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Iowa Faces Down Rent Control

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By Andy Conlin

manufactured housing industry rent control iowa imha executive director andy conlin

In February of 2024, I attended a subcommittee in the capacity of executive director and lobbyist for the Iowa Manufactured Housing Association. Despite large Republican majorities in the statehouse in Des Moines, the bill discussed by the three-legislator panel would allow cities and counties in Iowa to implement their own rent control requirements. While the bill failed to advance beyond the committee, this was a stark reminder that rent control is a live issue as state legislators seek ways to address housing affordability. Despite a failing rent control experiment right up the road in St. Paul, Minn., landlords and their associations will continue to see these types of measures introduced by both Republicans and Democrats.

In recent years, state legislatures across the country have taken up measures to either directly enact or allow local governments to adopt rent control measures. These legislative efforts aim to cap rent increases and, by extension, curb the escalating housing costs that have become a pressing issue for many Americans. While the sponsors of these measures often have these positive intentions, rent control distorts the rental property market, discourages investment, and does not solve  the housing affordability issue.

The Rise of Rent Control Legislation

Rent control policies are not a new concept, having been part of the housing regulation landscape in various forms and capacities over the decades. However, the recent wave of legislation marks a significant shift, with states and municipalities considering or enacting laws that are more comprehensive and stringent than in the past. These laws typically limit the rate at which rents can be increased annually, tying them to inflation rates or other economic indicators, in an effort to make housing more affordable and prevent displacement. Rent control measures are not just a blue state issue. While most of the media attention has focused on rent control measures in states like Washington and Delaware, legislators across the country — including in red states like Iowa — are introducing and advancing rent control bills. Challenges for Landlords For manufactured housing community owner/operators, rent control presents several key challenges:

1.  Reduced Ability to Manage Property Economics: The most immediate impact of rent control is the limitation it places on landlords’ ability to adjust rents in response to market conditions. At a minimum rent control can reduce property owners’ ability to react to inflation spikes, changing market dynamics in high-demand areas, or other unforeseen events, including unanticipated maintenance issues. Over time, this can erode the profitability for owner-operators and deter future investment in the sector. For smaller operators, rent control can make it impossible to have a profitable business.

2.  Maintenance and Upgrades: With capped rental income, MHC owner/operators may find it increasingly difficult to allocate funds for maintenance and upgrades to their properties. This could lead to a decline in the quality of housing stock over time, as well as reduced incentive to invest in energy efficiency and other improvements that benefit residents, the environment, and help make housing more  efficient and attainable.

3. Administrative Burdens: Rent control regulations often come with a complex web of administrative requirements, including registration, reporting, and compliance measures. These can impose significant burdens on MHC owner/operators, especially smaller operators, in terms of both time and financial resources. Compliance issues, especially for new rent control requirements, could create significant risk for owner/operators who fail to adequately  meet their requirements.

4. Market Distortions: Rent control can lead to market distortions, including a decrease in the availability of rental units and MHC lots as landlords convert properties to uses not subject to rent control. This can exacerbate the affordability issues that rent control seeks to address, leading to unintended consequences such as increased competition for a dwindling  supply of rental units.

5. Investment Deterrence: The prospect of rent control can act as a deterrent to investment in rental housing, both for existing properties and new developments. This is particularly concerning given the ongoing housing supply shortages in many areas. A reduction in investment can hinder the development of new rental units, further straining housing markets and limiting options for potential residents.

Navigating the Path Forward

For MHC owner/operators, the challenge lies in engaging constructively with policymakers, residents, and other stakeholders to address housing affordability while also ensuring the viability and sustainability of the rental market.

The first line of defense is state manufactured housing associations. This industry is well-positioned with strong associations across the country. While lobbyists are not magicians, a well-equipped association with a professional lobbying team, politically engaged members, and strong grassroots program can educate lawmakers on why rent control is a failed policy and how increasing the housing supply is the most economically sound path  to addressing rent affordability.

Additionally, it is also critical for policymakers interested in manufactured housing to understand this sector is in transition. While “sale to an out-of-state investment group” will continue to be a key talking point for those advocating for rent control, these transactions often lead to situations where residents see much needed investment in their communities. This increases the value of their homes and often makes their communities nicer places to live and raise families.

