Joe Stegmayer during a presentation in Indianapolis in September 2018.
The United States Security and Exchange Commission in the U.S. District Court of Arizona has filed a complaint against Cavco Industries as well as its former President and CEO Joe Stegmayer and former CFO Dan Urness alleging multiple instances of insider trading in 2017 and 2018 during partnership, merger, and acquisition talks with no fewer than four large organizations in the manufactured housing industry.
Urness and Stegmayer were “aware of Cavco’s Insider Trading Policy prior to 2017 and throughout the period of Cavco’s trading in Skyline, Nobility, Deer Valley, and UMH from March 2017 to October 2018” the complaint states.
The SEC complaint against Cavco was filed Sept. 2, 2021. It brings claims against the Cavco, Stegmayer, and Urness under the antifraud and internal account control provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The complaint alleges that Cavco gained $260,459 in relation to the trades, and that Stegmayer saved more than $880,000 sales of Cavco shares prior to the announcement of the SEC investigation.
The SEC seeks an injunction and monetary penalties.
Cavco released a statement on the day the complaint was filed that said “The Company intends to vigorously defend itself against the allegations made by the SEC in the Complaint.”
Stegmayer stepped down as CEO and president in November of 2018 and remained the company’s director of strategic initiatives through January 2020. Urness served as interim CEO prior to Bill Boor assuming the role in April of 2019. Urness remained Cavco’s chief financial officer through February 2021.
First SEC Claim – Against Cavco, Stegmayer
Fraud in the Connection with the Purchase and Sale of Securities Violations of Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5.
Second SEC – Claim Against Cavco
Failure to Devise and Maintain Sufficient Internal Accounting Controls in Violation of Section 13(b)(2)(B) of the Exchange Act.
Third SEC Claim – Against Stegmayer, Urness
Aiding and Abetting Cavco’s Failure to Devise and Maintain Sufficient Internal Accounting Controls in Violation of Section 13(b)(2)(B) of the Exchange Act.
Fourth SEC Claim – Against Stegmayer, Urness
Circumventing and Failing to Implement Internal Accounting Controls in Violation of Section 13(b)(5) of the Exchange Act.
Fifth SEC Claim – Against Stegmayer, Urness
Misleading the Auditor in Violation of Rule 13b2-2 under the Exchange Act.
Sixth SEC Claim – Against Stegmayer
Fraud in the Connection with the Purchase and Sale of Securities In Violation of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act, Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act, and Rule 10b-5 thereunder.
Long List of Policy Desires Draws in HUD, Includes 13 Mentions of Manufactured Housing
The White House on Sept. 1 sent out a detailed explanation of its plan to push for an increase in affordable housing, with multiple specific mentions on the value of manufactured housing and how off-site built homes provide a ready part of the solution to the U.S. housing crisis.
“The large and long-standing gap between the supply and demand of affordable homes for both renters and homeowners makes it harder for families to buy their first home and drives up the cost of rent,” the White House communication stated. “Higher housing costs also crowd out other investments families can and should make to improve their lives, such as investments in education.”
Manufactured Housing in White House Plan
The Biden-Harris plan for increasing the stock of affordable housing included 13 references to manufactured housing and its viability as a ready solution for lower- to mid-market homebuyers. Below are a pair of references that show consideration toward manufactured housing.
Work with state and local governments to boost housing supply by leveraging existing federal funds to spur local action, exploring federal levers to help states and local governments reduce exclusionary zoning, and launching learning and listening sessions with local leaders.
Boost the supply of manufactured housing and 2-4 unit properties by expanding financing through Freddie Mac. Along with Fannie Mae’s and the Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA) existing policies, these steps will enable more Americans to purchase homes, and increase the availability of rental units throughout the country.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge has been relatively quiet on manufactured housing in comparison with her predecessor, Dr. Ben Carson. Shortly after the announcement of the White House plan, HUD also put out an email in support.
“President Biden promised the American people that his administration would dramatically expand our nation’s supply of affordable rental housing — and the actions announced today represent a significant down payment toward that commitment,” HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge said. “These actions will expand access to critical capital for state Housing Finance Agencies, empower local communities to build more affordable housing using the historic investments contained in the American Rescue Plan, and advance equitable housing policies such as inclusionary zoning practices. Moving forward, HUD and the Biden-Harris Administration will continue to pursue bold actions to create and preserve affordable homes for all Americans.”
The White House intends to work with HUD on re-emphasizing federal housing partnerships to bolster Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and to better support and incentivize Community Development Finance Institutions. It also will look to prioritize sales of FHA-backed housing toward homeowners rather than to investors.
“Even before the pandemic, 11 million families — or nearly a quarter of renters — paid more than half of their income on rent,” the White House communication stated. “Rent should be affordable for working families. That’s why the President’s Build Back Better Agenda calls for the historic investments that will enable the construction and rehabilitation of more than a million affordable housing units, reducing the burden of rent on American families.”
LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network with 756 million members in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. It is an online tool for you or your business to show the world your professional persona, and has the ability to expand your awareness, credibility, and brand.
The Microsoft-owned social media company wants you to succeed — follow their suggestions for improving your profile and business pages. But here’s some additional advice on succeeding:
Why Use LinkedIn?
Thought Leadership/Credibility
Attracting Business
Recruiting
Search Visibility
Groups
Thought Leadership and Credibility
Your personal LinkedIn page needs to be created and updated with careful consideration.
Add a profile picture—make sure the photo looks professional. It doesn’t have to be taken by a professional photographer, but a selfie inside your car won’t suffice.
Update all the basic information. Details like your industry and contact information are key.
Add work experience, your expertise, education, training, volunteering — anything that tells your story. This is where you build your brand and highlight your accomplishments.Ask others for skill endorsements and recommendations that add to your worth.LinkedIn is a business resource. Make sure to always engage with professional etiquette when using the platform. It’s important to maintain a good reputation. Personal opinions, including politics, religion, and rumors should not be shared.
Start Making Your Connections!
You can invite anyone to connect. At a networking event? Consider reaching out to all your new contacts through LinkedIn. The online platform will always give you reminders and suggestions to find additional connections. Put yourself out there and find meaningful connections to increase visibility.
Attracting Business
It’s time to create your business page. Business pages with complete information get 30% more weekly views.
Add your logo and a cover image that gives life and personality to your page. Your cover image could be a photo of your team, mission statement, anything that gives clarity to your company brand or story.
Include your company description, specialties, industry, website and more. The more details you include, the more people will find and connect with your company. Use relevant terms and phrases that describe your organization’s mission and purpose (LinkedIn members can search by keywords).
Grow your business page by inviting your personal connections to follow your business page.
Posting content to your business page is necessary to keep engaging, educating and marketing to your potential customers. Use graphics (posts with graphics lead to higher engagement), as well as videos, slide presentations, infographics, published articles, company news, team and staff testimonials, job postings, and trends. Consult your team to discuss possible content to use on your page. Be careful not to use only sales-related information. Consider creating a monthly calendar for your LinkedIn content.
Make sure you add the LinkedIn follow link to your website. It gives potential customers more education about you and your manufactured housing operation, as well as other ways to connect. Also, consider adding a link to your business page in your email signature.
Recruiting
Looking to hire your next company all-star on LinkedIn? Advanced search filters and keyword searches can make recruiting easier. You can refine your candidate search with 40+ filters, including location, job titles, companies, industries and more. Another great function is filtering for candidates that are “more likely to respond,” “open to work,” or have engaged with your company brand — all based on LinkedIn member signals. Through their LinkedIn profiles you can also assess candidates’ skill proficiency and be confident in their skills before reaching out.
If you have open opportunities at your workplace, make sure they are always posted to your business page.
Search Visibility
LinkedIn company and personal pages show up very high in online searches. Google shows previews of up to 156 characters of your profile, so make sure your business page description leads with powerful, keyword-rich sentences.
Groups
LinkedIn members can create or join groups to share and discuss industry topics. Consider how joining an industry or alumni group can help further your knowledge, expand your professional network and increase your credibility! To find groups, use the search bar on top of your profile page, pr search using industry terminology and find the search references to groups. You can also tell your connections what groups you recommend.
Consider the group descriptions, as well as connections from your network who are already members, to determine which groups are the best fit for you.
In the world of LinkedIn, it’s as much about what you know as who you know.
SCOTUS Rules Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Oversteps Authority
The United States Supreme Court in considering a challenge to the CDC eviction moratorium by the Alabama Association of Realtors ruled the federal body had overstepped its authority. The ruling allows the oft-extended moratorium to expire, reinstates owner and landlord rights in collecting rents, and puts scores of residents and tenants behind in payments in an increasingly vulnerable position.
The court ruled 6-3. Justices Stephen Breyer, Elena Kagan, and Sonia Sotomayor dissented.
“Our system does not permit agencies to act unlawfully even in pursuit of desirable ends”, the court said in its unsigned 8-page opinion. “If a federally imposed eviction moratorium is to continue, Congress must specifically authorize it.”
The halt on evictions for those who fell behind in rent and house payments amid COVID restrictions was initiated by lawmakers. However, the subsequent moratoriums, including a provisional moratorium, extended through the spring and summer were CDC actions. It had been set to expire July 31 when it was pushed to Oct. 3.
The White House issued a statement saying the eviction moratoriums issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention saved lives by preventing the spread of the COVID-19 virus throughout the pandemic.
“The Biden Administration is disappointed that the Supreme Court has blocked the most recent CDC eviction moratorium while confirmed cases of the Delta variant are significant across the country,” the White House statement reads. “As a result of this ruling, families will face the painful impact of evictions, and communities across the country will face greater risk of exposure to COVID-19.”
