“The top 9 most terrifying words in the English Language are: “I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.” So said the late President of the United States, Ronald Reagan (R). In MHVille, the case should be explored that a similar declaration could be. ”I’m from the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) and we are here to help “all segments” of the manufactured home industry.” Cavco Industries recently encouraged CVCO investors to consider the MHI (a.k.a. Monopolistic Housing Institute) to examine their policy priorities document. FYI – Cavco Industries essentially holds two key positions over MHI’s executive committee on their board of directors. ICYMI Cavco recently settled a case with the federal Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) for evidence-based violations of federal law that the SEC sued the publicly traded firm and two of their former executives, one of whom was a former MHI chairman. Read those prior two sentences again, because you can’t make this up.
Per the manufactured home community segment of the MHI document Cavco urged investors to consider are the following. Note that the term mobile home parks may be apt in some instances on older land-lease communities that have a high proportion of pre-HUD Code mobile homes, but in most instances land-lease communities should be properly known as manufactured home communities (MHCs).
The document looks professional, but it oddly includes information that are supposed ‘facts’ that Cavco and MHI in other instances contradicts with other ‘facts.’ You can’t make the following ‘factual’ stuff up.
From a Cavco post under News-Press for investors and others was picked up/republished on 7.29.2022 by MarketScreener, is the following.
- 1) “Discussion of the important role played by land-lease community operators in providing affordable rental and ownership models. Approximately 30% of manufactured homes go into land-lease communities.”
From a document on MHI’s website dated 4.2022 named by MHI as “Industry Quick Facts” is the following remark.
- 2) “49% of new manufactured homes are placed on private property and 51% are placed in manufactured home communities.”
Then, there is this from the MHI document that Cavco linked to from their website.
- 3) “Today, 27 percent of new manufactured homes are placed in land-lease communities.”
So, is it fair for investors to wonder – which ‘factual’ claim is it?
- Do 27% of new manufactured homes go into land lease communities?
- Is it 51%?
- Or is it 30%?
Does this shed light on Sun Communities CEO Gary Shiffman said there is no national repository of information on manufactured home communities? If there was one and MHI were involved, would it be as accurate as those three contradictory claims?
Back to the following republished on MarketScreener on 7.29.2022 under the banner: “2022 Homes on the Hill – Cavco Industries, Inc.” was this statement.
“Below is a high-level summary of the main topics discussed in these meetings on the Hill” and per that source one of those areas of discussion with federal officials, per Cavco, was the following.
…
For a more in-depth look at these important issues, “click here to download MHI’s official position paper.”
From the MHI document that Cavco encouraged investors to read is this, per MHI.
“There are more than 43,000 land-lease communities in the country with almost 4.3 million homesites. Today, 27 percent of new manufactured homes are placed in land-lease communities. Land-lease communities are critically important to the availability of affordable housing in America, and we believe HUD can support increasing and preserving this attainable homeownership option for more families.”
Per George W. “Mac” McCarthy to MHProNews was the following, quoting.
Yes, I’ve seen the 4.4M number thrown around. I think it is a little high. We are going to try to get a better estimate, but that is the one we’re using. Also, we’ve got an estimate of 46,500 parks which would put the average size a little lower. This is a number that we are now in the process of estimating ourselves. …
Best,
–gm.
George McCarthy
Lincoln Institute of Land Policy
…”
ROC is a MHI member.
- 4) McCarthy and his colleagues at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy say there are about 46,500 land lease communities.
Per MHI in the document referenced by Cavco there are about:
- 5) “…43,000 land-lease communities…”
- 6) Which is it? 43,000 land lease communities or 46,500 of those commercial properties?
Back to the MHI policy document‘s segment #3 on manufactured home communities.
- Federal support for the preservation of communities is the right approach.
- Federal programs should allow all eligible community owners to obtain financing to preserve manufactured housing communities.
- ACTION REQUESTED Federal efforts to preserve and develop manufactured housing communities should include all eligible homeownership types.
Why are manufactured home communities one of three policy positions that MHI and their key members like Cavco say: “Federal Policies Should Promote the Affordability and Availability of Manufactured Homes.” To answer that question, circle back to the Cavco-MarketScreener statement cited previously but shared below for the reader’s ease.
“In recent years, high-profile situations in which investors have purchased communities and then significantly raised the land-lease cost have caught the attention of policymakers. The industry’s intention has been to put the high-profile situations in context. These situations are clearly isolated and rare.”
- It is theoretically possible to be “high profile” but “clearly isolated and rare.”
- But isn’t it more like that this is all too common and that is why it is being addressed?
Per the Google news search on 9.28.2022 at about 12:35 PM Eastern there are about 30,000 reports on this topic. That hardly sounds rare. Note that the examples from Google’s search, shown below, are all from 2022. MHProNews monitors this issue and regular and detail minded readers here know it is sadly not “clearly isolated and rare.”
You can’t make this sort of thing up. But it seems to be part of the MHVille world that MHI’s leadership operates in.
But note that MHI is calling on HUD to support preservation of manufactured home communities.
- 7) Why didn’t MHI ask the FHFA to press the Government Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs or Enterprises) to continue their financing?
- 8) Why is there no specific mention of the nearly dormant HUD programs that could be used to develop brand new manufactured home communities? Per a reliable source on that subject HUD has made using those development programs difficult or nearly impossible to obtain.
It’s Friday and that is almost enough of the apparent folly of expecting MHI leaders to authentically press HUD to enforce the enhanced preemption provision of the Manufactured Housing Improvement Act of 2000 law that MHI claims they want.
But in practice, where is the evidence, such as legal actions against localities that bar manufactured homes, or a writ of mandamus to make HUD comply with the law MHI claims they support?
- 9) Do you think Cavco’s CEO Bill Boor brought up enhanced preemption to HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge as they were walking along in the Homes on the Hill last June?
- 10) If so, why is there is no indication on that from Cavco’s own ‘high level’ overview?
See the related reports and linked documents to see more on the wacky world of MHVille. ##
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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
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