The trend toward rent control legislation reflects a misguided attempt to address affordability and stability in the housing market. Community owner/operators in both red and blue states must be vigilant. They must communicate with policymakers either individually or through their state manufactured housing association to convey the message that rent control will lead to fewer housing opportunities, less investment in existing communities, and economic uncertainty for housing providers.

Andrew T. Conlin, a seasoned advocate with over 15 years of experience in government affairs, legislative policy and public affairs, is the executive director of the Iowa Manufactured Housing Association. He is a graduate of Purdue University with a dual degree in history  and political science.

MHInsider is the leader in manufactured housing news and is a product of MHVillage, the top marketplace for manufactured homes.

Credit Human’s HQ Top Notch in Sustainability

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Patrick Revere
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credit human san antonio texas hq leader in efficiency sustainability
The corporate headquarters for Credit Human in the Pearl District near downtown San Antonio.

The San Antonio-based credit union Credit Human is headquartered near the Pearl District a short walk from downtown, and provides neighbors and visitors alike a destination area where children may take their first spring steps or where former college pals might meet to drink “rose all day.”

Its neighbors, local employers, include a brewery and a bookstore. The office development, including the parking garage, was developed in partnership with Pearl-developer Silver Ventures and serves both employees and the public for events and local attractions. And it’s all based on furthering the idea of creating a sustainable place, like the building itself.

Credit Human’s headquarters, at 1703 Broadway, likely is on a list of the nation’s most green commercial buildings, and certainly is the leader in the manufactured housing industry. It is certified LEED Platinum and has an official Energy Star score of 86.

“Credit Human’s commitment to environmental stewardship includes a goal to reduce green house gas emissions by 50 percent by 2025,” Credit Human Sustainability Programs Manager Beth Keel said. “We’ve already far surpassed that goal and have reduced GHG emissions by 72 percent across the organization. We achieved that by selling inefficient buildings, leasing, and building more efficient units, like the new headquarters.”

credit human san antonio headquarters interior atms
The interior entry way to the Credit Human headquarters.

Top of the Building

On its roof is a comprehensive hood of solar panels — 2,912 of them — that produce a megawatt of energy each day, about 40 percent of the building’s energy needs.

“It’s the largest solar project on a highrise building in America,” One80 Solar CEO Patrick Attwater said.  “During the day we’re going to actually produce more power than the building needs, send some of that power back to the grid, get credits for it, and use those credits later when the building needs it.”

credit human solar battery packs efficiency sustainability manufactured housing hq lender
The battery packs for solar energy at the Credit Human HQ in San Antonio.

The building has a tight envelope that conserves energy, recognized by the EPA as 40 percent tighter than building codes require. It also uses significantly less potable water than most buildings, 97 percent less than structures of its size and type. This is accomplished by capturing rainwater and condensate, as much as 140,000 gallons, in large tanks situated around the building and below surface on the property.

“Water is precious to San Antonio,” Credit Human CEO Steve Hennigan said. “Traditionally a building like this probably would use about 4.4 million gallons of water per year. So the way to you want to look at that is (by asking) what would the environmental footprint of that  3-acre lot produce as far as water, and how much of that water can we capture, reclaim, and use? And what would the gap left be after that?”

Turns out not much.

Credit Human uses the captured water to flush toilets and send makeup water to the cooling towers outside. The building conserves about 100 million gallons of water annually.

Geothermal wells, 150 of them,  pull energy from the earth to heat and cool the building. It has a highly efficient HVAC system that uses variable refrigerant flow, all lights and power outlets power off when not in use, and half of the parking garage’s spots are wired for electric vehicle charging.

credit human hq interior employee gathering space
The social staircase at the center of Credit Human’s headquarters.

Credit Human team members use sit-stand workstations, and to keep movement through the space, the building has a large, central “social staircase” that serves as a meeting point and incentive for getting in those extra steps. Many of the architectural aesthetics for the building are achieved through the use of reclaimed wood and other existing materials from downtown buildings. Throughout the building is the work of local artists, including the building’s tile work and other finishes.

In the cafeteria, employees sort their waste for recycling and composting leftover food. The food is either digested in a biodigester or sent to a local composting company.

“Credit Human’s going to be a place where people can come… to do really great, purpose-driven work and in the process of doing that almost seamlessly and unconsciously have an impact on the planet,” Credit Human Senior Manager Amy Hartman said.

MHInsider is a product of MHVillage, the top marketplace for manufactured and mobile home sales and rental.

