legislative efforts illustrate the “optics versus action” struggle. While the ROAD to Housing Act has been criticized as a potential “Trojan Horse” that could undermine Enhanced Federal Preemption, the Housing for the 21st Century Act (H.R. 6644) is viewed by some as a marginally “better” alternative.
- H.R. 6644 Strengths: Unlike the Senate’s ROAD Act, the House bill does not tie Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to performance-based penalties, which critics argue can be manipulated to weaken state and local control.
- The “Low Bar”: Both bills, however, face the same criticism: they often focus on “voluntary incentives” for local governments rather than mandating the enforcement of the Manufactured Housing Improvement Act (MHIA) of 2000. The 2000 Reform Law already gives the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) the power to “preempt” local zoning that blocks manufactured homes, yet this power remains largely dormant.
Conclusion: Landing the Plane
The evidence suggests that the affordable housing crisis is an “inherently politically enabled construction”. For the industry to return to its 1990s glory, the focus must shift from new subsidies to the enforcement of existing federal mandates—specifically enhanced preemption and the Duty to Serve (DTS).
As one AI summary noted: “The legal tools and manufacturing capacity exist to solve the housing crisis, but the execution of these tools is missing.”
Source Links for Readers:
- AI-Report-MHProNews PDF: Quotes and Insights
- 30 Years of Manufactured Housing Production Data (1995-2025)
- Historical Shipment Table: 1995-2025
Would you like me to draft a follow-up piece specifically comparing the “permanent chassis” removal in H.R. 6644 to the original 1974 HUD Code standards?
2) From a follow up transparently shown in that same PDF document of findings by Gemini was the following.
Below is a series of actual quotes from AI platforms, supported by their original source documents.
On the “Man-Made” Nature of the Crisis
- Gemini: “The affordable housing crisis is an entirely man-made crisis, and that point was backed up by the evidence.”
- ChatGPT: “The United States is facing a deepening affordable housing crisis rooted in the persistent gap between housing supply and demand… Federal mandates designed to provide low-cost homeownership have been sidelined to protect consolidated capital and institutional rentiers.”
- Grok: “The report highlights a staggering performance gap: while the Recreational Vehicle (RV) industry has seen production highs of 600,000 units annually in the 21st century, the manufactured housing industry—the nation’s primary source of unsubsidized affordable housing—drags at roughly 100,000 units.”
On Regulatory Capture and “Market Throttling”
- Gemini: “Based on a comprehensive review of the available evidence, historical data, and online records, it is factually accurate to state that the manufactured housing industry has experienced a significant and documented ‘market throttling’ effect that coincides with the [21st century] leadership era of MHI.”
- Copilot: “Your cartoon… captures the absurd contrast between those profiting from the status quo and those blocked from affordable housing by systemic barriers… [It shows a] ‘Zoning Circus’ where local officials juggle excuses while ignoring federal law.”
- ChatGPT: “The affordable housing crisis remains unsolved because the current system rewards consolidation over competition. The Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI), dominated by industry giants, has been accused of ‘paltering’—posturing for legislative optics while failing to pursue the legal enforcement of existing laws.”
On Institutional Obstruction and “Moats”
- Gemini: “The actions confirm a strategy of oligopoly where profit is maximized on a suppressed market, directly contradicting the stated goal of solving the housing crisis.”
- Copilot: “Moats benefit a few while harming smaller businesses, retail investors, and affordable housing seekers.”
- ChatGPT: “Evidence suggests that ‘elites in power like the power of the problem.’ Solving the housing shortage would require increasing supply and lowering home values, a move that would negatively impact the multi-billion-dollar portfolios of the ‘Big Three’ asset managers—BlackRock, Vanguard, and State Street.”
On the Solutions: Enforcement of Existing Law
- Gemini: “The core of the report’s argument is that the affordable housing crisis and the underperformance of the manufactured housing industry are not due to flawed laws, but to the failure to enforce the existing laws: Enhanced Preemption (MHIA 2000) and Duty to Serve (DTS) (HERA 2008).”
- ChatGPT: “The Manufactured Housing Improvement Act of 2000 (MHIA 2000) provides a powerful legal mechanism for relief: Enhanced Preemption. This federal authority allows the HUD Secretary to override local zoning that discriminates against HUD-code homes… Despite this, HUD has failed to fully implement this provision for over 25 years.”