Estimates vary between whether there are three or six million people behind in rental payments. Meanwhile, federal funding to help with housing woes resulting from the pandemic has been slow to arrive. Just over $5 billion of the $46.5 billion made available had been distributed through July.
At the onset of the pandemic, Fatima Dicko launched Sugar, an offering to automate home features and tasks. What already was strong demand for this service became a swift expansion as most Americans adjusted to full-time work/home life.
Dicko studied chemical engineering, went to the Stanford School of Business, and worked for Procter & Gamble prior to expanding her academic interest in technology into a full-time business.
“I’ve always been fascinated by this idea of taking existing technologies and combining them to make them better,” Dicko said.
As a student, she created a hyperlocal version of Craigslist for college campuses – ask for something you need in 15 minutes, and someone nearby who has what you need brings it to you.
“Campuses are kind of like these micro-communities, and if you could create these ways to connect, you can build this enhanced quality of experience,” she said. “If you were up late studying and needed an energy drink, someone is probably there to bring you one.”
Expanding the offering for metro centers is what Dicko was doing with Sugar at the time COVID-19 cases ramped up and people were asked to stay at home, often working and living in seclusion.
“I live in L.A. in a large apartment building in Koreatown,” Dicko said. “I realized I’d never connected with any of my neighbors and it really was like the college campus scenario.”
“One in four people continue to work remotely, and people are pretty lonely as well. What we decided to do is put a QR code in the building’s elevator, and within a few days we had half of the people in the building corresponding and finding ways to help each other and meet up safely,” she said.
They communicated through Sugar, a community engagement app, and a more interesting and interactive version of a web portal that allows residents to pay rent.
“If you partner the app and integrate it with smart hardware, such as a function that allows you to open your door on your phone, it’s going to get people into the app more often, increasing the level of engagement,” Dicko said. “And increased levels of resident engagement have been shown to create retention and successful referrals.”
Smart Homes and Communities, More Than Tech Tricks
What is a smart home?
While the technologies that drive a smart home continue to evolve, including the prevalence of 5G networks, features available on the market today already go well beyond what most consumers think of in terms of smart home features.
Fatima Dicko and her Sugar colleagues gather for an impromptu team photo.
“More and more technologies are enabling microtasks in the home to become fully automated. Software is being designed to allow residents to manage everything from the washer and dryer to the blinds and lighting all from within a single app” Dicko said.
Often, consumer demand for new home tech features derives from people traveling for vacation or work. Travelers tend to have an increased level of forward-thinking, high-tech experiences.
“They come back from trips and want to have the same tech-forward experiences at home,” Dicko said.
Dicko said creating a great user experience in a smart home is much more than coming up with an app.
“It’s about enabling new interactions and experiences that drastically increase the ease and simplicity of daily tasks,” she said.
“Not only can I unlock the door on my app, but I also can send a digital key,” Dicko said. “It’s a one-time entry over SMS so residents can share with others after setting expiration dates.”
And, more than smart homes, advanced intelligent homes are on the horizon. As data collection turns into systems that operate on artificial intelligence, our homes and communities will become exponentially easier to use and healthier places to live, places that are continually informed and improved upon in real time by our behaviors.
“We’re closer to that than we realize. The prop-tech industry is very exciting right now,” Dicko said. “People are starting to ask questions about what tech they’re using, why they use it, and how helpful it is. There is more and more data coming out that millennials, for instance, will pay another $10 or $15 per month for more tech-forward amenitites. So, owners are beginning to see these offerings from a fiscal perspective.”
Defining a Smart Home
Dvele builds modular homes with integrated technologies.
Matt Howland is the president of Dvele, a modular home builder that emphasizes technology-supported home conveniences and healthy living features. Dvele also is the developer of DveleIQ, a software platform creating more automated and user-friendly homes.
When asked about what a smart home is, Howland points to five levels of home technology, as well as a list of tasks those technologies can perform.
Five Features of a Smart Home from Dvele
Manual switches and modern thermostats: This is where most of today’s homes exist – manual switches to turn on lights, an integrated thermostat for environmental controls, and enough “sensors” to meet building code; detect fire and poisonous carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide levels.
Connected switches and devices: Many options from large scale builders fall into this category – lights and environmental controls that you can control from your phone via an app. This changes the human-home interface and allows remote control functionality but not much more. While helpful, it’s dated and will only become more obsolete as time passes.
Integrated systems: Integrated systems allow multiple devices to work together from a common interface and with some coordination. With the rapid rise of voice assistants, we’re quickly seeing Level 2 homes migrate to Level 3 with the addition of an Alexa or Google Assistant in the home. These hubs allow for multiple connected devices to be integrated into scenes and controlled together, in addition to the obvious integration of home controls. Many of the 10K+ systems also fall into this level with the integration of high-end AV assets.
