The SECO National Conference of Community Owners will be held in a virtual format for 2020. Registration for the Sept. 28 – Oct. 1 event is open now and includes an early bird discount for manufactured housing professionals who register for SECO prior to Aug. 12.
SECO is organized for community owners, by community owners with an annual conference in the Atlanta area during the last decade that has grown to a national event representing all parts of the industry.
The SECO20 virtual conference is necessitated by Coronavirus precautions and may serve as a model for how virtual events in the industry are conducted moving forward, even beyond virus prevention measures.
Save Now on SECO20 Registration
Attendees can register for SECO20 at a cost of $199 prior to Aug. 12 when the registration fee increases to $299.
Typically, SECO has attracted about 400 attendees. Organizers anticipate attendance to be at that level or higher given the virtual access and a limited number of 2020 industry events.
In addition to attending, individuals and organizations in the manufactured housing industry can benefit from unique exhibitor and sponsorship opportunities with SECO20.
SECO20 is presented in partnership with MHVillage and with the support of industry sponsors that to-date include: American Commerce Bank, Marcus & Millichap, Mobile Insurance, Newport Pacific, Rent Manager, The Mobile Home Park Brokers, Blevins, and ABT Water Management.
Regardless of platform or venue, SECO again has created a fresh and compelling experience for community owners and other industry professionals to learn, interact, network, and shop the latest new offerings in manufactured housing.
SECO gives you the chance to meet other community owners who are doing, or have done, what you want to do so you can learn from their experiences, failures, and successes
For added information on registration, exhibiting, and sponsorship at the 2020 SECO National Conference of Community Owners Sept. 28-Oct. 1, go to secoconference.com.
Homebuilding and many aspects of the manufacturing sector are deemed essential amid coronavirus disruptions in most states, which means manufactured homes continue to be built. However, the process has changed and some disruptions have hampered productivity albeit slightly.
Barry Shein, the CEO of Commodore, operates three plants in Pennsylvania, which deemed residential construction non-essential through much of the early coronavirus response measures.
“We were closed for eight weeks in Pennsylvania and never closed any of our other three factories,” Shein said during a recent interview.
“I am amazed and cannot determine a rationale for why business is so good,” Shein said. “Our business in every region is way beyond what we can build, so our restriction is what we can build not what we can sell. And that seems to be the case with every price point.”
Shein said minor delays in sourcing materials to plants in operation have caused short delays that may have resulted in one fewer section or floor built on a particular day.
“We’re not real big on just-in-time delivery, so we have enough material including lumber on site,” he said. “We have higher inventories normally, and we anticipated shortages so we kept even higher inventories. Still, we’ve come close on some materials, but we’ve been able to do what we normally do and keep quality as high as always.”
A new home from Commodore during the 2020 Louisville Manufactured Housing Show.
COVID-19 in the Workplace
Shein said the corporate offices in Indiana were disrupted for a short period following a COVID-19 positive test in the workforce. They closed the office for a day to allow a third-party cleaning company to come in. Some office employees continued to work from home, others were given the choice, and a few essential office practices continued on-site.
Questionnaires, temperature readings, hand sanitizer, masks, and spacing all play an important role in preventing illness both in the plants and at the corporate offices.
“So, keeping up with all the protocols has kept us on our toes, but we’re doing what we need to do to keep everyone healthy and safe,” Shein said. “I don’t see this going away soon, either, but we’re vigilant and we’ll continue the focus on building quality homes.”
Commodore also has modified its annual fall home show in Pennsylvania. Rather than having customers on-site at one time during a three-day show, the company will lengthen the show, and bring customers in by appointment.
Workers begin the initial process of building a new manufactured home on its chassis.
Being Flexible with Processes, Employees
Cavco Industries, one of the nation’s largest manufacturers of factory-built homes, has had about 85% of its corporate staff work from home, and the company has all but eliminated work travel. However, the business of homebuilding must go on.