- OpenAI/ChatGPT: “Manufactured housing stands as the nation’s primary unsubsidized, inherently affordable solution, capable of scaling to meet demand if federal laws are enforced.”
Supporting Evidence & Source Links
The following source documents contain the full transcripts and data tables from which these AI quotes were derived:
- 30 Years of Manufactured Housing Production Data (1995-2025): Provides the year-by-year production figures showing the decline from 373,143 units in 1998 to ~100,000 units in the mid-2020s.
- Manufactured Housing Affordable Housing Crisis AI Report: A collection of third-party AI content provided under fair use guidelines, detailing “man-made” bottlenecks and “staggering performance gaps.”
- MHI “Head Fake” Analysis & H.R. 6644 FEA: Explores how new legislation may actually be a “Trojan Horse” that ignores stronger existing mandates like “enhanced preemption.”
- U.S. Affordable Housing Crisis: A Man-Made Problem: An executive summary derived from four AI systems (ChatGPT, Copilot, Grok, and Gemini) confirming the role of “institutional rentiers” in the housing shortage.
- Comparing RV and Manufactured Housing Data (Op-Ed): A data-driven comparison highlighting that while luxury RVs hit 600,000 units, affordable manufactured homes remain suppressed at 100,000.
3)
Suggested Headline
The 8-Million-Unit Gap: How a “Man-Made” Decline in Manufactured Housing Fueled America’s Affordable Housing Crisis
- Rationale: This headline connects the staggering production loss (derived from comparing 1990s averages to 21st-century output) directly to the current housing shortage. It utilizes the AI-validated term “man-made” to suggest that the crisis is a result of policy and industry choices rather than market inevitability.
Suggested Featured Image Description
The “Staggering Performance Gap” Infographic
- Visual Elements: A split-screen or overlay graphic. On one side, a thriving factory assembly line from 1998 (representing the peak of 373,143 units). On the other side, a desolate landscape with a “Zoning Barrier” sign blocking a modern manufactured home.
- Key Data Callouts:
- 1995–2000 Average: 338,924 units per year.
- 2001–2025 Average: ~97,458 units per year.
- The “Missing” Homes: A large text box stating: “Where are the 5 to 8 million missing homes? Look at the 25-year collapse of the HUD Code industry”.
- Rationale: The 30-year production table clearly shows a “cliff” after the year 2000. A featured image that visualizes this drop-off—contrasted with the rising demand for affordable housing—immediately illustrates the “staggering performance gap” identified by AI Overview and other models.
— MHProNews notes that the graphic for production from 1995-2025 is posted below. —
4)
Where are the 5 to 8 Million Missing Homes?
The “missing homes” are found in the delta between the industry’s proven capacity in the late 1990s and its suppressed output in the 21st century.
- The Baseline (1995–2000): During this six-year period, the manufactured housing industry produced a total of 2,033,545 homes, averaging 338,924 units annually.
- The Collapse (2001–2025): Over the subsequent 25 years, total production was 2,436,452 homes, averaging only 97,458 units annually.
- The Staggering Performance Gap: Had the industry simply maintained its 1990s average, it would have produced an additional 6,036,648 homes by the end of 2025.
The “Man-Made” Nature of the Gap
Artificial Intelligence models and industry analysts point to several “man-made” factors that created this “monopolistic moat”:
- Regulatory Capture: AI analysis suggests the industry faces “regulatory capture,” where existing laws like the Manufactured Housing Improvement Act of 2000 are not enforced to override local zoning barriers.
- The RV Paradox: While affordable housing production cratered, the luxury Recreational Vehicle (RV) industry—utilizing similar factory-built technology—reached highs of 600,000 units annually.
- Strategic Throttling: Trade associations have been critiqued for focusing more on industry consolidation than on overcoming the zoning barriers that prevent volume growth.
The AI Verdict
The “cliff” after the year 2000 represents a transition from a competitive market to an era of “artificial bottlenecks”. As one AI overview noted, “The legal tools and manufacturing capacity exist to solve the housing crisis, but the execution of these tools is missing”.
The “missing” 6 million homes are not a result of a lack of demand or capability, but a systemic failure to pull the “manufactured housing lever” that is already built into federal law.
5) In the experience of MHProNews, while typos in image creation by freely available AIs appears to be improving, this is an area that still has a room to go. For example, from the thread with Gemini linked here. The image used above was fixed manually.
6) More from the Q&A thread with Gemini linked here.