Orchestrated systems: Orchestrated systems apply some level of “compute,” or the ability of a system to take multiple states of the home and change that environment based on a defined ruleset. This allows for an autonomous home functionality with the right programming. Think of an orchestrated home as a home powered by “if this then that” conditions. This has long been primarily done in hobbyist communities, but rarely makes its way into professional home automation solutions outside of some of the most expensive systems.
Intelligent systems: Intelligent homes are self-learning systems optimizing the health of the occupants, the building, and the planet. In order to build a truly intelligent home, two things are necessary that are not yet prevalent in homebuilding. The first is additional sensors for understanding the state of the home and how changes impact its state. The second is an intelligent, learning private system that connects the various inputs and modifies how it behaves to achieve the optimal state, a system that learns over time and adapts to its owners and external environment, making the home a better home tomorrow. Another key feature of an intelligent home is that it is software-defined, enabling the home to be upgraded as technology and systems advance.
“We’re excited to announce DveleIQ, our contribution to improving the smart home world, or in this case the intelligent home,” Howland said. “We’ve designed a software-first platform to ensure the customer’s new home is better tomorrow than it is today.”
DveleIQ uses sensors to monitor and improve air quality, to create conveniences like providing the perfect water temperature for the homeowner at any given time, track sleep patterns to automatically adjust lighting and temperature, reduce energy costs, improve privacy, and maintain the best operating condition for residential systems.
Datacomp has made available its August 2021 JLT Reports for mobile home rent comps, occupancy, and other vital data from manufactured home communities in Southern California.
JLT Market Reports provide detailed research and information on communities in 186 housing markets throughout the United States. These include the latest rent trends and statistics, marketing programs, and a variety of other useful management insights.
The August 2021 release of JLT Reports in Southern California includes information on Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Ventura counties.
Datacomp maintains and provides 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 the industry standard for manufactured home community market analysis.
August 2021 manufactured housing market data published in JLT Market Reports for Southern California include information on 504 “All ages” and “55+” manufactured home communities.
Altogether, the reports from Southern California manufactured home communities include data representations for 186,532 homesites.
Regional Trends in Manufactured Housing Community Rent
Pacific region manufactured home communities show a year-over-year 2.7% increase in rent for retirement communities and a 3.0% increase for all-ages communities.
Pacific region manufactured home communities show a year-over-year 0.2% increase in occupancy for retirement communities and a 0.3% increase in occupancy for all-ages communities.
“Across the Pacific region there were no reductions in rental occupancy and there were slight increases in manufactured home community lot rent throughout the region as well,” Datacomp Co-President and Chief Business Development Officer Darren Krolewski said. “In California, only one of six markets in the state experienced a dip in occupancy, and all markets experienced a slight increase in rent.”
What’s in JLT Market Reports?
Each JLT manufactured home community rent and occupancy 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
California rent control and next increase data
Community amenities
Vacant lots
Repossessed and inventory homes, and much more
JLT Market Reports also include management insights that rank communities by the number of homesites, occupancy rates, and highest to lowest rents. Established reports show trends in each market with a comparison of August 2021 rents and occupancy rates to August 2020, as well as a historical recap of rents and occupancy from 1996 to present date in most markets.
The August 2021 JLT Market Reports for Southern California 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 for mobile home communities is a comprehensive look at investment grade properties within a market, enabling owners and managers, lenders, appraisers, brokers, and other organizations to effectively benchmark those communities and make informed business decisions.
The 2020 and 2021 Hall of Fame Induction classes for manufactured housing and RV professionals gathered in Elkhart, Ind., Monday night, surrounded by nearly 700 colleagues, friends, family, and former inductees, to celebrate the achievements and successes of the dual class of honorees.
Each year, the Hall of Fame brings in five new manufactured housing inductees and five new RV inductees, celebrated most years with a summertime gathering for dinner, ceremony, and professional appreciation.
The Class of 2020 merged with the class of 2021 after a year’s delay due to the pandemic and COVID restrictions.
Manufactured Housing Class of 2021
Ken Anderson, MHIA, Arizona
Ken Anderson humbly deflected praise during his induction, citing the leadership of his board for a great amount of his success. Board member Cody Pearce successfully nominated Anderson for the induction.
“He embellished the record so I could be here with you tonight,” Anderson said in jest. He also lauded Board Chairman Norman Ball for twice bringing him out of retirement.
“I took pay cutws both times,” Anderson said. “That’s how good of a negotiator he is!”
Anderson was inducted for his dedication to the manufactured housing industry and the Manufactured Housing Industry of Arizona is beyond measure.
He gave up his own retail sales operation of 30 years to help save the association and the industry in Arizona by taking leadership of the association and helping it to stay aloft and prosper even during trying times. He served on the board and executive committee for more than a decade.
