November/December 2021 Design & Build Edition

THE MAGAZINE FOR MANUFACTURED HOUSING PROFESSIONALS

DESIGN & BUILD EDITION CLAYTON PUTS FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY MHINSIDER INDUSTRY AWARD RECIPIENTS ANNOUNCED

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | MHINSIDER.COM

HOW TO DESIGN A HEALTHIER HOME

REDEFINING VALUE FOR THE MH/RV ASSET CLASS BROKERAGE & ADVISORY SERVICES  CLIENT

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Christopher Nortley President | CEO (586) 884-8416 chris@mhreinc.com

Amanda LaConte Senior Financial Analyst (407) 670-0552 amanda@mhreinc.com

MANUFACTURED HOUSING GROUP

RESULTS

Colleen Lannoo Melissa Wade Broker Associate | Senior Transaction Director of Data Research Manger (586) 580-7322 (586) 884-8415 colleen@mhreinc.com melissa@mhreinc.com

Tammy Fonk COO | Director of Sales (262) 498-3837 tammy@mhreinc.com

Detroit HQ Location 12900 Hall Road, Suite 190 Sterling Heights, MI 48313

Michel Mikkola Senior Advisor (407) 640-7046 michel@mhreinc.com

Tampa Location PO Box 4174 Tampa, FL 33677

Christine Ticconi Chief Financial Officer (586) 884-0671 christine@mhreinc.com

www.mhreinc.com

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The Maryville-based company was honored by the Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Awards program for exceptional voluntary actions that improve or protect the environment and natural resources with projects or initiatives not required by law or regulation.

CONTENTS

HAPPENINGS 6 Industry Happenings EVENTS 11 Manufactured Housing Industry Events 12 Biloxi Manufactured Housing Show INDUSTRY AWARDS 18 2021 MHInsider Industry Awards BUILDER 26 A Look at Cavco's Durango Facility, Tour Nearby Dolce Vita 30 Cavco Updates Brand, Closes Commodore Deal 36 Business Partners Team to Grow New Texas Builder 47 Dallas Builder Plans 700-Home Community

2 | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 EDITION

72 PAGE 60

With the pandemic came a renewed interest in healthy living, along with what we all can do individually and as a community to help save our planet and ourselves.

FINANCE 50 Illinois Kicks Off New Year with New Lending Disclosure Requirements ADVOCACY 53 New Organization to Advance Women in Manufactured Housing 55 A Word From the State Execs 59 Industry Rallies to Inform on Practical Energy Standards DESIGN 66 Contemporary Community Design: The Subdivision Model 70 Development is Back! Should You Develop an MHC? If So, What Does It Entail?

SALES 74 Death of a Salesman... And the Impact of Denial THE ALLEN LEGACY 78 Ten Things That Once Were

MHINSIDER.COM | 3

FROM THE

publisher

What 100 Means to You

F

VOLUME 4 • EDITION 6 NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 MHInsider.com Publisher

Patrick Revere patrick@mhvillage.com

Senior Graphic Designer Merit Kathan merit@mhvillage.com

Contributing Editor

For many people, the number 100 signifies perfection, the absolute top of the scale.

Fortunately, for us, as an industry, it’s not all that. We have plenty to accomplish. But 100,000 annual shipments for the industry nationwide in 2021 is a major milestone that should generate a certain sense of pride in each of us.

The Benjamin, the century mark, the addition of just that one new digit is a measure to hang your hat on, to put in your pocket like a little charm through the course of your business day, a little pep in the step.

Ok, at the risk of getting a little yearbook-reverential in this final MHInsider edition of 2021, I will remind you that the last time manufactured housing supplied more than 100,000 floors 15 years ago, the Tigers were in the World Series, there was a Bush in the White House, and Netflix stock sold for less than $4 per share.

We know what happened next, and all those years between. It took us only two years to dip to an industry low of 49,789 units and more than a dozen to climb out of that hole.

So kudos, manufactured housing professionals, kudos to all of you. Kudos to triple digits. Take a good long look at what we did in 2021, whether we land on 104,000 or 108,000 shipments, and figure out how you can help ship just a few more floors in this odd and volatile market, so that together this time next year we can celebrate again, whether the number is 110 or 115.

Keep clawing, keep climbing.

