At MHI, we believe that manufactured homes are the future of housing in America.
The launch of MHI 2.0 in January saw a change to our organizational leadership structure and a new strategic approach for elevating our industry. MHI’s strategy to grow the manufactured housing market encompasses three areas of opportunity where our Association can best support the industry’s efforts to create more options for Americans in need of quality, affordable housing.
Grow the Market
The need for high-quality, affordable housing has never been greater and manufactured housing presents one of the most viable, common-sense solutions to creating more affordable housing stock throughout the country. MHI, along with our industry and state association members, has laid the groundwork for this unprecedented time by consistently challenging federal state and local barriers that limit access to manufactured housing. Growing the market for manufactured housing is the core mission of MHI 2.0, and we’d like to share with you our pillars for ensuring the success of that mission and securing a better future for housing in America.
Tell Our Story
We don’t have to tell you the people and companies who make up this industry are some of the best in the world—you’ve experienced it up close at our meetings and events. You also know our industry makes some of the most quality, affordable homes in the country. Yet, misconceptions about manufactured housing have created challenges that have been difficult to overcome and affected how our industry is handled by regulators.
Telling our story is key to setting the record straight and introducing people to the benefits of owning a manufactured home. Here in Washington, D.C., MHI is using every opportunity to interact with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Administration and Congress to share our story, with great success. So far in 2020, HUD has made a number of changes and proposals to its regulation of manufactured housing to alleviate federal, state and local regulatory barriers to this affordable homeownership option including calling for a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Manufactured Housing and updating the HUD Code.
As a member of the President’s cabinet and the nation’s housing spokesman, HUD Secretary Ben Carson is an advocate for what manufactured housing offers – quality homes, built with the features consumers want, at affordable prices. In Congressional Committee hearings, in media interviews, and in conversations about affordable housing, Secretary Carson is constantly reminding the country about the value and sustainability of manufactured housing. These actions by Secretary Carson and HUD are a direct result of MHI and our members effectively telling the positive benefits of manufactured housing as an affordable homeownership option.
MHI also tells our story through communications to our members. Every week, MHI publishes a newsletter to our Federated States Division, updating them on happenings around the country and in Washington, D.C. We also provide our members with valuable research, interact with the media and provide analysis on new information as it becomes available. Keeping the industry well-informed, through distributions like our biweekly MHI News & Updates, is crucial to ensuring our members are prepared with the most up-to-date, accurate information available to help share our industry’s story.
Engage Our Members
To keep our members updated and engaged, MHI facilitates numerous networking opportunities throughout the year, including member-only meetings, industry-wide events, and educational programming. In 2019, more than 2,400 industry leaders attended seven MHI events designed to create connections and involve our members. Through these events, MHI is able to engage with its membership and hear first-hand about what is happening in the industry. These member interactions are an important part of MHI’s effective strategy to grow the market and we welcome the opportunity to discuss the issues that are important to our members. For a full calendar of events and offerings, visit our website at www.manufacturedhousing.org.
Develop Our Team
MHI understands that growing the market requires highly knowledgeable and qualified people at every touchpoint throughout the manufactured home buying process. Because MHI represents every segment of the manufactured housing industry, we are constantly expanding our offerings to ensure our members have the tools and resources necessary to succeed. We offer members a variety of educational opportunities and accreditations through the Manufactured Housing Educational Institute (MHEI) – each tailored to suit individual segments of our industry. From installation to community management accreditation to the latest issues and trends, our organization is committed to providing the tools to ensure our industry is providing consistent, exceptional service. In December, MHI and MHEI announced the launch of our Accredited Community Manager (ACM) 2 course. This curriculum builds upon the information and resources learned in ACM 1 and offers additional tools needed for success. The program is offered both in-person and online and offers guidance for managers on how to keep sites full and treat residents fairly. To learn more about MHI’s educational offerings, visit https://www.manufacturedhousing.org/education/.
MHI also holds a variety of educational workshops and makes presentations at dozens of state association meetings and other industry events across the United States. We also offer webinars to expand and grow industry knowledge on a diverse range of topics including Fair Housing, Government Affairs Initiatives, and much more. Further, MHI offers a variety of ways to keep members informed about our work in Washington and issues relevant to manufactured housing—including a bi-weekly newsletter exclusively for members and webinars on key industry topics.
MHI is delivering tangible value and results for its members so they can stay ahead of the momentum and thrive. We are committed to creating opportunities for members to learn about the latest topics impacting the industry by presenting engaging speakers and panels, offering educational programs and conducting cutting-edge research. In addition, MHI is making it possible for the industry’s collective voice to be heard so that policymakers at the federal, state and local levels partner with us to help the industry prosper.
If you have questions, please reach out to MHI’s Advocacy and Communications Team at mhigov@mfghome.org or 703-558-0675.