He helped create the Arizona Image Committee; served on the Government Relations & Zoning Committee; ran several annual home shows as well as chaired many annual conventions. He has also served tirelessly on the national front, serving as a delegate to MHI for many years, as well as serving on the MHI Board of Directors and National Retailers Council.
Anderson has also participated in many of the MHI Legislative Meetings, even helping to secure Democrat support for the Dodd-Frank Reform, including the lead Democrat cosponsor, Kyrsten Sinema, and six additional Congressmen giving Arizona representation by seven out of nine state representatives. Ken has been the recipient of many awards during his time in the industry.
Keith Casenhiser, California Manufactured Home Community Owner
Keith Casenhiser said during his induction speech that even the competition in the manufactured housing industry is friendly and that its camaraderie is a great strength.
“We have a great group of people in this industry,” he said.
As a senior at UC Riverside, Casenhiser started in the industry as an intern at Fleetwood. Since partnering with Dick Bessire, they now own 10 parks and manage 80. Most park owners only participate with WMA, but Casenhiser personally joined other associations and became chairman of the board of MHET, advisory director for CMPA, and president of the board of directors of WMA. For the past 15 years, he has dedicated his allegiance to CMHI as past chairman of the board and served as treasurer on the executive committee. Casenhiser speaks and participates at round tables, panels, committees, and industry functions for all California associations and the same in Idaho and Colorado. He received top awards from WMA, CMPA, and MHET, as well as the Presidents Award and the Jack E. Wells honor from CMHI. Casenhiser contributes to PAC funds and many charity fundraisers. He is knowledgeable about industry issues and has dedicated his life to his family and his industry.
Charles E. Lott, Fleetwood Homes in Georgia
“In some way or another every person in the industry today has benefited from the presence of Charlie Lott,” the WNDU news anchor, and the evening’s master of ceremonies, Gary Sieber said the new inductee.
Five decades in, Charles Lott has played a pivotal role in leading affordable housing in America. He has stayed consistent over the years with a strategy that was rooted in designing and building astonishing homes with a focus on affordability for all Americans.
Every stakeholder in the industry is better from the impact he has made on the evolution of manufactured homes. Most importantly, homeowners continue today to reap the benefit of current trends, needs, and wants because of his relentless goal to improve both the homes and the people he has trained over his lengthy career.
Lott praised the leadership of Joe Stegmayer and Mallory Smith and Cavco and Fleetwood respectively. Working around bright minds, Lott said, helped him find the balance between affordability and beauty in a home.
“At first I thought I was just going to outsmart everyone,” Lott said of his early approach. “I realized that wasn’t going to be very practical, and that there are only 24 hours in a day and I would just try to outwork everybody.”
Debra J. Pizer, Zeman Properties, Illinois
Dee Pizer’s support of the manufactured homes community industry includes guest speaking at MHI meetings, mentoring women in the industry, and volunteering her time whenever asked to assist other community owners and property developers throughout the country. The time Pizer gives new community owners and operators at these meetings has been a tremendous help in the industry. Her reputation and success make her a great source of information. She helped change the perception of manufactured housing as a “male-dominated” industry. She has been essential to the growth and success at Zeman Homes, yet more so in many ways to the continuing success of the community segment.
“I think this is probably the greatest industry you can be in,” Pizer said at the induction dinner. “I am grateful every day.”
She thanked a long list of people, including Ed Zeman, Wally Comer, Christine Lindsey, and Brian and Jeff Fannon, for helping her come through the ranks establish herself as company CEO and board chairwoman.
Alan H. Spencer, Dakotaland Homes, South Dakota
Alan H Spencer has 35-plus years of accomplishments in the manufactured housing industry, including community involvement, pioneering direct-to-consumer factory sales lots, and expansion/management of national dealerships. Spencer has decades-long involvement with associations that represent the industry, and has been instrumental in helping to pass laws and fight against legislation that would negatively impact the industry and its customers in South Dakota and several Midwestern states. Spencer provided support to pass a law in South Dakota enabling manufactured homes to be placed on foundations, converting them to real property and giving the customer the option to obtain mortgage financing.
The RV industry inductees are: Eleonore Hamm, of CRVDA , in British Columbia, Canada; Jeffery M. Hirsh, from Campers Inn RV, of Florida; Robert “Bob” Parish, Wells Fargo CDF, of Florida; Jim Sheldon, of Fleetwood Enterprises and Monaco Coach, on California; Bob Tiedge, of Lippert Components, in Indiana.
“Congratulations to the 10 new honorees,” Searer said. “All of them have had or are having outstanding careers and are richly deserving of this high honor.
“I was especially impressed with the committee’s work for the diversity of this year’s class— not only in the inductee’s gender but also the diversity of regions within the U.S. as well as the diversity of nominee’s industry segments such as suppliers, manufacturers, dealers, community managers, and developers, as well as association executives.”