George Allen gfa7156@aol.com

Editor

Sean Vichinsky sean@mhvillage.com

Contributors

James Cook Suzanne Felber Mitch Gonzalez Devin Leary-Hanebrink Emeka Nnadi Kaitlyn Palatucci John Ace Underwood Don Westphal

Cover Image

Cover Photo Courtesy of Clayton Homes

Advertising Sales

(877) 406-0232 advertise@mhvillage.com

Editorial & General Inquiries Patrick Revere 2600 Five Mile Road NE Grand Rapids, MI, 49525 (616) 888-6994 patrick@mhvillage.com

Disclaimer

Although we make every effort to ensure that the information in this issue was correct before publication, MHVillage, Inc. and the publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause.

Opinions expressed are those of the author or persons quoted and not necessarily those of MHInsider or the publisher MHVillage, Inc.

Copyright Notice

Copyright ©2021 MHVillage, Inc. All rights reserved.

Reproduction of MHInsider content, MHI or other contributor content, in part or in whole, is prohibited without written authorization from MHVillage, Inc.

MHInsider™ is published by: Patrick Revere is associate vice president of publications for MHVillage and publisher for the MHInsider magazine and blog for industry professionals. His background is in print news, language, and communication.

2600 Five Mile Road NE Grand Rapids, MI 49525 (800) 397-2158 www.MHVillage.com

the american dream • Highest Price Paid for Your MHC • Smooth, Quick Closing • Free Property Evaluation Brokers Protected

Joshua Mermell Senior VP of Acquisitions Email jmermell@rhp.com Cell 248.508.7637 Office/Direct 248.538.3312 31200 Northwestern Hwy. Farmington Hills, MI 48334 rhp.com

INDUSTRY happenings Transactions Huntington Beach Community Changes Hands Skandia Mobile Country Club, a 167-unit mobile home property in Huntington Beach, Calif., has been sold for $58 million, or $347,305 per space, according to adviser and brokerage firm Marcus & Millichap. Skandia was built in 1963 over 17 acres and offers residents a community pool, spa, game room, and clubhouse with a full kitchen. The community is two miles from the beach, and within walking distance of the Bella Terra outdoor shopping mall, a downtown farmers market, and popular bars and restaurants.

242-unit condominium manufactured housing community for about $5.4 million.

Residents of N.H. Community Purchase Park Homeowners in Beech Hill Mobile Home Park recently purchased their 25-unit property, making it New Hampshire's 137th resident-owned community. Residents used training and technical assistance from the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund's ROC-NH™ team, and organized a co-op to negotiate with the park's owner to reach a $1 million deal.

Patrick Industries Buys Georgia Trailer Maker Firm Buys 50% in Canadian ‘Condo’ Community Firm Capital Property Trust has purchased 50% interest in Hidden Creek Condominium in McGregor, Ontario a

Beech Hill residents purchased their community for $1 million.

Elkhart-based Patrick Industries, a major supplier to RV and manufactured housing, has purchased Nashville, Ga.-based Coyote Manufacturing, a designer and fabricator of steel and aluminum trailers for boats, as well as towers, T-tops, leaning posts, and other custom components, primarily for the marine market.

Capital Square 1031 Buys Vero Community Midway Estates, a 183-site 55+ manufactured housing community in Vero Beach, Fla., has sold to Capital Square 1031 for nearly $13 million. The community sits on 28 acres near Highway 1 between Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, and has a pool, shuffleboard, and clubhouse.

6 | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 EDITION

Community Owner Partner to Help Grade School Students RHP Properties, the nation's largest private owner and operator of manufactured home communities, will give $10,000 each to support schools in Maine and Florida through AdoptAClassroom.org. AdoptAClassroom.org is a national nonprofit that provides funding for U.S. Pre K-12 teachers and schools to purchase materials and tools for their students to learn and succeed. This is the fourth classroom RHP Properties has adopted through the program, with a total of $40,000 of donations to date.

Hometown America Purchases a Pair of California Communities Diamond K Estates in Roseville, Calif., and Carman Ranch in Spring Valley, Calif., have been purchased by Hometown America for $79.5 million and $19 million, respectively. The new communities add more than 400 new homesites to Hometown America’s portfolio.

Flagship Makes Illinois Purchase Flagship Communities has purchased Woodland Acres, a 231-unit manufactured housing community in Springfield, Ill., for $16.3 million. The community sits on 50 acres and is near the highway and shopping.