Seeing Double in D.C.

By
Patrick Revere
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Innovative Housing Showcase HUD acting secretary Adrianne Todman talks at home champion cavco manufactured housing affordability
HUD Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman speaks during the Innovative Housing Showcase on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. on June 5. Photos courtesy of MHI.

Duplex Manufactured Homes Take Center Stage at Innovative Housing Showcase

For the 2024 Innovative Housing Showcase, UMH Properties worked with the Manufactured Housing Institute, HUD, and homebuilders Cavco Industries and Skyline Champion Corporation to bring a pair of new duplex HUD code homes to the Capitol’s doorstep.

“We plan to market one duplex model built by Cavco Industries as the ‘UMH Tiny.’ This factory-built single section unit is a 16-foot by 70-foot unit and, when divided by the fire wall, creates two one-bedroom, 500-square-foot dwellings,” UMH President and CEO Sam Landy said. “The second unit, in partnership with Skyline Champion Homes, is a factory-built 28-foot by 70-foot multi section unit and, when divided by the fire wall, creates two two-bedroom, one-bath, 900-square-foot units.

Landy said one unit on the Champion home will have solar shingles, which he hopes will lead to factory-built homes having solar shingles, as well as battery packs, installed at the factory.

“This use of renewable energy would result in manufactured homes becoming more energy independent and also enable residents to charge an EV or plug-in-hybrid vehicle,” Landy said.

UMH Properties has dedicated itself to the concept of duplex manufactured homes for rent in communities as an efficient way to provide quality housing with a low monthly rents.

“These duplexes provide a unique opportunity for those looking to live together while maintaining separate living spaces, such as residents who wish to live with aging parents or other family members,” Landy said. “Additionally, these homes help provide housing in urban areas where increased density is needed.”

UMH Properties began operating more than 55 years ago and today is a public equity REIT that owns and operates 136 manufactured home communities with about 25,800 developed homesites in New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Alabama, South Carolina and Georgia. The company also has an ownership interest in and operates two communities in Florida, with 363 sites, through a joint venture with Nuveen Real Estate.

HUD Points to Manufactured Housing in Efforts to Increase Homeownership, Housing Affordability

homes on national mall washington monument in back housing affordability manufactured housing industry washington dc hud mhi innovative housing showcase 2025

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development initiated the 22nd Annual National Homeownership Month on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., by introducing a new program specific to mission-based organizations interested in buying manufactured housing communities, and continued through the week in advocating for greater availability of safe and affordable homes.

“Homeownership is the way many people in the U.S. build wealth, but the dream of owning a home of one’s own feels out of reach for many Americans, especially people of color, young people, and people with low incomes who face historical and financial barriers to homeownership. Our goal is to help people purchase homes they can afford, including starter homes,” HUD Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman stated. “The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has taken decisive action to expand access to homeownership by supporting housing counseling and down payment assistance, reducing barriers for those with student loan debt, allowing positive rental history to impact someone’s chances of obtaining an FHA-insured mortgage, and lowering mortgage insurance premiums on FHA mortgages.

“Taken together, these strategic policy changes have helped millions of people become homeowners, including 2.5 million first-time homebuyers,” she added. ”But we know there is more to do. That’s why, this National Homeownership Month, HUD is doubling down on its work to advance homeownership opportunities for all who want them.”

Throughout the Innovative Housing Showcase, which is part of National Homeownership Month, HUD is hosting events and engagements to amplify its efforts and increase awareness of the many tools and opportunities available.

Among the many accomplishments HUD is celebrating and looking to build upon are the updated policies to “provide greater qualifying flexibility for borrowers purchasing homes with accessory dwelling units (ADUs)” and the continued work to update the Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards, commonly called the HUD code.

“When completed later this summer, changes to the code will provide greater flexibility for the manufacture of safe, affordable, and efficient manufactured housing,” HUD said in its statement.

MHInsider is the leader in manufactured housing news and is a product of MHVillage, the top place to buy, sell, or rent a manufactured home.

HUD Offers New Finance Options to Buy Manufactured Home Communities

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Patrick Revere
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HUD building in DC

Program Serves Government, Cooperative, Non Profit, Community Development Finance Institution, and Resident-Owned Efforts

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has unveiled a new manufactured home community loan product that will provide an FHA-insured financing option for the purchase, refinance, and revitalization of manufactured home communities.