The RV/MH Hall of Fame 2020 Inductees
Manufactured Housing Inductees
Steven P. Adler, Manufactured Home Community Owner/Operator, Florida
Community owner/operator Steven P. Adler is president and owner of Murex Properties, LLC. Murex owns and manages 15 communities in Arizona, Florida, Oregon, and Texas. Adler has selflessly promoted the advancement of manufactured housing communities as an active member and leader of MHI and the Florida Manufactured Housing Association. He has spent a career developing, acquiring, and managing some of the finest manufactured home communities in the country.
While these accomplishments exemplify Adler’s entrepreneurial spirit, business acumen, and industry leadership, they do not tell the full story. Adler has been a staunch industry advocate for more than three decades. While serving in numerous leadership positions at MHI and FMHA, it is how he continues to serve that defines him. Adler is a doer, a leader, not just a participant. His prints are on most initiatives that have advanced the professionalism of manufactured home communities in recent decades.
“Steve is a doer, a leader, not just a participant,” the master of ceremonies Gary Sieber said.
Adler was unable to join the group, and accepted the honor in a pre-recorded video. In a recent conversation with MHInsider, Adler shared his feelings about being inducted into the Hall of Fame, particularly about being enshrined along with his father Sydney Adler.
“I was very close to him,” he said. “He was a very kind, and sweet man. No games. His father was the same way.
“About the hall, I do ask ‘why me’ a bit, but I’m honored,” he said.
Adler was a plucky little kid and wasn’t shy about talking to customers when he was in the field with his father, who developed Trailer Estates in Bradenton, Fla., and Tucson Estates in the same vein in southern Arizona.
“I always say that I sold my first home at age 5,” Steve Adler said. “Of course that’s not really true, but … I was 29.”
Burt Dickman, Manufactured Home Communities, Indiana (Deceased)
The posthumous induction of Burt Dickman was accepted by a daughter, Susan Reger, and his two sons, Donald and Steven.
“My dad was kind of the town orphan,” Donald Dickman said. Their father would do odd jobs around town for money, food, and perhaps a place to stay.
“He read a help wanted ad in Popular Mechanic about this new thing called a house trailer,” he said. “And that’s what he decided to do.”
For more than 60 years Burt Dickman demonstrated his hard-working talents as a visionary of the highest moral character. Dickman always remained committed to providing affordable housing. Working full time at another job he and his wife manually installed utility lines and lots at their first small mobile home park.
As demand grew, Dickman’s foresight to purchase land beside a proposed interstate highway grew into West Edge Park, a community of convenience offering city utilities and walking distance to businesses, industries, parks, and recreation. An “ethical man knows what is right … a moral man does what is right” that aptly describes Dickman’s character. Tough decisions, including financial, were made with the true moral character Dickman possessed.
“My dad had so much energy,” Reger said. “He just loved to serve people. I am so grateful for the father I had. He always said the smartest thing he ever did was marry our mother. We can’t argue with that. And he always said his wedding day was the greatest day of his life. But if he was here tonight, I think this would be the greatest night of his life.”
Ron Dunlap, Association Executive, Virginia
Ron Dunlap could be defined as a man who could be counted on to serve above and beyond the call of duty whether it was in Vietnam where he earned a bronze star, in his volunteer work for the Habitat for Humanity, or in his passion to help others through his work with the Virginia Manufactured and Modular Housing Association. As executive director and president of VAMMHA, Dunlap is known as someone who, in addition to representing his members, also would take his time to help homeowners and others who had problems or issues that need attention. Virginia is one of the more favorable places for the manufactured and modular housing industry because of Ron Dunlap.
He led the legislative efforts that produced the favorable zoning treatment Virginia now has. Without his efforts, homeowners would face county-by-county fights every day. But Virginia now has statewide protections that provide association members and customers with certainty and clarity. These efforts were by no means a slam dunk. Lesser lobbyists would have failed. Dunlap did not. And, Virginia is better for it. Dunlap is a member to the VAMMHA Hall of Fame and was recognized for his contributions by receiving a Virginia House Joint Commendation upon his retirement.
George Porter, Manufactured Housing Resources, Delaware
George Porter, since 1990, has been manufactured housing’s “go-to guy” in all matters regarding new home installation on rental homesites in land-lease communities and on developed land. His pioneering principles positioned Porter as housing installation expert used by state manufactured housing associations, MHI, and HUD to research and prepare industry-standard manufactured housing installation, manuals, and to teach installers nationwide.
“It’s not glamorous,” Porter said at the induction dinner. “It’s hard work actually.
“Did you realize the average has 15 different grades? And there are rules in here I don’t know,” he said referring to installation manuals. “I’ve been doing this for 20 years.”
In 2007, he headed the effort to prove the effectiveness of frost-free foundations. Porter is a true pioneer and continues as a recognized expert in installation matters throughout the entire manufactured housing industry. In 2008 George was named “Man of the Year” by the Journal of Manufactured Housing.