Parkway Communities Acquires Ponderosa MHP Ponderosa Mobile Home Park, a mid-sized community of about 100 spaces in Haltom City, Texas in the Dallas-Ft. Worth MSA, has been purchased by Parkway Commu-

nities. The off market deal was closed with no financing contingencies. In eight years, Parkway Communities has expanded to own and operate 17 manufactured home communities in nine states.

Personnel Yale Names Land Sales Director Mitch Gonzalez has been promoted from transaction manager to head of land sales and development at Yale Realty & Capital Advisors. Gonzalez will oversee the booming demand for land development, with more than 1,100 listings for to-be-built sites with three proposed projects in Florida, as well as similar endeavors nationwide.

Honors Affordable Housing Honor Awarded in Ohio The winner of an affordable housing design competition is a two-story home featuring a front porch conservatory that can be converted into living space as a family grows. The prizewinners, Tim Lai AchirtecT, Titan Facility Services, and COhatch, get $50,000 and have the opportunity to contract with the Central Ohio Community Land Trust to build a version of the home on a pair of lots, one at Hilltop and the other in Whitehall.

More than 30 design teams entered the competition sponsored by Neighborhood Design Center, the Central Ohio Community Improvement Corporation, the City of Columbus, the Franklin County Board of Commissioners, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Columbus, and the Building Industry Association of Central Ohio.

MHINSIDER.COM | 7

Happenings

“I’m thrilled to see the winning design for the Next Home 2021 Design Competition that will serve as a model for other future low-cost construction projects throughout the Central Ohio region,” Columbus City Councilmember Shayla Favor said. “As we continue to seek out innovative and affordable options to address our housing challenges, we know that partnerships such as this will be critical to our success.”

Alabama Association Names Persons of the Year The Alabama Manufactured Housing Association presented Person of the Year awards to Jonathan Turner for 2020 and Bart Mercer for 2021 during the Manufactured Housing Multi-State Convention held in Orange Beach, Ala. The state’s Person of the Year Award is among the longest running and most prestigious awards given to members of the manufactured housing industry. Mercer has more than 30 years of experience and is the vice-president of Jenilyn’s Creations, Inc. and the president of Mercer Property Management, Inc. He serves on the Alabama Manufactured Housing board of directors where he has been chairman for three years. Turner has worked in finance at Dave Carter and Associates since 1997, and has been a board member of the AMHA since 2008.

Tim Lai AchirtecT, Titan Facility Services, and COhatch won an affordable housing design award the provides $5,000 and the opportunity to show two new homes.

8 | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 EDITION

In Memoriam Industry Mourns Loss of SECO Organizer Genevieve Ketelle, a manufactured housing professional and longtime organizer for the SECO Conference has passed away after an extended illness. Ketelle, 53, was instrumental in the success of SECO, an annual conference for community owners held in the Atlanta area for more than a decade. She was always willing to take on a new challenge and was a real pleasure to be around. She moved from Atlanta to Quebec in late 2020 to be with her very close family. She is the daughter of the late Paulette Nothomb and Marcel Ketelle. She is survived by her children Isabelle and Samuel, her sister, Isabelle, and brother, Timothée, her sister-in-law Marjolaine and brother-in-law Patrick, her nephews Tommy, Zachary, Kylian, and Alix, her cousin Sandrine (François), her cousin Benjamin (Hélène), her aunt Arlette, as well as many other relatives and friends. Sympathies can be expressed through a donation to the Quebec Cancer Foundation.

Have industry news you'd like listed here?

Call Magazine Publisher, Patrick Revere, at (616) 888-6994, or email at patrick@mhvillage.com

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Industry Events

TexCo 2022 — 'Parkflation'

Biloxi Manufactured Housing Show

Thursday, Jan 13. 2022 Woodlands, Texas. — Woodland Waterway TexCo is a single-day event with succinct presentations on manufactured housing industry operations.

Texas is one of the industry's most active states for community expansion and development, as well as a destination for residents of other states where they've been priced out of the market. Learn about demographic and market shifts that affect all states, and network with seasoned professionals from all corners of the business. Register at www.texcoevent.com.

Monday, March 28 — Thursday, March 31, 2022 Biloxi, Miss. — IP Casino Resort and Spa Formerly held in Tunica, the South Central Manufactured Housing Institute has moved its annual manufactured home show to Biloxi, Miss. Each year, SCMHI hosts North America’s largest indoor/ outdoor manufactured home trade show. The 2022 show features exciting new homes on display, an impressive exhibit hall that showcases the newest features from industry suppliers, and educational training to help build a business.

