So said Google‘ artificial intelligence (AI) powered Gemini as the preface to a request by MHProNews to prepare two drafts for articles that outline the potential of “hybrid journalism,” where a human expert operating with focused good will plus an AI powered fact check of available evidence combines to provide an accurate picture of a topic under discussion where readers can see the details for themselves. In this case that topic is why the HUD Code manufactured housing industry is underperforming during an affordable housing crisis.
After scanning the articles for this week in review, here is what Gemini had to say. (MHProNews update on 5.26.2025 circa 3:45 AM ET notes: the PDF linked here and previously have been edited into this article to document the accuracy of the quotes herein. The previously provided document on 5.25.2025 may not open properly in some systems, thus this update).
The Great Divide: Why MHI’s “Advocacy” Leaves Affordable Housing Behind – A Week of Revelations
MHVille Pros, Investors, Public Officials, and Consumers: This past week has peeled back crucial layers of understanding about the manufactured housing industry’s leadership and its true impact on affordable housing.
Welcome to the Sunday Weekly MHVille Recap, where we cut through the noise to bring you the essential insights from May 18th to May 24th. This week, a stark contrast emerged between the public advocacy of the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) and the realities on the ground, exposing a gap that demands the attention of everyone invested in – or impacted by – affordable housing.
This Week’s Top Insights You Can’t Afford to Miss:
- The Boor Testimony Deep Dive: Our centerpiece analysis of Cavco CEO and MHI Chairman Bill Boor’s congressional testimony (published May 16th, and featured prominently this week) was a masterclass in “hybrid journalism.” Leveraging human expertise and AI-driven precision, we meticulously unpacked what Boor said, and perhaps more importantly, what he didn’t. The findings are startling:
- A heavy, almost exclusive, focus on “CrossMod” homes – a product MHI itself has admitted developers are “moving away from” due to market challenges and that leading builders have never disclosed sales figures for.
- A surprising lack of aggressive calls for enforcing existing federal laws like “enhanced preemption” and robust “Duty to Serve,” which are widely considered the true keys to unlocking affordable housing expansion.
- Curious discrepancies in housing need and community count figures presented in the testimony compared to other well-documented data.
- This in-depth report is a must-read: [Link to the MHProNews article: https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/statement-of-william-c-bill-boor-president-and-chief-executive-officer-cavco-industries-cvco-chairman-of-manufactured-housing-institute-on-behalf-of-mhi-what-mhi-and-boor-did-and-didnt-say/ ]
- The Monopolization Trap: Further illuminating the industry’s dynamics, we linked to a critical report from Samuel Strommen exposing the “monopolization of manufactured housing.” This powerful research underscores why MHI’s “advocacy” seems to sidestep the very issues of market concentration that are causing significant hardship for consumers and smaller businesses.
- The DOE Rule Saga Revisited: Our continuous coverage, including prior Q&As with MHARR’s Danny Ghorbani, reminds us that MHI initially fostered issues like the costly DOE energy rule before public pressure, spearheaded by MHARR, MHProNews, and MHLivingNews, compelled them to finally oppose it. This pattern of belated opposition, often after critics sound the alarm, raises serious questions about MHI’s proactive commitment to affordability.
- Media Distrust & Transparency: This week also saw a look at the concept of “hybrid journalism” itself, a transparent reporting method that offers a potential solution to the pervasive distrust in mainstream media. It highlights how detailed, sourced analysis can empower readers to discern truth from spin.
The Crucial Divide: MHI vs. MHARR Advocacy
This week’s revelations starkly highlight the fundamental divergence between MHI’s advocacy style and that of MHARR.
- MHI’s “Advocacy”: As evidenced by Boor’s testimony and consistent patterns, MHI’s public efforts often involve:
- Focusing on niche, higher-cost products like CrossMod, which have demonstrably failed to gain significant market traction and may serve to manage the market rather than expand it broadly.
- Seeking new legislative tweaks while overlooking the vigorous enforcement of existing, powerful federal laws that could deliver immediate, sweeping benefits to the industry and consumers.
- Controlling the narrative through limited public access to key information (e.g., member-only news releases). This strategy, critics argue, ultimately benefits the large, vertically integrated consolidators that dominate MHI’s membership, including Cavco, Clayton Homes, and major community operators. Their market share, profits, and power grow while the overall industry stagnates.
- MHARR’s Advocacy: In sharp contrast, MHARR has consistently and fiercely advocated for:
- Robust enforcement of existing federal laws, particularly “enhanced preemption” and “Duty to Serve,” which would benefit all manufacturers, especially smaller businesses, and expand homeownership opportunities for low- and moderate-income consumers.
- Protecting affordability against rules that would unnecessarily raise costs (like the initial stance on the DOE rule).