HUD, which announced the program to kick off the Innovative Housing Showcase on the National Mall, takes the action as a measure to “help entities to preserve, stabilize, and revitalize these vital sources of affordable housing.”

“Manufactured home communities offer a stable and affordable housing option for many families. Today, HUD is providing new resources for preserving and revitalizing these communities by providing FHA-insured financing to mission-focused groups to buy or refinance and revitalize manufactured homes,” HUD Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman said. “This is just one of many ways HUD is empowering residents, industry leaders, and governments to expand access to innovative, affordable housing solutions, particularly in rural communities.”

Mission-focused entities such as state, local, and tribal governments, cooperatives, non-profit entities and consortia, community development financing institutions, and Indian Tribes, will be eligible to use this program to finance the acquisition of or to improve existing communities, including making updates to common area resources and helping to maintain rent affordability.

The permanent financing tool complements HUD’s recently announced PRICE program, which offers competitive grant opportunities for investments in affordable manufactured home communities.

HUD stated that about 5,000 individuals and families, based on average community size, could benefit from the program within the next five years. The program leverages FHA’s Multifamily 223(f) program, which will now provide permanent mortgage financing for manufactured home communities that may have previously been ineligible, and for previously ineligible manufactured home cooperative borrowers to be eligible to acquire and obtain financing for existing communities.

“Today’s announcement is an important first step for a program that we hope will provide a meaningful path to both affordable manufactured home community creation and preservation,” Deputy Assistant Secretary for Multifamily Housing Programs Ethan Handelman said. “As we progress with the program implementation, we will continue to assess both its scope and entity eligibility.”

MHInsider is the leader in manufactured housing news and is a product of MHVillage, the top website to buy, sell, or rent a manufactured home.

What Might Chassis Removal Mean for the Market?

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Patrick Revere
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hud code permanent chassis removal manufactured home manufactured housing
A new HUD-Code home under construction in the factory.

Manufactured Housing Professional Design Flexibility to Fit Consumer Preferences

When the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development receives Congressional approval to change the definition of manufactured housing and unveils its changes to the HUD Code, it likely will exclude the requirement that a manufactured home is constructed on a permanent chassis.

The key phrases here are “requirement” and “permanent”.

For years industry leadership contemplated removal of the requirement, and consensus began to build during and after the 2017 Congress and Expo in Orlando. The Manufactured Housing Institute’s Technical Activities Committee spent time investigating how the matter might be approached. Now it seems the sentiment has been embraced by a large swath of elected officials and others on Capitol Hill.

The White House in a policy and budget release in mid March said it “plans to explore updating the statutory definition of manufactured housing — for example, through amending the chassis requirement”.

What does the elimination of a chassis requirement within the HUD Code mean to builders and homebuyers?

Flexibility in home design and configuration as well as increased access for manufactured homes in neighborhood settings.

“Despite their efficiency advantage, manufactured homes face discriminatory barriers to fair competition with site-built construction,” Andrew Justus and Alex Armlovich asserted in a February 2024 piece published by the Federation of American Scientists. “Many state laws and local zoning codes restrict or exclude manufactured homes, often based on architectural features common only on manufactured homes, like the Congressionally-mandated permanent chassis.”

Removing the chassis requirement doesn’t mean the home can’t be built with the heavy steel foundation of the home. It means that manufactured homes can be built with lighter weight materials to the same structural integrity, allowing builders to construct homes that can more easily sit on a poured concrete basement, or to have multi-story homes.

Bill Boor is the president of Cavco Industries, one of the nation’s largest off-site home builders, and also serves as chairman of the board for the Manufactured Housing Institute.

“The change to the chassis requirements doesn’t mean permanent chassis homes would go away. In many applications a permanent chassis is likely to make the most sense,” Boor said. “This change would be another important step in the evolution of manufactured housing and it would represent a significant additional opportunity for the design of a new set of federally approved factory-built homes.”

The reason consensus is building toward this measure and others intended to “unleash” the potential of manufactured housing is because the nation faces a massive shortage of new homes, particularly homes that most buyers can qualify to finance. The U.S. has a shortage of four million homes today, with nearly every market in the nation facing housing shortages and increased housing costs.