MHI Winter Meeting

MHI Congress & Expo

Wednesday, Feb. 9 — Friday, Feb. 11, 2022 New Orleans, La. — Royal Sonesta Hosted each February, the MHI Winter Leadership Roundtable is the first MHI members-only event of the year. This program brings together MHI members to hear from industry experts on topics relevant to a broad group of manufactured housing professionals. Event sessions are followed by an open forum where attendees can share strategies on these issues affecting the industry.

Monday, April 11 — Thursday, April 14, 2022 Orlando, Fla. — Rosen Shingle Creek Resort The national trade show where manufactured housing professionals can obtain the knowledge and resources necessary to excel in today’s housing marketplace.

Choose from attending top-quality educational programs with powerful speakers, networking with the industry’s most successful professionals, developing new business strategies, and visiting the exhibit floor to see the latest products and technologies.

If you have an event or gathering — virtual or in person — you would like to have listed with MHInsider, please contact us at: www.mhvillage.com/pro/manufactured-housingindustry-trade-shows/

MHINSIDER.COM | 11

Events

MANUFACTURED HOUSING

Events

BILOXI MANUFACTURED HOUSING SHOW 2022 March 28 – 31, 2022 IP Casino Resort Spa • Biloxi, Mississippi www.biloxihomeshow.com

by Kaitlyn Palatucci

I

In March, the very first Biloxi Manufactured Housing Show will open its doors to over a thousand MH leaders and professionals from March 28-31, 2022 at the IP Casino Resort Spa in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Formerly known as the Tunica Show, this event will continue to showcase the newest and most innovative participants in factory-built housing. The event will be hosted by the South Central Manufactured Housing Institute (SCHMI), with a representative Board from Alabama and Mississippi Manufactured Housing Association members and executives. Their vision of moving the show to Biloxi is generating excitement throughout the industry and will be attracting attendees from new areas of the region.

12 | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 EDITION

The city of Biloxi is one of the oldest communities in the country, nestled between New Orleans and Mobile on the Gulf of Mexico. Known for its “year-round” celebrations, dining, casinos, and entertainment, the Biloxi Manufactured Housing show has found its new home at Biloxi’s hotel gem - IP Casino Resort Spa. This one-stop resort destination with water views can accommodate all show attendees and guests.

Education,exhibitors, and homes will be placed close together for easy access and networking time.

This new location and venue will become the center of factory-built housing for three days where attendees will connect, learn, tour, and progress.

Events

Connect in Biloxi To maximize connections at the 2022 Biloxi Manufactured Housing Show, the hall floor has been expanded and a new Welcome Reception has been added to the schedule. The Welcome Reception will act as a kick-off to the show on Monday, March 28 where participants can renew acquaintances, and network with newcomers. This opening night reception and the larger show floor will ensure that in-person time together is maximized in order to drive relationships, establish new ones, and bond as an industry. Everyone has waited a long time to be back together in person and we shouldn’t waste a minute of it.

Learn it in Biloxi At next year’s Biloxi Show, educational workshops will be open on March 29 and 30 for attendees to learn about critical and timely issues facing the industry. Education will be divided into two separate tracks focused around Community »

MHINSIDER.COM | 13

Events

Owners/Operators and Retailers. Each workshop has been specially curated to bring together the most qualified subject matter experts and will include topics such as Managing Sales for Optimum Results and Connecting with the Next Generation of Community Residents.

Tour it in Biloxi The latest in manufactured homes will be brought together at the Biloxi Show for a one-stop-shop of touring.

Leading manufacturers will have their newest homes on display directly across the street in the hotel parking lot and availableto explore for over three days. Tour them all to see the impressive growth and continued value in factory-built housing.

affordable option. Participants will strengthen their brand, introduce innovations and re-establish relationships.

Gain an edge on whatever competition you face, and increase market share by attending the Biloxi Show. It will all be there.