“We go through every plant over the phone, talking about attendance and supply issues. For a few weeks in March and April, it was a little touchy, like a day-to-day thing,” Cavco President Bill Boor said. “We had some difficulty for a while getting windows, and there continues to be some difficulty with appliances, particularly stuff coming from Mexico.
Akin to Commodore’s experience, Cavco has experienced an occasional slowdown but no major disruptions and the company continues to keep its focus on safety and quality.
“We’re telling our employees that if they’re uncomfortable for any reason, they can come talk with us and we’ll work something out,” Boor said. “You know, sometimes it’s not even anyone feeling ill, there may just be a heightened level of nervousness with everything that’s going on, and we’ll work with that.
“You have to be flexible,” he said.
Amid the added precaution and some supply-chain disruptions, demand has been strong.
“Interest rates have helped us and buyers have followed through,” Boor said. “It’s pretty amazing to watch.”
The kitchen area of a new manufactured home from Adventure Homes, displayed during 2020 at The Louisville Show.
Keep People Employed, Keep Homes Moving
Rich Rice, the general manager for Adventure Homes, said the Garrett, Ind., facility shuttered for three weeks as a precautionary measure and all 220 employees continued to get the base pay without production bonuses. He said there continues to be an ebb and flow of team members who want to be tested for the virus, and the company policy is to allow them to go get tested regardless of symptoms. Again, the affected employee receives the standard rate until test results come back and the employee is cleared to return.
The use of thermometers, masks and shields, enhanced sanitation, distancing, and a high level of communication keeps the plant operating safely, he said.
“We’re adjusting our volume and complete the homes we can even if we’re down 25% of our staff,” a product of constant monitoring and good cross-training, Rice said.
“So, we’re not stopping the line at all,” he added.
Industry Best Practices for COVID Safety
Rice said one of the most encouraging aspects of the operation change in plants dealing with COVID-19 is the candid conversations he’s been able to have with other manufacturers about how their handling the crisis.
“That’s been refreshing, that the normal barriers went away as you have multiple businesses trying to get through this,” Rice said. “The camaraderie in the industry has been astounding.”
Sourcing building materials has been challenging at times, he said. But a finished home can wait for carpet, as needed. So, material deliveries need to be prioritized, Rice said.
“There are components that need to be put in on the line,” Rice said. “We call them line breakers… like you can’t even start unless you have floor joists and rafters.”
Lighting has been particularly difficult, Rice said.
“Every lighting fixture in the country has a component that comes from overseas, and if you reach back and use up all of the material you had with nothing new coming, you could be in trouble.
“So, we increased from a three-week lead time for supplies and material to five or six weeks,” he said. “That’s an investment, but it’s what you have to do to keep building and getting homes to customers.”
Editor’s Note: First installment of a 2-part overview on community owners’ best practices for debt collection, originally published in MHInsider magazine. Part II covers post-eviction debt collection.
Ryan Fishman, The Fishman Group
As the owner or operator of a manufactured housing community, you’ve probably dealt with your share of delinquent payments. At first, a resident is just late – maybe a couple of days.
Eventually, you will experience the rent payment never comes. There’s no response to calls or knocks on the door, so you’re forced to pursue an eviction. Once you have possession of the home or site, you’re stuck carrying a loss you might never recoup.
This process forces you to perform a juggling act of financial, legal, and ethical considerations. Worst of all, you’re often expected to go through this process alone.
Don’t lose hope
With a set of standard operating procedures for your community, you can develop an effective collections process to mitigate these losses. By being proactive, you’ll avoid the heartaches and headaches often associated with post-eviction losses, boost your cash flow, and give your manufactured home community a competitive business advantage.
Setting the Record Straight
Clear communication with potential residents will help reduce delinquencies down the road.