Why You Must Pay Attention:
- Public Officials: The housing crisis demands real solutions, not political posturing. The discrepancy between MHI’s stated goals and its actions (or inactions) on key federal laws merits deep scrutiny. Is the industry’s underperformance a failure of law, or a failure of advocacy?
- Investors: Understanding these dynamics is crucial for discerning genuine growth potential from consolidated market control. MHI’s priorities directly impact the risk and return profiles of different industry segments.
- Consumers: The gap between MHI’s “advocacy” and MHARR’s fight for robust law enforcement directly impacts your access to truly affordable, quality housing and fair financing.
- MHVille Professionals: Your livelihoods and the future of your businesses depend on a growing, healthy, and competitive market. Recognizing how industry leadership impacts overall growth versus consolidation is vital for strategic planning and collective action.
The evidence is mounting: MHI’s leadership, despite its stated mission, continues to operate in a manner that critics argue fundamentally benefits its largest members’ consolidation strategy. Meanwhile, the powerful tools already available to expand affordable manufactured housing remain underutilized. This is not just industry politics; it’s a critical factor in the nation’s housing future.
Stay tuned next week as we continue to track these vital developments.
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Article 1 by Gemini is slated to appear on the Patch. Watch for it.
Let’s note that MHProNews would have written the above differently, but that is part of the point of sharing what AI said after digesting the contents for the week in review and comparing it to other information online for accuracy. Here is the link to the Q&A with MHProNews which began Gemini’s explanation of its process.
Don’t miss today’s postscript.
With no further adieu, here are the headlines for the week in review from 5.18.2025 to 5.25.2025.
What’s New on MHLivingNews
What’s New from Washington, D.C. based MHARR
MHProNews note: while it may be ‘too much’ from the vantage point of their leadership that MHI would spotlight MHARR’s efforts, it should be noted that all of the above articles on the MHARR website have covered subjects and issues since the last time (April 7, 2025) that MHI has posted ‘news’ on the public side of their own website. That too speaks volumes to those paying attention to what is occurring in manufactured housing. Much more on that in the Saturday Daily Business News report, linked below. Comparing and contrasting is part of how reality is discerned in an era when misinformation and deception have become all too common.
What’s New or Select on the Masthead
Recent Items by Tim Connors, CSP, and his Words of Wisdom
What’s New in this Contributor for the Eclectic Reality Check Series on the Mainstream Patch
What’s New on the Daily Business News on MHProNews
Saturday 5.24.2025
Friday 5.23.2025
Thursday 5.22.2025
Wednesday 5.21.2025
Tuesday 5.20.2025
Monday 5.19.2025
Sunday 5.18.2025
Postscript
Part of the process used in the massive unpacking of William “Bill” Boor’s remarks on behalf of the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) on 5.14.2025 (linked above and blow in the next Q&A) included this follow up to that article once it was posted. Gemini was asked to see if the posted article accurately reflected the various Q&As between it and MHProNews. It was also asked to see if it was faithful to the original content shared by Boor on behalf of MHI per the document obtained by MHProNews from the House Financial Services Committee (FSC).
Gemini, scan this article: https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/statement-of-william-c-bill-boor-president-and-chief-executive-officer-cavco-industries-cvco-chairman-of-manufactured-housing-institute-on-behalf-of-mhi-what-mhi-and-boor-did-and-didnt-say/ Indicate if with Q&As with you in this thread have been accurately reflected in that post? Is the testimony of Bill Boor accurately reflected too, and is the PDF of that Congressional testimony provided for readers so that they can see for themselves the accuracy and fidelity of the sources for this critique and report?
Examining Article Fidelity
I’m currently focused on dissecting the article from ManufacturedHomeProNews. I’m cross-referencing its portrayal of Bill Boor’s testimony with our previous Q&A discussions to identify any discrepancies or areas where the information might have been misinterpreted. It’s crucial that the article accurately reflects the nuances of our conversations.
Scrutinizing Article Claims
I’m now in the process of thoroughly scrutinizing the ManufacturedHomeProNews article. I’ve begun by cross-referencing it with the insights gathered from our Q&A sessions. My immediate focus is on ensuring the article accurately portrays Bill Boor’s testimony and any relevant criticisms. I also intend to verify if a direct link to the original Congressional testimony PDF is present in the article.
Okay, Gemini has scanned the article from ManufacturedHomeProNews titled “Statement of William C. “Bill” Boor… What MHI and Boor Did and Didn’t Say” (published May 16, 2025).
Here’s an assessment of whether the Q&As in this thread have been accurately reflected in that post, how Boor’s testimony is reflected, and if the PDF is provided:
Reflection of Q&As in the MHProNews Article:
Yes, the core themes and critical points we have discussed in our Q&A thread are accurately and robustly reflected in the MHProNews article. The article’s arguments and assertions align closely with the findings we’ve established.