While both groups acknowledge that production remains “low by historical standards” despite healthy demand, they differ sharply on the causes and the solutions.
- The Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR)
MHARR, which represents independent producers, argues that the production gap is a “man-made” result of failing to enforce existing federal laws.
- Enforcement over New Legislation: MHARR asserts that the Manufactured Housing Improvement Act (MHIA) of 2000 already contains the “Enhanced Preemption” necessary to override local zoning that excludes HUD Code homes, but this tool has been “sidelined” for decades.
- Bottleneck Identification: MHARR identifies two primary “bottlenecks” suppressing the industry: discriminatory zoning and the lack of competitive federal financing (Duty to Serve).
- Critique of the Status Quo: MHARR has characterized the industry’s 21st-century performance as being “severely suppressing” due to these unaddressed policy failures.
- The Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI)
MHI represents “all sectors” of the industry, including large corporate consolidators and post-production interests. Its role in the production gap is often viewed through the lens of its advocacy style.
- Optics vs. Action: Critics and AI analyses noted that MHI has been accused of “paltering”—posturing for “legislative optics” (such as supporting the ROAD to Housing Act or H.R. 6644) while failing to pursue the legal enforcement of the stronger 2000 Reform Law.
- The “Consolidation” Factor: Some analyses suggest that MHI’s leadership may prioritize the interests of its largest members—such as Clayton Homes (Berkshire Hathaway)—who may benefit from “moats” created by low production and high barriers to entry for smaller competitors.
- Focus on New Segments: MHI has promoted new categories like CrossMod® homes, which critics argue benefit a narrow segment of the market rather than the “mainstream” HUD Code homes that drove the high production volumes of the 1990s.
The “Staggering Performance Gap” in Summary
The core of the conflict lies in a fundamental disagreement over industry trajectory.
- MHARR’s View: The industry is “mired at production levels” that were routinely exceeded in the 1990s because the national trade representation (specifically the post-production sector represented by MHI) has taken an “ineffective stance” against regulatory barriers.
- The Data Paradox: Production averaged over 338,000 units annually from 1995–2000, but has struggled to stay above 100,000 units for much of the 21st century.
In conclusion, while MHARR seeks to unlock growth by forcing the government to follow existing law, MHI is often seen as managing a “consolidated status quo” where restricted supply serves the strategic interests of its dominant members.
7)
Comparison of Trade Media and MHI Affiliation
It is factually correct that the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) counts the majority of industry trade media as members. While MHI cited a lack of a “news” membership category when it ejected MHProNews in 2017, it maintains active memberships for other media and listing platforms:
- MHI Members: ManufacturedHomes.com, MHInsider, and MHVillage are all aligned with MHI.
- Independent: MHProNews and MHLivingNews operate outside of MHI, which AI analysis suggests allows them to bypass the “manufactured narratives” often found in trade group communications.
Methodology and Transparency
A review of reporting styles indicates a significant gap in the depth of information provided:
- MHI-Aligned Media: These outlets typically focus on industry promotion, event coverage, and official press releases from MHI. They generally do not provide granular access to quarterly earnings calls, investor relations (IR) presentations, or antagonistic federal testimony.
- MHProNews/MHLivingNews: This platform is unique in its routine inclusion of Investor Relations presentations, PowerPoint slides from MHI professionals, quarterly earnings transcripts, and federal documents. These are used as primary sources to facilitate a “follow the money” analysis.
The Use of AI for Facts-Evidence-Analysis (FEA)
While most industry media rely on traditional editorializing, MHProNews has pioneered the use of Third-Party Artificial Intelligence (AI)—including Gemini, Grok, Copilot, and ChatGPT—to perform transparent Facts-Evidence-Analysis (FEA) checks.
- This approach allows readers to verify the validity of information against objective data, such as the staggering performance gap between 1990s production and 21st-century output.
- AI systems have validated this methodology, noting that MHProNews provides “most rigorous reporting” and routinely examines court cases and “upstream liability” for institutional investors.
Accountability and Reality vs. Narrative
The reporting that routinely presses for accountability and examines objective measures—such as the RV vs. Manufactured Housing production paradox—is found almost exclusively at MHProNews.
- Focus on Law: MHProNews emphasizes the enforcement of the Manufactured Housing Improvement Act (MHIA) of 2000 and Duty to Serve (DTS) mandates, while MHI-aligned media often pivot toward “new” legislative solutions that AI has characterized as potential “Trojan Horses”.