We like to tell our clients the place to start is the start. That means comprehensive and standard credit screening protocols for prospective residents. It’s critical this process be structured and tightly maintained – it will help avoid more delinquent or defaulting residents down the road and improve your ability to collect post-eviction. There’s a long list of proactive steps that go into a strong policy, but ever-critical are minimum credit standards, legible paperwork, and the delivery of clear expectations before move-in.
The figures in your credit policy are a function of the level of risk your manufactured home community can take. This means evaluating your range of acceptable credit scores and determining what other key aspects of the prospective resident’s credit profile — like income, for example — are most consequential to you. Making these decisions on the fly can lead to serious errors in accepting residents with questionable reliability, and perhaps also denying potential customers with stronger profiles than initially evident. Standard procedures also help avoid turning the application process into a fair housing minefield.
It’s important that you are explicitly clear with your prospects as to what you expect out of them. This means laying out a clear policy when it comes to late payments or missed payments, and the specific steps you plan to take if they’re late or default. This will ensure there are no surprises when you take immediate and decisive action to protect your community’s best interests.
Eviction
Evicting a resident is a laborious and, often, precarious process; for the purposes of this article, we will focus on how evictions tie into your ability to collect. First and foremost, find a landlord-tenant attorney to handle your evictions to avoid exposing yourself to any liabilities that may arise in exercising your right to pursue an eviction. Defaults and bankruptcies sometimes go hand-in-hand, thus without the proper filings you can easily find yourself in violation of federal law. Bankruptcies do not only slow down the eviction process, they often preclude you from later pursuing the balance owed.
It’s critical that residents understand that eviction does not exempt them from paying their balance. Follow through with your standard security deposit notice and make a demand for any additional balance that’s owed, including the past due rent, late fees, accelerated rent, releasing expenses, outstanding utilities, damages, clean up, court costs, statutory attorney fees, and other expenses legally permitted by federal, state, and local laws in your jurisdiction.
Often, defaulted residents have the mistaken understanding that once they are evicted, the slate is wiped clean. Not only is that not true, but, often, it can stall getting paid voluntarily post-eviction. It is critical your community staff makes clear to the resident that, if evicted, they will still owe you that money, and you will pursue anything that is not paid voluntarily.
Dana Wade has been confirmed to serve as commissioner of the Federal Housing Administration.
FHA Commissioner Dana Wade
Wade has served as acting commissioner and was the assistant secretary from July 2017 to June 2018, where she oversaw over 2,400 employees and implemented enhanced risk management and monitoring of FHA’s $1.3 trillion portfolio.
Wade also served as a program associate director for general government at the Office of Management and Budget from December 2018 to December 2019.
She led budget oversight for six executive branch agencies with a focus on financial services, including HUD, and multiple independent agencies.
“I’m extremely grateful for this opportunity to hit the ground running during this critical time for our nation’s housing markets,” Commissioner Wade said.
In Congress, Wade served in senior roles including deputy staff director for the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs and deputy staff director for the Senate Committee on Appropriations under Senator Richard Shelby, R-Ala. Wade holds an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor’s in Economics from Georgetown University.
“FHA Commissioner Wade’s experience from important vantage points of federal housing policy gives her the perspective needed to successfully lead the Office of Housing and FHA at this critical time in our nation’s history, when strains are being placed on our federal housing support programs like never before,” Manufactured Housing Institute CEO Lesli Gooch stated. “We have no doubt that Mrs. Wade’s effective and steady leadership will help ensure HUD is positioned well to meet the housing needs of Americans struggling from the fallout of the COVID-19 emergency.”
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson also praised Wade’s work, and nomination confirmation.
“I want to congratulate Dana Wade on her confirmation by the United States Senate to serve as the commissioner of the Federal Housing Administration,” Carson stated. “Dana has been a tremendous asset to the department and the administration throughout her years of service, and I have full confidence in her ability to successfully lead FHA.”
FHA insures more than 8 million single-family mortgages, almost 12,000 mortgages for multifamily properties, over 3,700 mortgages for residential care facilities, and nearly 100 mortgages for hospitals.