Addressing the chassis requirement is among the most important industry measures being considered, alongside securing HUD as the industry’s sole regulator, expansion of FHA Title I financing for manufactured homes, tackling local zoning issues, protecting manufactured home communities and the residents of those communities.

MHInsider is the leader in manufactured housing news and is a product of MHVillage, the top marketplace for mobile and manufactured homes.

Celebrating 50 Years of Partnership with HUD 

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HUD Sec. Ben Carson 50 years relationship manufactured housing
Former HUD Secretary Ben Carson.

Taking Stock of Progress and Opportunities

By Lesli Gooch and Mark Bowersox

This year, we celebrate 50 years since the passage of the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act, which established the manufactured housing industry’s relationship with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. While this relationship has been tested over the years as the industry confronted the nuances, pace, and politics of the federal bureaucratic process, there is no question that having federal standards for the design and construction of manufactured homes has been a success.

 

clayton homebuilder hud 50 year partnership crossmod home ben carson public officials MHI

Today, manufactured housing is the only type of housing that is subject to robust federal compliance and quality assurance regulations for health, energy efficiency, and durability, often more stringent than those for traditional site-built homes. Unlike other types of factory-built housing, manufactured homes can easily be shipped across state lines and our builders achieve time efficiencies and unparalleled economies of scale thanks to the partnership with HUD. Rapid construction and federal standards that ensure safety and quality are critical, especially while our nation seeks to address a severe housing supply shortage — and the 50-year successful partnership with HUD has made our industry poised and ready to help address this challenge.

Thanks to the industry’s partnership with HUD, manufactured housing has made the American Dream of homeownership attainable for millions of families. Manufactured home builders offer homebuyers brand new homes with the design features and efficiencies they want at price points they can afford. But it isn’t all about price. The partnership with HUD has resulted in homes that consumers love, especially compared to other housing choices at similar price points. According to MHI’s recent consumer research, residents of manufactured homes report exceptionally positive overall feelings about their homes and are strong proponents of manufactured housing. In addition, the top five features of manufactured housing cited by those considering homeownership through manufactured housing have been possible thanks to our partnership with HUD: affordability (70 percent), energy efficiency (53 percent), additional space (49 percent), stand-alone homes (46 percent), and outdoor space (45 percent). As our industry continues to innovate with new home styles and sizes, the federal building code makes it possible to put the dream of homeownership within reach today.

Interior bath room hud code home manufactured housing 50 year partnership

As the only national trade association representing all segments of the manufactured housing industry and nearly 90 percent of the manufactured homes produced today, MHI has worked to amplify the important role HUD Code manufactured housing has in helping to address the nation’s housing supply shortage and affordability challenges, and policymakers are now highlighting manufactured housing as an integral solution. Rapid construction and federal standards that ensure safety and quality are critical when our nation is seeking to address a severe housing supply shortage — and the 50-year successful partnership with HUD has made our industry poised and ready to help.

The most significant challenge facing the 50-year partnership with HUD is the imposition of building standards by other federal agencies, namely the Department of Energy. While MHI strongly supports energy efficiency for manufactured homes, HUD must remain our primary regulator. In fact, the statute we celebrate already specifies that HUD’s authority includes preemptive energy conservation standards. HUD has a 50-year track record in developing construction standards for manufactured homes and a proven testing, compliance, and enforcement regime. Going forward, HUD must defend its status as the industry’s primary regulator and ensure the process originally established by Congress whereby HUD is required to properly balance construction standards with homeownership affordability is continued. HUD must reject standards from other agencies and ensure all standards go through the process that has been successful since it was established 50 years ago.

As we look to the future, it is useful to look back at what Congress specified in the law as the purpose of our partnership with HUD and to take stock of our progress and opportunities.

Purpose 1: To protect the quality, durability, safety, and affordability of manufactured homes. 

Today’s manufactured homes deliver outstanding quality and resiliency at attainable prices. The average cost of a manufactured home is up to 50 percent less per square foot than a site-built home and often much less expensive than renting an apartment. These savings allow more and more Americans to own their own home, even in the face of an ever-widening housing affordability gap. People choose manufactured homes for their affordability, but they also choose them for the design innovations and sustainable features that provide an exceptional living experience. Going forward, MHI and HUD should continue to be diligent to ensure that affordability remains a paramount consideration in any standards updates. 

Purpose 2: To facilitate the availability of affordable manufactured homes and to increase homeownership for all Americans.

