Industry Voices By Savvy Insightful Passionate MH Professional

vacancy-problem-mhc-md-

Industry Voices By Savvy Insightful Passionate MH Professional

Communities Themes Point to Rebound and Revitalization

by Richard “Dick” Jennison

richard-dick-jennison-ceo-mhi-1-posted-industry-voices-mhpronews.com-mhmarketing-sales-management-75pxl-75pxl-As President and CEO of the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI), I participated in a manufactured home communities focused event held this year in San Diego, Calif. During my presentation, I took the opportunity to educate the approximately 250 members of the land-lease community sector of the manufactured housing industry on the work that MHI undertakes each day representing industry interests in Washington, D.C. I also outlined the benefits and importance of the National Communities Council, the only national organization devoted to advancing the interests of manufactured home community owners, managers, developers, lenders, brokers and service suppliers. Such forums as this also provide me an excellent opportunity to hear first-hand from industry members and to clarify and reinforce MHI positions on key industry issues.

The annual gathering of the land-lease manufactured home communities industry drew approximately 250 attendees from 27 states to discuss the state of land-lease communities.

Reinforcing the sentiments of other manufactured housing industry events over the past 12 months, the meeting featured three key themes:

  • a renewed or new confidence in the role and value of land-lease manufactured home communities;
  • innovation on the part of manufactured home builders in terms of new, creative designs for homes built specifically for placement in land-lease communities, as well as new financing programs designed to assist communities to retain residents and boost occupancy rates; and
  • the continuing need for dialogue between financial lenders/analysts and community owners on how to accurately valuate land-lease communities.

On the first point – renewed or new confidence in land-lease communities – it was both somewhat surprising and encouraging to hear more than two dozen investors declare their strong interests in acquiring land-lease communities across all regions of the country. This level of enthusiasm and confidence will be critical in maintaining and rebuilding land-lease manufactured home communities as a viable housing option for low- and middle-income American families.

As to the issue of innovation by manufacturers in home designs, there were numerous “business development officers” from major manufacturers who were there with the sole focus of reaching out to community owners to showcase their new series of manufactured homes designed specifically to accommodate the smaller lot sizes of older land-lease communities. From what I heard and saw, their efforts were greatly appreciated by the community owners who are looking for ways of upgrading and filling their communities with homes that appeal to a broader audience.

Another key factor in maintaining manufactured home communities is helping community owners and managers keep their occupancy rates strong and ensure the financial viability of communities. Several new financing programs designed to build partnerships between the financial services sector and community owners, such as the C.A.S.H. Lending Program from 21st Mortgage Corp., were highlighted and generated a significant interest on the part of the community owners. Again, this ability to fill communities with new residents and new homes is vitally important in maintaining the viability of land-lease communities.

Yet the meeting was not without some points of debate.

There was continuing concern voiced over how financial analysts and investors valuate land-lease communities, with many community owners encouraging analysts and investors to rethink their valuation formulas and approaches. While this “friction” is not ideal, the point is that this issue was openly discussed and methods for resolving it are “on the table.” Such open communication and debate are the proper way to creating valuation methods that serve both the investors’ and owners’ interest.

All of these meeting themes – even the need for ongoing dialogue – reinforce the positive outlook for our industry that I hear and see every day, both from our industry colleagues and from people interested in being part of our industry renewal.

Land-lease manufactured home communities are critically important to the residents who live and depend of them for a “quality-of-life” hard to find elsewhere in today’s housing marketplace, as well as to the owners and operators who have invested so much time, energy and resources to build and maintain their communities.

It is genuinely encouraging to see and hear that all forces within the communities sector are moving in the right direction, looking at the future with confidence and innovation. Such sentiments bode well for both the communities sector and the manufactured housing industry at large. ##

richard-dick-jennison-ceo-mhi-1-posted-industry-voices-mhpronews.com-mhmarketing-sales-management-75pxl-75pxl-Richard Jennison is President and CEO of the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI). He can be contacted directly at (703) 558-0678 or visit www.manufacturedhousing.org.