Read more manufactured housing news from MHInsider, the premier trade magazine in the manufactured housing industry.
A Good Day in D.C. for Manufactured Housing, Regulatory Reform
Skyline Champion Corporation President Mark Yost speaks at the Innovative Housing Showcase in June of 2019.
Skyline Champion President and CEO and MHI Board Member Mark Yost as well as MHI CEO Lesli Gooch joined an small group at the White House today where President Trump today spoke about the administration’s efforts to promote economic growth and prosperity by eliminating regulatory barriers.
MHI and its members are working closely with the Administration to prioritize manufactured housing as a critical unsubsidized affordable housing option.
“Under the Trump Administration, HUD’s approach to the regulation of manufactured homes has changed, ensuring the industry can support the ‘American Dream’ of homeownership for more people,” Yost said.
“I was honored to represent our industry at this event and look forward to continuing to work with the administration to ensure manufactured home builders are able to offer consumers the latest innovations, technologies, and features without regulatory impediments that limit availability and drive up costs for our customers.
Yost said the collaboration between the administration and the manufactured housing industry is commendable, with the acknowledgement and understanding of the critical service the industry satifisies toward meeting the nation’s affordable housing challenge.
Skyline Champion in Washington on Regulatory Advocacy
Skyline Champion is the largest publicly traded factory-built housing company in the country. Yost was invited to represent the industry and the organization last June to display a pair of furnished, HUD-code manufactured homes on the National Mall.
Skyline Champion leaders also have participated in roundtable discussions with HUD Secretary Ben Carson to carry out President Trump’s Executive Order directing federal agencies to work together to facilitate the production of affordable housing and alleviate regulatory barriers at the federal, state, and local levels.
Yost testified before the Senate Banking Committee last November and, as a result of his testimony, Congress passed legislation to support the inclusion of manufactured homes in state and local community development planning.
National Advocacy for Manufactured Housing
MHI CEO Lesli Gooch and former MHI President Richard Jennison talk with FHA Director Mark Calabria.
Through the advocacy of MHI and its members, this administration has comprehensively reviewed HUD’s policies and regulations over manufactured housing and HUD has proposed the first extensive changes to the HUD Code in nearly a decade. The HUD Code has not been so broadly or substantially updated in years. Proposed changes include new standards for attached garages, carports, decks, and accessory buildings.
“This administration recognized early on that because the HUD Code had not been updated in decades and because regulatory oversight had become an impediment to cost and innovation, it was increasingly difficult for manufactured home builders to offer consumers the latest innovations, technologies, and features,” Gooch said.
“Not only is HUD making long-needed changes to our federal building code to support even greater innovations and efficiencies in our homes, but the administration is also looking at ways to eliminate regulatory barriers at the state and local level that limit the placement of HUD Code homes in communities where affordable housing is needed most. In addition, the Administration continues to make progress in ensuring government-sponsored financing programs are available for Americans seeking to purchase manufactured homes, including CrossMod homes.“
Further, at the direction of the administration, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Housing Administration have continued their efforts to improve access to financing for manufactured housing.
Response to COVID Crisis, Restrictions
During the COVID pandemic, the Administration acted quickly to resolve supply chain challenges by issuing its first-ever, industry-wide Alternative Construction letter allowing manufacturers to provide homes throughout the crisis.
MHI commends President Trump for taking the necessary steps to create a better regulatory environment for American businesses. The reversal of burdensome overregulation to support our national infrastructure will help ensure affordable housing is available in rural communities and across the country where it is most needed. MHI is committed to continuing our work with the Administration to create a better regulatory environment for the industry.
“We are extremely encouraged by the steps the administration is taking to change its approach to the regulation of manufactured home production,” MHI President Mark Bowersox said. “The efforts and dedication of this Administration to prioritize manufactured housing as a critical unsubsidized affordable housing option and its continued progress to make government-sponsored financing programs available for today’s manufactured homes will support more Americans becoming homeowners.”