The need for quality, affordable housing has never been greater. Redfin reported that only 16 percent of home listings were affordable for the typical household in 2023. That is the lowest share on record and down from 21 percent in 2022. Manufactured housing is an important part of the solution and HUD is charged with facilitating its availability. More can be done to do so. Addressing local zoning and land planning ordinances that discriminate against manufactured housing is a critical component of making manufactured homes available for more people. Going forward, HUD must do more to exercise its broad preemption authority when local construction regulations or zoning, planning, or development policies adversely affect the placement of manufactured housing. Recently, MHI and HUD joined together to identify barriers to the placement for manufactured housing, which will also help identify policy changes to ensure manufactured homes are available to more people. Manufactured housing is an integral component to any plan to boost affordable housing supply. By supporting zoning reforms and by supporting expanded financing for manufactured homes in its FHA programs, HUD can help more Americans achieve homeownership through manufactured housing.

manufactured home factory built home HUD code 50 year partnership with manufactured housing industry

Purposes 3-7. To provide for the establishment of practical, uniform, and, to the extent possible, performance-based Federal construction standards for manufactured homes; to encourage innovative and cost-effective construction techniques for manufactured homes; to protect residents of manufactured homes with respect to personal injuries and the amount of insurance costs and property damages in manufactured housing, consistent with the other purposes of this section; to establish a balanced consensus process for the development, revision, and interpretation of Federal construction and safety standards for manufactured homes and related regulations for the enforcement of such standards; to ensure uniform and effective enforcement of Federal construction and safety standards for manufactured homes.

In 2021, HUD made the first major changes to the manufactured housing construction code in almost a decade and in 2022, it proposed the largest set of changes in over two decades. MHI urges HUD to prioritize the finalization of the 2022 proposed updates to the HUD Code with our suggested enhancements and to move forward with finalizing the subsequent sets of updates that have been approved by the Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee but are still pending HUD action. In addition to clearing out this decades-old backlog, MHI is calling on HUD to develop and implement a streamlined process for updating the HUD Code, to prevent future backlogs and create a process for regular future code revisions. MHI commends HUD for elevating the Office of Manufactured Housing Programs, which will help ensure a more regular cadence of code updates going forward.

Purpose 8. To ensure that the public interest in, and need for, affordable manufactured housing is duly considered in all determinations relating to the Federal standards and their enforcement.

Manufactured housing is the only type of housing that is subject to robust federal compliance and quality assurance regulations for health, energy, efficiency, and durability, often more stringent than those for traditional site-built homes. However, manufactured housing is excluded from a number of HUD’s affordable housing programs. As we look toward the future, MHI will continue to advocate for common sense changes to HUD’s affordable housing policies to ensure they include increased access to manufactured housing and is pleased to see some progress. For example, last October HUD issued a notice clarifying that manufactured housing units that are part of the community’s permanent housing stock are eligible for acquisition or direct home ownership assistance through the Community Development Block Grant program. MHI asks HUD to go one step further to complement these actions by carrying out the Congressional directive to issue guidelines to local CDBG recipients about how to assess the potential inclusion of manufactured homes in their affordable housing and community development plans.

In the next 50 years, MHI will build on the momentum of the past and continue to elevate housing innovation and expand attainable homeownership, and strengthen our successful partnership with HUD. This June, HUD will host its fourth Innovative Housing Showcase on the National Mall for National Homeownership Month. For the first time, MHI is pleased to join HUD as a presenting sponsor of the showcase. We plan to celebrate our 50-year partnership and utilize the opportunity to demonstrate to the public and policymakers what sets HUD Code manufactured homes apart — quality, attainability, efficiency, and design that is scalable. Each year we have showcased the range of homes that can be built under the HUD Code — from single section homes to CrossMods, from ADUs to duplexes. We look forward to continuing to showcase housing innovation through HUD Code manufactured housing in 2024 and beyond.

Dr. Lesli Gooch is the CEO of the Manufactured Housing Institute, the national trade organization representing all aspects of the factory-built housing industries.
Mark Bowersox is a seasoned trade association executive with experience leading nonprofits at both the state and national levels. In his role as president of MHI he is dedicated to elevating housing innovation and expanding attainable homeownership. Bowersox is a federally registered lobbyist and regularly speaks on behalf of MHI and the industry to a variety of constituency groups and industry associations.