The 2022 Biloxi Manufactured Housing Show is being managed by the industry-centric digital marketing agency ManufacturedHomes.com. “Every facet of the Biloxi Show has been examined and re-examined, heightening the value for the attendees. The Show will showcase the latest products in the industry and share what is working. Ultimately the goal is to claim a larger share of the housing market and heighten awareness of today's manufactured housing,” Chris Nicely, President of ManufacturedHomes.com stated. MHV

Progress in Biloxi The 2022 Biloxi Show, like many others in the industry, is the time for professionals to gather, engage, network, and most importantly, support the manufactured housing industry. While we are experiencing this robust market, all players must continue to be forward-facing, demonstrating why our products deliver great value and represent an

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Events

2022 LOUISVILLE MANUFACTURED HOUSING SHOW POSTPONED

T

The Louisville Manufactured Housing Show previously scheduled for Jan. 19-21, has been postponed to 2023.

Hosted in Louisville for more than 60 years, The Louisville Show is the Midwest’s premier event for manufactured housing professionals and features the latest lineup of new homes, products, and services.

The event is organized and presented annually by the Midwest Manufactured Housing Federation, which represents the states of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio.

“The Louisville Show is traditionally the year’s first major opportunity to browse these homes before the spring buying season kicks into full gear, and we’re proud to be a part of it,” Kreil Moran, chairman of the Midwest Manufactured Housing Federation, said. “We’re excited to welcome manufactured housing professionals to Louisville in 2023 to view the newest model homes and industry innovations on display.”

Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and on top of record demand for manufacturers and suppliers in the industry, Show Chairman Byron Stroud is dedicated to starting 2023 off strong with The Louisville Show.

“The health and well-being of our attendees and exhibitors remains our top priority,” Stroud said. “When The

16 | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 EDITION

Louisville Show returns in 2023, we’re looking forward to welcoming the industry back into our doors for the largest indoor manufactured housing show in the U.S.” Stroud added that upon the event’s 2023 return, The Louisville Show would adhere to all CDC and local guidelines that are in place at that time.

The 2023 event once again will take place at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky, where industry professionals can view dozens of the latest model homes from the top manufacturers in the industry ahead of the busy spring and summer buying seasons.

Exhibitor Opportunities Open Soon For 2023 Exhibit space is expected to sell out fast for the 2023 event. Join the mailing list to keep up on the latest event updates, including reminders on deadlines for sponsorships, exhibitor registration, and activities.

Registration and exhibition details for the 2023 event will be announced in the coming months. Any exhibitors with questions relating to the postponed 2022 event or the upcoming 2023 event can visit www.thelouisvilleshow. com for more information. MHV

AUGUSTA COMMUNITIES growing caring neighborhoods Augusta Communities is a non-profit housing organization that was founded in 1998 to provide affordable housing opportunities for households of modest means through the acquisition, rehabilitation, and preservation of existing manufactured housing communities.

Our resident programming focuses on four interconnected pillars.

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Our Mission To build strong and vibrant communities by fostering partnerships, cultivating resources and developing programs that enrich the quality of life for residents of Augusta Communities.

If you are interested in preserving your community as affordable housing, call (909) 981-0192 or visit augustacommunities.org.

Industry Awards

– 2021 –

INDUSTRY AWARDS In Recognition of the Highest Achievements in Manufactured Housing

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for the MHInsider Industry Awards. The list of deserving honorees was deliberated until there were 21 nominees awards in five categories.

We employed the volunteer efforts of more than a dozen state and regional manufactured housing industry association directors to conduct a vote on the safe, and secure voting platform eBallot.

So congratulations to all of the winners. Thank you for the work you do!

Advocacy Award

Legacy Award

Honors efforts toward outreach and education that reach beyond professional position or title

Honors manufactured housing professionals whose overall career contributions are certain to create meaningful and lasting industry improvement and excellence

Influencer Award Honors individuals who, by their presence and authentic implementation of ideas, have created widely held business practices and wholesale improvements for the industry

Leadership Award

Visionary Award Honors those who have brought to market the coolest concept or product, the idea that makes the job easier, the offering better, the customer experience more meaningful

Honors individuals who have earned the highest levels of industry achievement through their corporate or organizational leadership approach

Honorary Judges Ken Anderson Amy Bliss Frank Bowman Ron Breymier Deanna Fields Andrea Greene Randy Grumbine

MHInsider Editorial Board Jennifer Lassen Jennifer Hall Logan Hanes Jess Maxcy Marla McAfee DJ Pendleton Leo Poggione