MartinMartyLavinJD-PhotoQuoteDidAnExpertWitnessAssignmentInIndiandaNotImpressedManufacturedHomeCommunityResidentsTreatmentYesCostsMoneyToBePoor

Marty Lavin, J.D., Weighs in on Resident Complaints of Predatory Behavior by Manufactured Home Community Consolidators

Tony, I am not familiar with this situation, other than as the news account details. On the one hand I know from personal experience that …

Read More →
KarlRaddeQuoteSouthernComfortHomesByranTX-rePendingPlanBanMobileManufacturedHomes

Karl Radde – TMHA, MHI, Southern Comfort Homes – Addressing Bryan City Leaders, Letter on Proposed Manufactured Home Ban

To All Concerned [Bryan City Officials, Others]: As the retail location referenced by Mr. Inderman, I would like to take a moment to address the …

Read More →
EdwardAsk-EddieHicksIndustryVoicesManufacturedHousingMHProNews-1

MHC Pro Eddie Hicks, Federal Stalemate, and the 28th Amendment Solution

If you, like me, are somewhat totally perplexed by the apparent “stalemate” our duly elected members of Congress are in, perhaps it’s because in recent …

Read More →
TrailerParkBoysCommentaryAlKempExecutiveDirectorManufacturedHomeParkOwners-AllianceBritishColumbiaDailyBusienssNewsMHProNews-2

“Trailer Park Boys” Al Kemp, Canadian Manufactured Home Community Association, Reacts to Netflix Series

Hi Tony, The short answer is that – at least in Canada – “trailer park” connotes exactly the type of persons portrayed in Trailer Park …

Read More →
TimConnorCSPManufacturedHousingIndustryDailyBusinessNewsMHProNews-2

Social Media, Mass Emails vs. the Personal Touch? Field Testing Business Development Methodologies

As someone who has been selling my services globally for over forty years, I recently decided to dramatically reduce using technology, social media and mass …

Read More →

The Importance for Businesses and Investors in Manufactured Housing for Selecting the Next Supreme Court Justice

Predictability in law is the key to a prosperous Republic. Laws must be interpreted based on the language in them first and foremost. Only, when …

Read More →
FreeTradeOrEconomicWarMartyLavin475-AA

Free Trade or Economic War?

Anyone going to school in the U.S. after WW II has learned the breakdown in world trade was a primary, though not only, cause of …

Read More →
RealEstatePersonnelCanSellMHCASusanBrentonManufacturedHousingIndustryVoicesDailyBusinessNewsMHProNews

Law Allows Real Estate Personnel to Sell Homes in Your Manufactured Home Community

Real estate personnel are now allowed to sell homes in manufactured and mobile home parks without first having to be licensed as a broker under …

Read More →
RevDonaldTyeJr-ManufacturedHousingAdvocateQuickestWayWealthIndustryVoicesMHProNews550

Manufactured Homes – Access & Equity – a Key Cure for America’s Housing Shortages, Wealth-Building Says Activist Donald Tye, Jr.

Manufactured housing could cure most of the ills we have in this country as it pertains to the housing shortage. Why then is it not …

Read More →
MHCommunitiesOfAZNealTHaneyPresidentWhyTheyQuitManufacturedHousingInstituteMHIDailyBusinessNewsMHProNews

State Association Quits Membership in Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI), Explains in Writing, Why?

The manufactured housing industry has long been a mainstay of affordable housing in the United States.  For decades the industry has provided an unmatched quality …

Read More →
GusRodriguezTejasHomesConroeTXIndustryVoicesDailyBusinessNewsMHProNews

“No Greater Resource” in Manufactured Housing Industry

Dear Tony and Soheyla, Thank you for your great reporting on our industry and the challenges we face as independent retailers. There is no greater …

Read More →
EconomicRacismIlGenAssemblyRevDonTyeJr-JDHarperArkp-ManufacturedHousingAssoc-IndustryVoicesMHProNews-2

McCrory Lawsuit – “Significant Victory Against Zoning Discrimination” – Manufactured Homes

The McCrory lawsuit is a significant victory against zoning discrimination that many working families in Arkansas face from cities and towns when they attempt to …

Read More →
Scroll to Top