Formica provided a display of residential and commercial, vertical and horizontal applications for its many new laminate designs at IBS 2020.
Formica Corporation and the mainstay material it created — laminate — have a 107-year story that in its highs and lows is somewhat of a mirror to the experience many have felt in manufactured housing.
It’s always been there, it’s always been valuable, it’s always been affordable, and through intention and necessity, it’s always been in a state of reinvention.
Swap out the phrase laminate and Formica for manufactured and mobile homes, and the accuracy remains uncanny.
Leanne Ford from the HGTV show “Restored by the Fords” explains how she implements Formica for quality and affordability.
Leanne Ford is a Pittsburgh-based interior designer who has been featured in some of the top style and design magazines, and stars on the HGTV show “Restored by the Fords”. She also is a spokesperson for Formica’s bent toward utility, design, and versatility.
“My favorite question is ‘That’s Formica?’,” Ford said during a media tour at the International Builder’s Show in Las Vegas earlier this year.
“Formica really had its heyday in the ’60s, and though it’s always been here and been relevant, it seems to be making a comeback in the popular consciousness,” she said. “People have largely had this pre-conceived idea about what Formica is when really it can be anything you want it to be.”
All for $3 per square foot.
Find the Look with the Value
Renee Hytry Derrington is the Formica Group’s vice president of design. She said the company has long been known for residential kitchens, though approximately 70% of the company’s global business is in the commercial sector.
“It was a clean surface, it’s a bright surface,” she said, one that really caught on in the post World War II boom in America.
They started by photographing or scanning natural materials — like different kinds of wood and stone — and have moved to artists creating watercolor designs, for instance, that they then scan and turn into a laminate surface for horizontal or vertical use.
Hytry Derrington started at Formica in 1989.
“We were strong in manufactured housing in the 80s,” she said. “At that time, color was coming into the kitchen more readily, and it was being used on countertops as well as cabinet finishes. That’s coming back with some of the FENIX® Collection, which is from a partnership out of Italy, in very sophisticated, soft touch colors,” she said.
Real scale versions of exotic granites and marbles came into the market in 2009, with the 180fx® collection, to help designers and contractors who yearned to maintain a certain look but were working on a reduced budget.
“For me, it was the perfect storm from the technology side and how that translates to print,” Hytry Derrington said. “And now, 10-plus years later, it was time for us to further express our individuality.”
Recent editions of the line include Watercolor Porcelain and Watercolor Steel, which are handpainted by an on-staff artist then scanned in full-size and high resolution before being printed, pressed, and finished.
“Formica laminate is an iconic solution for stylish, creative looks that can go in any home on any budget,” Ford said.
“The amazing array of patterns and colors offered allow us to showcase fresh ways to use laminate beyond the kitchen and throughout the home,” she added.
In June of 2019, Formica was purchased by Broadview Industries from the Netherlands, Owen Serey, head of public relations and communication for Formica, said.
“Broadview is also the parent company for Arpa and its industry-leading FENIX, from Italy, and Trespa, which is a Dutch company that does exterior cladding and decorative facades,” he said. “It’s been wonderful to share our combined design knowledge and innovative technologies to further strengthen each company’s place as a global design leader.”
SECO20 will be a virtual event on a robust digital platform that in many ways will replicate the attendee, presenter, exhibitor experience so many manufactured housing professionals have come to appreciate and enjoy during the organization’s 10-year run.
The SECO National Conference of Community Owners was organized for community owners, by community owners with an annual conference in the Atlanta area that has grown to a national event representing all parts of the industry.
In recent years, SECO has attracted more than 400 attendees. Organizers anticipate attendance could increase in 2020 due to the virtual access and the limited number of industry events being held.
For more than a decade, the committed group of manufactured housing professionals has assembled and dedicated itself to building an industry meeting in an effort to share best practices and form new ideas.