George Allen, EducateMHC Paul Barretto, MHInitiatives Paul Bradley, ROC USA Barry Cole, Manufactured Housing Insurance Services Kevan Enger, Capstone Stacey Epperson, NextStep Suzanne Felber, The Lifestylist

Dawn Highhouse, MHVillage/Datacomp Maria Horton, Newport Pacific Darren Krolewski, Datacomp/MHVillage John Neet, MAI Karl Radde, Southern Comfort Homes Patrick Revere, MHInsider/MHVillage TC Sheppard, UMH Properties

MHINSIDER.COM | 19

Industry Awards

T

he second annual MHInsider Industry Awards tell a decades-long story of hard work, ingenuity, perseverance and a passion for innovative thought and business leadership. The manufactured housing professionals at Datacomp and MHVillage, through MHInsider magazine, are honored to be able to recognize the colleagues awarded for their high achievements.

Our 14-member editorial board, listed below, assisted in selecting among about 75 candidates

Industry Awards

ADVOCACY AWARD Karl Radde, President of Southern Comfort Homes

K

arl Radde, the winner of the MHInsider Advocacy Award, is a 1993 graduate of Texas A&M University where he started working part time for Yellow Rose Mobile Homes as a sales associate. After graduation, Radde became the full time finance manager working with national lenders in the manufactured housing industry. In 1999, the dealership became Southern Comfort Homes and evolved into one of the top five independent retailers in Texas. Radde devotes significant time to the Texas Manufactured Housing Association and the Manufactured Housing Institute to stay ahead of trends and activities that affect a consumer’s abilities to purchase and finance manufactured housing, lending his knowledge and experience into the conversation in effort to create a more meaningful and beneficial transaction for everyone.

What work or life skill do you give the most credit for your achievements?

Growing up, I was active in 4-H and FFA, which taught me communication skills. I was raised in a good Christian home on a ranch where we took care of sheep and cattle. That helped develop my work ethic and every year I would show that livestock in the county and state fairs, which taught me responsibility. While I was attending Texas A&M University, I went to work in sales at a local manufactured home retailer and I wasn’t as successful in sales as I would have liked, but, thankfully, they saw potential in me for working with lenders and insurance and put me in charge of finance and insurance. We eventually bought the company and it became Southern Comfort Homes where I am today.

20 | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 EDITION

Steve Schaub, CEO of YES Communities

S

teve Schaub, the winner of the MHInsider Influencer Award, is the founder and CEO of YES Communities, one of the largest portfolio ownership groups of manufactured home communities in the United States. Schaub created a company that focuses on building and operating affordable communities nationwide and connecting residents together to form communities in every sense of the word. He oversees all the company's acquisitions, capital market activities, and corporate strategy.

His influence with the company and in the industry has been felt particularly in the area of resident relations, hospitality, and service to the customer.

What work or life skill do you give the most credit for your achievements?

Throughout my career and being in various roles has helped me gain a better understanding of the business and having boots on the ground helps me understand what my team members might need to help them do their jobs better and the support I can give them to succeed. I worked as a sales and leasing agent and as a community manager, regional manager and then went into operations. Having that field experience gave me a more acute understanding of the day-to-day business. My life skill that has contributed to my achievements is really about relationship building, learning from others, and being committed to those I work with. Creating motivation for my team and treating everyone as equals is what makes me love what I do. My team members know how much I admire them and how they matter. YES Communities has been successful because of our employees, their dedication, and their love for our residents. That’s what inspires me to continue to move our business and the Industry forward.

MHINSIDER.COM | 21

Industry Awards

INFLUENCER AWARD

Industry Awards

LEADERSHIP AWARD Sam Landy, President of UMH Properties

S

am Landy, the winner of the MHInsider Leadership Award, works at the highest levels of the manufactured housing industry, from litigating on disparate impact against communities and residents, to establishing more generous financing terms for community owners who rent affordable housing, to expanding affordable living and homeownership from their homebase in New Jersey down the Atlantic states, and now expanding nationwide. UMH operates 127 communities in 10 states.

What do you view as the biggest accomplishment of your career?

Obtaining Fannie Mae financing for communities with 60% rental homes. This dramatically increases the affordability of our rental homes and financed home sales. Second is listing UMH on the New York Stock Exchange.

What work or life skill do you give the most credit for your achievements?

Perseverance. We persevered through many business cycles, but never giving up and knowing we can profitably and fairly provide quality affordable housing kept us going through some long downturns.

