What Does Board Service Mean to You?

By
Patrick Revere
-
Central Florida Manufactured Housing Community

MHInsider contacted three recent appointees to the NCC Board of Governors to talk to them about the value of board service and volunteerism. Here is what they had to say:

Erica Taylor’s involvement with Augusta Communities started in 2009 and has been full-time since 2013. Taylor has extensive knowledge in the underwriting of property economics and property financing and is responsible for acquisitions, project management, and business development. She prides herself in being a dedicated professional and cultivating opportunities for Augusta Communities through business relationships and creative thinking.

What motivates you to volunteer your time to the industry?

Erica Taylor, Augusta Communities

I have volunteered my time to be on the board of governors because I think it is important to be an advocate for nonprofit ownership and long-term housing cost stability for lower-income households.

Steven Blank, Blank Family Communities

I’ve been in this industry since I was 15 years old and have seen some great and concerning changes to our business, especially over the past five years. If my voice can help guide the industry to move in a positive direction, I think that is time well spent.

Maria Horton, Newport Pacific

As a newly appointed member of the MHI NCC Board of Governors, I look forward to contributing through my many years of experience in the management and betterment of manufactured housing communities. Working for Newport Pacific, a nationwide third party property management company and leader in our industry for over 40 years, I have accomplished making a difference in many of the lives of those who live in our parks by offering them a lifestyle they enjoy. It is a privilege and one I consider very important to me.

What do you intend to see accomplished as a result of your service?

Steven Blank is the president of Blank Family Communities, a third-party management group in the Midwest with 10 years of MH ownership/management experience and membership in the Michigan Manufactured Housing Association. His company helps owners in multiple states operate their communities more efficiently, and he also is a regular contributor to MHInsider magazine.

Taylor

I hope that through my service on the board of governors for NCC I can help advocate for the industry to continue to promote manufactured housing as a high-quality, energy-efficient, and lower-cost housing option for lower to middle-income families and seniors. I would also like to help change the public’s perception of manufactured housing by focusing on the contributions responsible owners make to improve manufactured housing communities.

Blank

Listing some aspirational goals here- I would like to help our industry continue to solidify itself as a premier option for affordable housing, removing the stigma associated with manufactured homes (and communities) and be proactive about rent control.

Horton

I would like to urge the large manufacturers and community owners to advertise in the mainstream. There are commitments made but the effort requires more participation to change the perception of our industry for attainable housing.

Maria Horton serves is the director of marketing and is a regional manager for Newport Pacific Capital Company, Inc., a full-service property management company located in Irvine, Calif., that specializes in manufactured home communities, apartment complexes, condominium associations and RV resorts. Newport Pacific has been a leader in the property management industry since 1980 and oversees properties throughout the United States. Horton holds her MCM, MHM, CAM, CCRM, CMCA and AMS designations and, also is a licensed manufactured housing salesperson.

What other volunteer efforts attract your attention? 

Taylor

I’m passionate about organizations and events that seek to provide or promote social, educational, and recreational services for low- and moderate-income households.

Blank 

I am also involved with the Michigan Manufactured Housing Association. Michigan has some of the best operators in the country and to be involved with such elite company has been great.

Horton

I find great satisfaction in being involved in the many other industry-related organizations whose boards I have involvement with such as AZMHCA, CMHI, and WAMH.   I volunteer for the City of Carson’s Mobilehome Park Rental Review Board, and the City of Costa Mesa’s Mobilehome Park Advisory Board. This provides me with additional exposure and knowledge of local and nationwide issues affecting our industry.

Anything you’d like to add?

Taylor

My 10+ years of experience working on behalf of the nonprofit owner of manufactured housing communities in California has provided me with a breadth of knowledge related to proforma analysis and acquisition financing,  the strengths and weaknesses of rent control, how to manage and respond to resident issues and complaints, how to undertake large capital improvement projects such as solar installations and utility conversions, how to rehab or replace homes, and how to navigate Mobilehome Residency Law.

Horton

Another of my recent volunteer efforts is in the formation of the non-profit WAMH organization, Women Advancing Manufactured Housing.  This is a networking opportunity and information source for women in our industry. One can access and join through Linked In.  I also am a volunteer member of the American Legion’s Women’s Auxiliary. There I enjoy supporting the men and women of our armed forces through fundraising and social events.

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