Jerry Ruggirello, Manufactured Home Community Owner/Operator, Michigan
Jerry Ruggirello, president of AJR Development and AJR Home Sales, has been recognized numerous times from associations, groups, and politicians for his time spent bettering his community and industry. Ruggirello has served on far too many committees to list. However, some of his involvement has helped avoid government overreach with key landlord-tenant issues such as ad valorem taxes and rent control.
His peers and industry professionals often credit Ruggirello with the thriving status of the MH industry in Michigan today. An example of his ambition and innovation, Ruggirello made the decision to display a manufactured home into the 2014 Suburban Collection Showplace at the Novi Home Show. This is a Home Builder Association show that Ruggirello realized was hosting a captive audience. By putting a brand new sectional home inside of the show, tens of thousands of homebuyers learned about the new MH product. The response was good. The MH Showcase in October 2019 featured five homes, one park model, and more than a dozen retailer/operator/supplier booths, and his communities have received numerous awards.
“If I never made a dollar in this industry, all the relationships and friendships I’ve made would trump it,” Ruggirello said at the Hall of Fame in Elkhart.
Manufactured housing industry veteran George Allen greets guests prior to the start of the Final Networking Roundtable.
George Allen has entered the building.
The long-awaited day had arrived, after the many months of canceled gatherings. The Final Networking Roundtable was held on Aug. 12 at the Hilton Nashville Downtown with a full schedule of presentations, mixers, a dinner, and a special event to honor the career and achievements of George Allen.
George Allen’s latest book “From ‘SmittyAlpha6’ to MHMaven”
The Networking Roundtable was founded by Allen, MHInsider’s contributing editor and the author of the Allen Legacy column. The annual event has enjoyed a nearly 30-year run and has attracted a great number of executives from all parts of the industry. The 2021 Roundtable will be the final in a series, and a culmination of Allen’s time as a community owner, property manager, trainer, consultant, and industry advocate.
Allen has said he will continue to write in his retirement, building on a collection of stories he’s told, including the latest title “From ‘SmittyAlpha6’ to MHMaven”, a 188-page text handed out to ’21 Roundtable attendees that details his boyhood years in New Jersey, college, his time in the Marines, including in combat during Vietnam, and then his entry into the manufactured housing industry.
“I’ve lived a pretty interesting life,” Allen writes in the introduction to his book. “This is my way of sharing life lessons learned… Nothing disgraceful is revealed, no lies; just how I’ve lived and learned these past seven, soon to be eight, decades.”
Attendees at the Roundtable come from the many diverse aspects of Allen’s life.
“I wouldn’t miss it,” UMH Properties Vice President of Sales Christine Lindsey said. “George has been so important to this industry, and he’s always been there for me.”
George Allen’s State of the Industry Address
Allen manages the Roundtable introductions and provides the state of the industry address.
The Final Networking Roundtable kicked-off with a round of introductions for each of the attendees, its namesake activity, and went into an industry update provided by Allen himself.
Allen covered the many changes he’s witnessed in the industry during his career.
“What has happened since 1970? The large absorbing the small,” Allen said about the homebuilding sector of the industry. “There were 26 major firms at that time, and today we talk about the big three Cs — Clayton, Champion (Skyline Champion Corporation, and Cavco.”
Though we see news reports about portfolio owners consolidating as well, there has been an overriding expansion of community owners in the last 30 years.
“In 1987 there were 25 land-lease community portfolio owners,” Allen said. “Now there are 500 portfolio owners in the United States, averaging 25 communities in each.”
Family-owned Community Owner to Provide Keynote
Scott Roberts of Roberts Communities provided the keynote address on strategies in new community development, followed by a fireside chat with Allen and others, as well as a cocktail mixer, and celebratory dinner and a special presentation to conclude the evening in honor of an industry icon. Thank you, George!
Partial Halt in Residential Evictions Continues for Those Impacted by Coronavirus
CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky signed an extension to the eviction moratorium further preventing the eviction of tenants who are unable to make rental payments. The moratorium was scheduled to expire in July, and now is extended provisionally through Oct. 3.
The CDC’s partial extension of the eviction moratorium is for “counties with heightened levels of community transmission in order to respond to recent, unexpected developments in the trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the rise of the Delta variant. It is intended to target specific areas of the country where cases are rapidly increasing, which likely would be exacerbated by mass evictions.”
COVID-19 has presented a historic threat to the nation’s public health. Keeping people in their homes and out of crowded or congregate settings — like homeless shelters — by preventing evictions is a key step in helping to stop the spread of COVID-19. With vaccines in circulation for several months, nearly 60% of eligible Americans have been vaccinated.
A statement from the White House on housing stability includes language that the “CDC’s decision to extend the eviction moratorium for one final month” would set up a long list of proposed changes in housing and housing services.
