KMHI Meets Goals By Sticking To Plan Creating Successful Partnerships

by Logan Hanes

Editor’s Note: Each edition of MHInsider during 2023 will include a contribution from a state or regional executive detailing recent efforts and near-term plans to improve the productivity and success of the manufactured housing industry.

The Kentucky Manufactured Housing Institute measures its success based on four strategic objectives: public education, advocacy, education of membership, and workforce growth. These goals were developed in 2018 and will continue to be relevant in 2023.

Educating the Public

In terms of public education, there were several initiatives in 2022. For example, KMHI placed an ad in all of the Kentucky Association of Counties and Kentucky League of Cities quarterly magazines, giving KMHI the opportunity to address the affordable housing crisis and share the benefits and quality of manufactured housing.

Furthermore, KMHI launched a consumer-facing website in partnership with manufacturedhomes. com. The goal of this website is to reach potential consumers and to educate and encourage manufactured and modular home buying in Kentucky.

The association presented across the state in front of realty groups on the quality of manufactured housing and its ability to be a solution to the affordable housing crises.

Our grassroots effort to address the lack of inventory, especially as it relates to affordable housing, is building the momentum we need to achieve our goals.

We also placed emphasis on educating and training appraisers through a continuing education course that goes in-depth on all updates and best practices for manufactured and modular homes. This course is made possible through a partnership with a former member of the Kentucky Real Estate Appraisers Board. »

Advocacy

The second initiative, and one that KMHI does not take lightly, is in the area of advocacy. Unfortunately, there is still a lot of NIMBYism (behavior of someone who does not want something to be built or done near where they live) surrounding manufactured housing – this is at every level of local and state government. First, a strategy to tackle opportunities at the local level starts with education; the association has seen great success in working with realtors to act as a liaison to local government officials. This support has led to multiple educational meetings and presentations with various stakeholders and decision-makers in local government.

KMHI is pleased to say success is happening, one municipality at a time.

Looking at the state level, Kentucky had several legislative goals to accomplish. First was being added to an exemption list for inventory tax, a tax developed in 2008 that had far too many exemptions (boats, RVs, farm equipment, and others). KMHI spent the last three years working to be added to the state’s list of approximately two dozen exemptions, and this year KMHI was successful. The exemption will save retailers tens of thousands of dollars and eliminate the need to cull inventory ahead of the fourth quarter to minimize the annual tax burden. This practice had created undue pressure on factories and decreased installer workload.

The next legislative goal was electronic titling. Kentucky, like many states, has had an outdated system for years. Looking at the automobile titling in great depth, KMHI advocated for manufactured housing to be included in that process and again, was successful. Lastly, new language was proposed that would give a title holder the ability to file an affidavit stating that there was no longer a lien on their home. However, with our lenders’ best interests in mind, precautionary language was added to this bill that would require an attorney to be involved in the process and sign off on the affidavit. Additionally, if the affidavit were submitted fraudulently or with error, the title would revert back to the previous lien holder.

Member Education

Education of membership is a continued priority for the association. KMHI creates, plans, and conducts state-required continuing education for certified installers, known as “5-Hour Continuing Education.” This course focuses on regulatory changes and best practices for installing manufactured homes.

Workforce Growth

The last strategic priority for 2022 was the need to grow the workforce. In an effort to do so, KMHI sponsored the SkillsUSA State TeamWorks Competition. SkillsUSA is a high school and post-secondary organization where students who are interested in skilled trade can compete in various competitions at a regional, state, and national level. The TeamWorks competition hosts a team of four students from the same school who complete a project that revolves around carpentry, masonry, electric, and plumbing.

KMHI also serves on the board for K4C, a two-day hands-on career fair for high school trade students. The career days feature countless local and state organizations with multiple hands-on activities giving the students a glimpse into that specific career path/field Texas and a chance for them to ask questions and learn about various trades.

Through KMHI’s Scholarship Fund, we provide five scholarships to students who are entering the trades after high school — there are two scholarships available to students who live in manufactured homes.

To help grow the workforce immediately, KMHI initiated conversations with the Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings, and Construction to change the regulations to allow more options in submitting experience requirements to become a certified installer. Currently, an applicant is required to set five homes under the supervision of another certified installer, essentially requiring already certified installers to train their competition. The regulation change, should it pass, would allow for a potential certified installer to obtain three reference letters from either certified installers or retailers highlighting their

experience, and those who are HUD certified would be able to obtain a certified installer license in Kentucky.

Contributions in Times of Need

Natural disasters are something no one ever hopes to experience. Unfortunately, Kentucky had its share of disaster. In December 2021, a record number of tornadoes stretched over 100 miles in Western Kentucky, wreaking havoc on everything in their path. In the summer of 2022, record flooding swept many homes and businesses away in Eastern Kentucky. Deeply saddened by these events, KMHI developed a Disaster Relief Fund to assist those affected by these disasters. The funds awarded go to repairs, insurance deductibles, or the down payment on a new manufactured home. More than 250 applications were received, and KMHI’s members were very generous in giving donations to the fund.

KMHI has remained very active in local, state, and federal issues, and the association feels that its strategic plan enables the organization to be proactive in overcoming the misconceptions of the industry and to be responsive as unfair practices attempt to plague the manufactured housing industry. The leadership at KMHI is grateful to have a wonderful staff, and is appreciative of a fantastic and active board and committees that help to set the vision and goals of the association. Together KMHI is looking forward to continuing success in 2023. MHV

Logan Hanes is the executive director of the Kentucky Manufactured Housing Institute. Prior to his current position, he served as the vice president. He is responsible governmental affairs, zoning and land use, continuing education, and implementing the goals and objectives of the association. He has been instrumental in developing the education for local municipalities regarding the updates and improvements of manufactured housing and works closely with the Department of Housing, Buildings, and Construction.

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