MHInsider is the leader in manufactured housing news and is a product of MHVillage, the top website to buy, sell, or rent a manufactured home.

2024 JLT Market Reports for Florida Manufactured Home Communities Available Now

By
Patrick Revere
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manufactured housing industry data communities vero palm florida
Vero Palm, Vero Beach, Fla.

Datacomp has published the May 2024 JLT Market Reports for the state of Florida, the largest market area for manufactured homes in the United States.

JLT Market Reports provide detailed research and information on communities in 187 housing areas nationwide. These include the latest trends and statistics, marketing programs, and a variety of other useful industry insights.

Datacomp publishes the JLT Market Reports and is the nation’s #1 provider of market data for the manufactured housing industry. JLT Market Reports are recognized as an industry standard for manufactured home community market analysis.

May 2024 manufactured housing market data published in JLT Market Reports for Florida includes information on 762 All ages and 55+ manufactured home communities.

Altogether, the reports on Florida manufactured home communities include data representations for 206,094 homesites.

More About JLT Market Reports

Each JLT manufactured home community report from Datacomp has detailed information about investment-grade communities in the major markets. The detailed information includes:

  • Number of homesites
  • Occupancy rates
  • Average community rents, and increases
  • Community amenities
  • Vacant lots
  • Repossessed and inventoried homes, and much more

JLT Market Reports also include industry insights on communities by the number of homesites, occupancy rate, home types, and other important detail. 

Established reports show trends in each area with a comparison of May 2024 reports to May 2023, as well as a historical recap of community information from 1996 to the present date in most markets.

The May 2024 JLT Market Reports for Florida manufactured home communities are available for purchase and immediate download online at the Datacomp JLT Market Report website, or they may be ordered by phone in electronic or printed editions at (800) 588-5426.

Each fully updated report is a comprehensive look at mobile home communities within that area, enabling residents, owners and managers, lenders, appraisers, and brokers to effectively benchmark communities and make informed decisions regarding potential sales, upgrades, or expansion plans.

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Court Advances Bulk of MHI-Texas Filing, Dismisses Failure to Consider Enforcement Pending Final Rule

By
Patrick Revere
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DOE energy rules department of energy manufactured housing
The James E Forrestal Building, Washington, D.C. offices for the U.S. Department of Energy.

Legal action aimed at the U.S. Department of Energy in regard to new standards the department set in motion for the energy efficiency of manufactured homes has advanced in the courts but not before a section of the claim had been dismissed.

The Manufactured Housing Institute and the Texas Manufactured Housing Association filed the suit in February. Earlier this month, the Federal Court for the Western District of Texas considered a DOE motion to dismiss but allowed a majority of the claim while dismissing a portion of the filing that asserts DOE had failed to properly consider enforcement rules for any would-be violations.

“Part of our initial case was that the DOE failed to have a testing, compliance and enforcement regulation to complement the building standards,” MHI CEO Lesli Gooch said. “DOE realized that this was a problem, so it is now trying to finalize a rule it proposed late last year, after suspending the compliance date on its standards so that a testing, compliance, and enforcement rule could be formulated.

“MHI told the court that we would probably challenge those rules once they became final as finality is a necessary prerequisite to a challenge,” she said. “Of course we can’t know what the ultimate rule will be so we can’t say what our challenge would be.”

MHI and TMHA can amend their complaint after the DOE has completed its enforcement rule making process.

Remaining assertions in the filing, including that DOE had overstepped its regulatory boundaries by failing to consult with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development — the industry’s primary regulator.

The court neglected DOE’s position that a ruling should wait until the the department has finished its enforcement rulemaking process, stating that “waiting until a new compliance date to bring this suit constitutes a sufficient hardship for the manufactured housing industry.”

MHI said it is dedicated to working toward a solution through:

  • Continuing to work with regulatory agencies to delay implementation of the DOE standard until there is alignment between DOE and HUD regulations.
  • Ensuring HUD’s Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee’s (MHCC) proposed changes to incorporate the DOE standards into the HUD code are finalized.
  • Supporting legislation to guarantee HUD is the primary regulator for all construction standards for manufactured housing.

MHInsider is the leader in manufactured housing news and a product of MHVillage, the top market place to buy, rent, or sell a manufactured home.

CoverTree Gains $13 Million in Funding

By
Patrick Revere
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Manufactured Home Communities For Sale
Photo Courtesy of Zeman Homes.