In 2020, the SECO National Conference of Community Owners again seeks to create a fresh and compelling experience this time in a virtual setting, and with all of the access and camaraderie attendees have come to expect.
Dates for the Virtual SECO are Sept. 28 – Oct. 1
“We anticipate accommodating just as many attendees, if not more, for our first conference on a virtual platform,” SECO Co-Founder Spencer Roane said. “We want our attendees to be able to have continued access to the offerings that matter most to them, which includes interacting with industry exhibitors, as well as sitting in on educational panels and discussions, and being able to step aside for more personal interaction with other attendees.”
SECO20 Goes Virtual for COVID-19 Limitations
For months, COVID-19 and associated protocols have kept people at home, or in as limited circulation as possible. However, the manufactured housing industry is essential and work must continue in the safest way possible.
“While travel, and gathering as large groups may be difficult to impossible in the coming months, the essential work of our industry must continue and is continuing,” SECO Co-Founder David Roden said. “Just as we are required and compelled to do in the offices, in our communities, and in the field, we have to find the best possible way to keep industry momentum, productivity, and quality on the rise in a safe and healthy manner. And working on a virtual platform to share our intentions and ideas is a great way to do that.”
SECO20 will be held on video screens nationwide, with 2- to 3-hour segments that allow manufactured housing professionals to continue their daily work and get the industry interaction and experience they need to be successful.
For added information on registration, exhibiting, and sponsorship at the 2020 SECO National Conference of Community Owners Sept. 28-Oct. 1, go to secoconference.com.
A new manufactured home from Clayton with residential design features now permitted in R1 and mixed-use districts of Panama City, Fla.
Legal Battle Results in Greater Access for Factory-Built Housing
FMHA Executive Director Jim Ayotte.
Panama City, Fla., voted recently to change its residential zoning code to allow “Residential Design Manufactured Housing” into all areas zoned for residential and mixed-use.
The Panama City Commission voted unanimously to approve the measure following months of legal maneuvering by the Florida Manufactured Housing Association and its attorneys.
Panama City Includes ‘Residential Design Manufactured Homes’ in New Single-Family Housing Code for All Districts Zone for Residential and Mixed-Use
“On June 23, the city commission unanimously approved Ordinance 2740, which defines a Residential Design Manufactured Home as a home complying with the Fannie Mae MH Advantage™ or Freddie Mac CHOICEHome® mortgage program,” FMHA Executive Director Jim Ayotte said in a statement.
The notification and request for a change was accompanied by a records request to help document the case. City officials acknowledged during a November meeting with FMHA that the city land-use code might have been discriminatory. At the time, however, the city made no discernable effort to change the code.
Florida Association Files Complaint Against Municipality
FMHA then filed a lawsuit against the city for violating the state’s public records law.
The city acknowledged it failed to comply, which provided FMHA an opportunity to attempt a negotiated settlement to avoid further litigation.
As part of the proposed settlement, FMHA requested the city to amend its land use code to allow Residential Design Manufactured Homes in residential and mixed-use districts.
Ayotte said the FMHA is preparing to meet with the city’s community development director to discuss potential opportunities for a home demonstration project.
“A demonstration project will help educate the public and neighboring government officials about the attractive, quality, and affordable workforce housing available through the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac manufactured home mortgage programs,” Ayotte said.
The RV/MH Hall of Fame is located in Elkhart, Ind.
In an emergency meeting, the RV/MH Hall of Fame executive committee voted to postpone the Annual RV/MH Hall of Fame Induction Dinner until Dec. 3. The ceremony had been scheduled Aug. 3.
“I have had better days, but we need to do what needs to be done. And postponing the Induction Dinner amid the continuing coronavirus pandemic is the appropriate course of action,” RV/MH Hall of Fame President Darryl Searer said.