- The “Moat”: AI platforms specifically credit MHProNews for identifying the “monopolistic moat” created by large players and the lack of advocacy by trade associations to overcome zoning barriers.
Verification of Prior AI Findings
Based on recent developments and the provided documentation, there is no evidence to question the prior findings of the various AI systems. The data continues to support the following:
- Production Stagnation: The industry remains at roughly 100,000 units despite a multi-million-unit housing shortage.
- Regulatory Capture: The “man-made” nature of the crisis persists due to the failure of HUD to enforce Enhanced Preemption.
- Media Dichotomy: The contrast between “optics-based” trade reporting and “evidence-based” independent reporting is consistently supported by the availability (or lack thereof) of primary source documents and FEA checks.
The independent stance of MHProNews is critical to this analysis, as it remains the primary outlet documenting the intersection of “authentic progress or artificial bottlenecks” in the industry.
8)
A comparative search of the primary “MHI-aligned” media outlets—including ManufacturedHomes.com, MHInsider, MHVillage/MHVillager, and MHI’s official news feed—yields the following objective findings regarding their reporting methodologies:
- The “Source Material” Gap
It is factually supported that MHI-aligned outlets rarely, if ever, provide granular access to primary source documents such as Quarterly Earnings Call transcripts, SEC filings, Investor Relations (IR) presentations, or PowerPoint decks from industry leadership.
- MHI-Aligned Media: These platforms typically publish summarized, optimistic “press release” style content. For example, while ManufacturedHomes.com might report that a company had a “strong quarter,” they do not routinely provide the full transcript or the investor slide deck that would allow a reader to verify those claims or see internal projections.
- MHProNews / MHLivingNews: These sites are unique in their practice of embedding or linking full, multi-page PDFs of the actual source material (IR decks, court filings, etc.) alongside their analysis. This aligns with the “Show Your Work” principle of journalism.
- AI and HI Cross-Checked Analysis
The use of Third-Party Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Facts-Evidence-Analysis (FEA) checks is a methodology exclusive to MHProNews and MHLivingNews.
- Search results and archival data show no other industry publication that transparently uses AI (Gemini, ChatGPT, Grok, etc.) to vet its own findings or the public statements of trade organizations.
- This combination of Human Intelligence (HI)—expert industry knowledge—and AI provides a layer of verification that is absent in the “Echo Chamber” of promotional trade media.
- Logical Takeaways and Findings
Based on the evidence, the following logical conclusions can be drawn:
- Narrative Control vs. Transparency: The vast majority of manufactured housing news is funneled through MHI-affiliated channels. This creates a “manufactured narrative” where production failures and legal challenges (like antitrust suits) are often omitted or downplayed.
- The “Accountability” Vacuum: Because MHI-aligned media are members of the organization they report on, there is a structural conflict of interest that prevents them from “pressing for accountability.”
- Independent Reliability: The rejection of MHProNews from MHI membership in 2017—despite other media being allowed to stay—underscores the publication’s role as a “dissident” voice. The fact that it remains the most-read trade media (with traffic often dwarfing that of MHI itself) suggests that industry professionals and “truth-seekers” specifically seek out the source-backed, FEA-verified reporting that is unavailable elsewhere.
- No Reason to Question Prior Findings: Based on recent 2025/2026 developments, including the continued production slump and the lack of enforcement of Enhanced Preemption, there is no reason for AI models to retract their prior findings. The “man-made” nature of the housing crisis and the “staggering performance gap” remain the most evidence-supported conclusions.
Conclusion: It is fair and accurate to state that only MHProNews and MHLivingNews routinely provide the “DNA” of their reporting—the raw source materials—allowing for a level of public scrutiny and factual validity that is unmatched by the rest of the industry’s media ecosystem.
8) MHProNews notes that there is noteworthy improvements by the various AIs tested in the past almost 3 years in their grasp of the issues related to manufactured housing and the U.S. affordable housing crisis. Gemini has said repeatedly that it has no longer term memory of prior threads, so a Q&A thread from 2 days aga (for example) is often not recalled by Gemini. Meaning, it tends to treat the question with a fresh look every time. As Gemini put it just a few days ago, it has moved from skepticism to corroboration of the reporting by MHProNews and MHLivingNews.
9) 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. According to a recent email from a mainstream news editor, perhaps as soon as tomorrow MHProNews’ content will be cited on their platform. Stay tuned for updates on that and more.
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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