The Order prohibits residential landlords nationwide from evicting tenants who:
• have used their best efforts to obtain government assistance for housing
• are unable to pay their full rent due to a substantial loss of income
• are making their best efforts to make timely partial payments of rent, and
• would become homeless or have to move into a shared living setting if they were to be evicted.
In addition to the above requirements, one of the following financial criteria must apply. To qualify for protection, tenants must:
• expect to earn no more than $99,000 (individuals) or $198,000 (filing joint tax return) in 2020
• not have been required to report any income to the IRS in 2020, or
• have received an Economic Impact Payment (stimulus check) pursuant to Section 2201 of the CARES Act, Section 9601 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, or to any other similar federally-authorized payments made to individuals in 2021 and 2021.
Tenants must complete a declaration under penalty of perjury that they meet the criteria listed in the Order.
On the national level, manufactured housing is widely available and the most often used form of affordable housing, particularly as a path to homeownership. Its affordability and availability require no government subsidies and about 22 million people in the U.S. live in a mobile home or manufactured home.
But what is the value of manufactured homes to a community, on the local level?
Manufactured homes, whether placed on private property or in a land-lease community provide a great amount of diversity for the homebuyer. And diversity in housing is exactly what the domestic market today dearly needs.
What Makes Manufactured Housing Diverse?
A new 747 square-foot single-section home can be purchased through a variety of finance options for little more than $20,000. It is very likely that the same web retailer, factory, community, or retail home center can provide the very next homebuyer a new 2,600 square-foot home for something less than $200,000. Some builders today are making multi-section homes that exceed 3,000 square feet, and many of the larger homes can be built to HUD Code or made for local modular specifications, each eligible for financing via a conventional mortgage.
Of the nearly 100,000 new manufactured home units shipped in the U.S. in each of the recent years, about a third are destined for land-lease communities, though a greater percentage of the homes could fit nicely in a planned community. It’s only a matter of homebuyer preference that brings those very same homes, or others of varying configuration and size, to open land in rural, suburban, or urban infill settings.
Manufactured homes can be rural getaway bungalows and just as seamlessly placed in R-1 residential settings alongside the Tudors, Dutch colonials, and mid-century modern homes we see everywhere.
Floor plans, home amenities, material choices, and color palettes are all equally as diverse. Many manufactured home sellers today provide customers the ability to drag and drop customized home choices, as well as reconfigure interior spatial concepts, incorporate flex rooms, and plan for future on-site additions to a new home.
Through Fannie Mae’s MH Advantage and Freddie Mac’s CHOICEHome special financing programs, homebuyers today can get a new manufactured home built at about half the cost of a similar site-built home with a raised roofline, front porch, driveway and attached garage, hardwood cabinets, enhanced energy efficiency, and much more. Again, these new manufactured homes can be placed on private land, used in new development, or provide much-needed new homes in already established residential settings.
For those who read these words, and feel their temperature rise with the ringing sound of some long-ago voice talking about home values this and depreciation of that, please suspend doubt long enough to read the 2018 FHFA House Price Index pilot study on how manufactured homes retain value in a fashion similar to site-built, a valuable resource within an environment with far too few opportunities to assess such things, shouldering against the forces of exclusionary zoning and NIMBYism.
Photo courtesy of Advantage Homes.
Who Needs Affordable Housing?
Every locale in the U.S. could use a certain degree of added affordable housing. For decades, home starts and wages have been outpaced by demand and rising home prices. The gap is and has been widening.
In many higher-priced markets, this means there are few if any affordable homes for would-be residents within the middle to low-income strata. The big cities and resort towns, and increasingly the mid-size cities, too, cannot find hotel, restaurant, and theater employees who can feasibly live and work in the same community. This, of course, extends into many other areas of employment, including the hospitals, schools, banks, grocery markets, care facilities, and, in fact, the very factory that employs people to build and move our homes.
Building Community Within Community
So, is manufactured housing diverse?
The manufactured home, the factory-built home, affordable and sustainable, helps to build communities by bringing all of the participants and stakeholders together. The principal, the teacher, the parent, and the student all live in the same local community.
Manufactured homes within land-lease communities can be purchased, placed new, or rented in communities designed for families or communities designed for retirees, communities designed for workforce living or communities designed for recreational endeavors like golfing, boating, gardening, or going to the beach.
So, you have the country’s largest non-subsidized segment of affordable housing populating a great majority of the land-lease homesites too?
This little “niche” corner of the U.S. housing market, responsible most years for something less than 10% of housing starts, already makes up the most diverse, affordable, readily available and sustainable path to homeownership within a stressed market composed of eager and deserving consumers, the first-time homebuyers, the empty-nesters, and every person or family in between.
In August, the RV/MH Hall of Fame will celebrate the 2025 class of inductees, five from each industry.
“Our selection committees held meetings to review...