CoverTree, an insurtech company in the manufactured housing industry, has gained $13 million in funding round with large investments from Portage, AV8 Ventures, Distributed Ventures, Detroit Venture Partners, Ludlow Ventures, and Annox Capital.

CoverTree plans to use the new capital to expand operations in multiple states in the sun belt and upper midwest.

Co-Founder and CEO Adarsh Rachmale is enthusiastic about the growing manufactured housing industry, stating that the investment validates CoverTree’s efforts to redefine the insurance experience.

“The funds will be used to innovate and expand the company’s reach, aiming to provide reliable and precise home insurance solutions,” Rachmale said.

CoverTree will introduce new products such as Maple, a software for managing resident insurance, Bonsai, a platform for binding and underwriting, and Sequoia, a system for automated underwriting and quoting.

Portage Co-Founder and CEO Adam Felesky has joined the company’s board of directors. This strategic move underscores Portage’s commitment to CoverTree’s success and brings valuable industry expertise to help guide the company’s strategic direction. By partnering with yet another organization, Markel, CoverTree seeks to transform the market segment through advanced coverage options, sophisticated pricing, and cutting-edge technology.

This strategic move underscores Portage’s commitment to CoverTree’s success and brings valuable industry expertise to help guide the company’s strategic direction.

“With the continually changing homeownership industry, we are excited to continue expanding our services to the growing manufactured housing industry… we believe this is the future of how all Americans will live,” Rachmale said. “This investment is a testament to the value we bring to homeowners by redefining the insurance experience.”

MHInsider is the leader in manufactured housing news and is a product of MHVillage, the top marketplace to buy a manufactured home.

Clayton Shows Encore Home at Berkshire Hathaway Meeting

By
Patrick Revere
-
manufactured housing industry encoreebuilt clayton energy efficient home show
The new Encore home from Clayton at the Berkshire Hathaway Shareholders Meeting in Omaha, Neb.

Tennessee-based Company Aims to Provide Manufactured Home Collection with High-End Design, Energy Efficiency

Clayton, one of the nation’s largest factory homebuilders and a WarrenBuffett-held company, debuted its new Encore series homes at the annual Berkshire Hathaway Shareholders Meeting in Omaha, Neb., earlier this month.

Encore is billed as “the most elevated line of modern manufactured homes offered by Clayton” and features valuable options for the homebuyer including a variety of regional design aesthetics, the company stated.

Notable Enhanced Features from Encore

  • French doors
  • Glass cabinets
  • Pendant lighting
  • Quartz countertops 
  • Tile backsplash
  • Free standing tub
  • Full glass and tile showers

“Encore blends expert craftsmanship and design personalization with energy-efficient features that can save homeowners money over the lifespan of their home,” Clayton’s National Production Manager Mike Comparato said. We are excited to offer a home line to our customers that integrates the latest high-end trends in interior design while continuing to deliver on our promise of energy-efficient, attainable homeownership.”

Encore homes are built to the US Department of Energy Zero Energy Ready Home™ specifications — called eBuilt by Clayton — estimated to save homeowners up to 50 percent in annual energy costs compared to other manufactured homes. This allows homeowners the potential to save thousands of dollars throughout the homeownership journey. eBuilt homes are optimized with energy-efficient features, including a Rheem® hybrid water heater, Lux® low-E windows with argon gas, ENERGY STAR® certified appliances, LED lighting throughout, an ecobee® smart thermostat, and additional insulation.

Clayton CEO Kevin Clayton said homes like Encore provide added attainability for potential homebuyers with high-end features that help perpetuate the value of the home.

“We are excited to offer these benefits because the important decision to buy a home depends on more than just the sales price – it’s about considering those long-term costs of homeownership,” Clayton said.

Like other manufactured homes, Encore floor plans are constructed in an indoor facility. By leveraging the off-site home building process, Clayton can achieve efficiencies in production that are passed down to customers in the form of cost savings.

Homebuyers are prioritizing affordability while also considering factors related to style and comfort, such as living spaces in and around their home, the company stated. By choosing Encore, homeowners can experience the beauty of attainable luxury in a way that “accommodates their budget and reflects unique tastes and styles”.

MHInsider is the leader in manufactured housing news and is a product of MHVillage, the top place to buy, sell, or rent a manufactured home.

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