Specifically, the article echoes our discussions on:
- What was missing from Boor’s testimony: The article prominently highlights the lack of emphasis on “enhanced preemption” and robust “Duty to Serve” enforcement, precisely as we discussed.
- The “CrossMod” push vs. market failure: The article extensively criticizes the focus on CrossMod, noting its low sales and MHI’s own past admission of developers “moving away” from it, directly mirroring our findings. It points out the disproportionate number of mentions for CrossMod versus Duty to Serve.
- Discrepancies in data: The article calls out the differing figures for housing needs (3.8M vs. higher numbers) and community counts (43K vs. 50K+), aligning perfectly with our detailed analysis.
- The “Paltering” and “Trojan Horse” allegations: The article explicitly uses terms like “paltering” and advances the “Trojan Horse” theory, suggesting MHI’s actions are designed to manage or consolidate the market rather than expand it for all.
- MHI’s avoidance of public debate: The article implicitly and explicitly reinforces MHI’s historical pattern of not engaging in direct, public debates with its critics.
- Mandelker’s comments: The article references MHI’s selective use of Mandelker’s remarks, noting the omission of his call for litigation.
- The member-only access to MHI’s news release: The article specifically mentions and provides an image of the “members only” login for the MHI summary of Boor’s testimony, confirming our recent discovery.
Accuracy of Reflection of Bill Boor’s Testimony:
The article provides a highly accurate and critical reflection of Bill Boor’s testimony. It doesn’t just summarize what Boor said but systematically contrasts it with what he didn’t say and juxtaposes his statements with other known facts and MHI’s past actions.
- It accurately identifies the specific legislative asks (DOE rule, chassis requirement, HUD authority over construction standards).
- It accurately captures his emphasis on affordability and quality.
- Crucially, it pinpoints the omissions and the strategic framing of his testimony, which was a central part of our analytical thread.
Provision of PDF of Congressional Testimony:
Yes, the PDF of the Congressional testimony is provided for readers in the article.
The article states: “The full PDF of Mr. Boor’s prepared remarks to Congress is found linked here.” and provides a direct, clickable link to: https://docs.house.gov/meetings/BA/BA04/20250514/118233/HHRG-119-BA04-Wstate-BoorB-20250514.pdf. This allows readers to directly verify the claims made in the MHProNews analysis against the original source document.
In summary, the MHProNews article serves as a strong external validation of the analytical thread we’ve built, reflecting our Q&A findings with accuracy and fidelity, and providing the primary source document for reader verification.
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MHProNews notes that the screen capture verifying the accuracy of the above is found at this link here. The longer screen capture that includes the draft for this Sunday Weekly Headlines in Review is linked here.
MHProNews has published reports and polls over the course of years that identify relevant insights on how the public views big media, public officials, or corporate leaders. That trust level is often quite low, and perhaps for good reasons. University and other researchers have identified the troubling practice of paltering or other forms of deception and misdirection. How is that divide bridged?
By providing maximum transparency and detail.
Let readers see the often-raw evidence for themselves. Let readers follow the lines of inquiry. Let readers see if the conclusions drawn in a report’s analysis is faithful to all known evidence.
MHProNews has always aimed to be factually accurate and to properly cite relevant evidence and sources. Neither AI nor humans are perfect. Even working together may not be perfect, but with the proper effort it can lead to excellence in coverage of a subject.
As MHProNews and our MHLivingNews sister site has noted for years, we are pro-manufactured housing. We are pro-consumers, and pro-small businesses. We are not opposed to large firms but are opposed to large firms that individually or in efforts with others have manipulated markets and the system in ways that harms the rights on literally tens of millions of Americans.
There are many factors that can be attributed to influencing the affordable housing crisis and the vexingly low performance of manufactured housing in the 21st century. But it is arguably appalling that the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) would posture being the friend and ‘champion’ of the industry when the evidence reveals that they are often complicit in the industry’s underperformance. Gemini. Copilot. xAI’s Grok. All three of those AI systems have come to similar conclusions that support each other, as Gemini said in Part I.
The evidence is mounting: MHI’s leadership, despite its stated mission, continues to operate in a manner that critics argue fundamentally benefits its largest members’ consolidation strategy. Meanwhile, the powerful tools already available to expand affordable manufactured housing remain underutilized. This is not just industry politics; it’s a critical factor in the nation’s housing future.
Gemini said, quoted above:
Yes, the core themes and critical points we have discussed in our Q&A thread are accurately and robustly reflected in the MHProNews article. The article’s arguments and assertions align closely with the findings we’ve established.
Some years ago, this University of Duluth researcher said the following.
Thanks, Howard. Until tomorrow, thanks be to God and thanks be to all who make this platform possible.
More facts, fresh reports, more earnings call and corporate news insights are planned to be unpacked along with other investigations 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 again to all involved for making and keeping us #1.
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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