From left, Jess Maxcy, Maria Horton, Rick Robinson, Dick Jennison and Lesli Gooch are among the 420 attendees from 25 states who came to Elkhart Aug. 5 to honor the RV/MH Hall of Fame class of 2019.
In the decision, the executive committee believed the atmosphere to celebrate at the later date would be much more positive, hopefully with fewer concerns for health and safety, and with an overall feeling of peace of mind.
“And the class of 2020 inductees agreed. As it is their day, I have spoken with the inductees and the overwhelming vote was to move the date towards the end of the year,” Searer stated. “They all thanked us for agreeing to move the date.”
For more details or to make reservations, please visit: www.rvmhhalloffame.org/rsvp or call the Hall of Fame at (574) 293-2344 or 800-378-8694.
Owners and operators of manufactured home communities are seeing interesting developments in three areas of the business.
New Greenfield Projects
Community Expansions
Older Community Upgrades
Greenfield Projects
The need for new communities is great in most parts of the country. After years of vacancies in communities, most desirable existing communities are at or near capacity, resulting in an increasing demand for new projects. Unfortunately, zoning new sites is difficult. Sewer and water availability in desirable locations where zoning is attainable is rare. Many available zoned sites are in undesirable or difficult locations. And public opposition to new communities continues to come from the “trailer park” perception.
Construction costs are rising, but so is the value of the finished project. As a result, it is important to take advantage of unique ways development costs can be minimized by using knowledgeable manufactured housing community planners and engineers.
Photo courtesy of Zeman Homes.
Community Expansions
It is often easier to expand an existing community than to start anew. Zoning in many cases is less difficult since it is an expansion of an existing use. And hopefully, the existing community is well managed and cared for and will generate minimal opposition. If not, it is important to bring it up to respectability before seeking approval to expand. The expansion also can provide an opportunity for existing residents to upgrade to a new home in the expansion area, allowing for the removal of less attractive older homes. New home sales in the expanded community provide an additional profit center for the owner. Additional utility services may be available from the local supplier or attainable through the expansion of the existing on-site facility. The addition of new sites to the existing community may not require a significant increase in overhead, another benefit to expansion. Care should be exercised to the disruption to existing residents caused by construction activities and some up-grade in the community amenities is advisable to minimize residence concerns.
Photo courtesy of Zeman Homes.
Community Upgrades
Upgrading an existing community is a win-win for the owner, the residents, and the industry. The community already is properly zoned and in a great location. Making the community more attractive and livable should be welcomed by residents and neighbors alike. On the negative side, some communities have rezoned undesirable properties making the addition of newer homes difficult. However, many of our more progressive state associations have tackled this matter and made the practice unlawful. Often municipalities require reconfiguration of home-sites to conform to the existing regulations regarding setbacks and lot sizes. Fortunately, many states allow for lot reconfigurations to reflect the rules that were in effect when the community was originally constructed. Michigan and Indiana are two states with that advantage. Many times, residents become concerned about their future. However, if the owner has the foresight to get its image in order first — entrance upgrades, street improvements, refreshed structure appearance, and landscaping — it can stimulate residents to upgrade their home and home-site appearance.
Revisions to the community’s “Guidelines for Living” in a reasonable time frame will assist in that effort.
All three of the options discussed, if properly done, will give the industry a much-needed image boost and ready the market for expansion.
Donald C. Westphal, Associates, LLC, winner of seven Community of the Year Awards, has a 50-year history of planning great Manufactured Communities and is still enthusiastically serving the industry. Learn more at www.dcwestphal.com.
More than 1,500 manufactured housing professionals are expected in Las Vegas April 7-9 as the Manufactured Housing Institute’s Congress and Expo returns to the...
With more homes, more exhibitors, and more buzz than ever before, the 2026 Biloxi Show is expanding, and fast.
The Biloxi Manufactured Housing Show &...
In addition to attending, individuals and organizations in the manufactured housing industry can benefit from unique exhibitor and sponsorship opportunities with SECO20.