Expanded Q&A with the winners of our 2021 MHInsider Industry Awards can be found at our blog site www.mhinsider.com.

22 | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 EDITION

Don Westphal, Partner with The Nadi Group

D

on Westphal, the winner of the MHInsider Legacy Award, developed his first community in 1964. He was paid $45. Westphal opened his Rochester, Mich., landscape architecture firm in 1969. He has planned and designed all variety of property in his career, but his heart is in the affordable housing sector, bringing to life communities for workers and families, and has become a leader in smart, holistic design of manufactured home community and RV resorts all across the country. His company in 2020 merged with Nadi Group, a landscape architecture and design firm operating in Canada and the U.S.

What work or life skill do you give the most credit for your achievements?

Our ability to look at each project as a unique opportunity to change the face of the earth in a positive way while stressing affordability is important. Involvement in industry organizations, local and church activities have created rewarding experiences and friendships that I cherish.

Being able to withstand the ups and downs of a small business owner is a skill that is needed to survive and exceed in one’s life work. I have been blessed in so many ways.

MHINSIDER.COM | 23

Industry Awards

LEGACY AWARD

Industry Awards

VISIONARY AWARD Gub Mix, State Associations Director/Event Organizer

G

ub Mix, the winner of the MHInsider Visionary Award, is a legend among state executives and industry-wide, having operated four organizations simultaneously in the westerns U.S. — Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, and Utah. Mix, who is related to the Old West film star Tom Mix, has been described as a “fearless promoter”. He organized and hosted the first industry congress in Las Vegas, which became the MHI Congress & Expo held each year in the spring.

What do you view as the biggest accomplishment of your career?

The biggest achievement in my 34-year career within the MH industry was the establishment of the National Manufactured Housing Congress in Las Vegas in 1991. Between l986 and 1990 I held a series of regional MH conventions in Reno, Lake Tahoe, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and Las Vegas, including attendees from three to 11 states. Following a very successful meeting in Las Vegas in 1990, and since the MH industry had no official annual get-together, I decided to go national and booked the old Desert Inn Resort for the event. MHI agreed to assist with program planning and approximately 600 industry leaders attended. Between 1991 and 1998 we grew from 600 to 2,000 annual attendees and our exhibitor count grew from 100 to about 250. Following the 1998 event, MHI agreed to buy my ownership interest in the Congress and retained me for an additional five years to serve as Congress chairman.

24 | 2020 INDUSTRY AWARDS EDITION • MHINSIDER.COM

15th Annual Manufactured Home Community Financing Handbook

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Builder

A Look at Cavco’s Durango Facility, Tour Nearby Dolce Vita

by Patrick Revere

We have about 600 floorplans we build out of this facility. It can slow production a little bit, but it’s something we’ve become accustomed to doing for our customers, and something we’ve gotten good at as well.

-Paul DeRoo

26 | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 EDITION

Builder

P

Paul DeRoo and Todd Jensen from Cavco stroll through the company’s central manufactured facility in Phoenix, the Durango plant, and talk about what it takes to meet demand amid supply disruptions and labor shortages.

Cavco Durango opened in 1978 and employs 180 people, about 50 fewer than the builder had in the plant prior to Coronavirus mitigations.

They put out about 5 ½ floors per day. It’s all HUD Code product, single through multisection, including a triple-section home, the Montessa, that is being shipped to a resort community nearby.

“It’s an exciting plant, we’re really diverse in this facility,” said Jensen, who is the GM for the facility. “But labor was a challenge before COVID, and after it’s been our biggest obstacle throughout the supply chain.”

The facility supplies the development and home sales efforts to a long list of community customers in Arizona, and has a select retail presence including a Cavco-exclusive home center in South Tucson.

Jensen and DeRoo, the regional manager who works out of the park model facility in Goodyear, Ariz., point to a three-section home under construction. It’s about 1,900 square feet and will have an attached garage, too. »

Todd Jensen and Paul DeRoo of Cavco Industries.

Builder

“It’s stuccoed on-site and most of the communities will have them pit set,” Jensen said. “It gives the home and the entire community a more highly designed, residential look.

We have about 600 floorplans we build out of this facility,” DeRoo adds. “It can slow production a little bit, but it’s something we’ve become accustomed to doing for our customers, and something we’ve gotten good at as well. “Now if a customer wants a certain look, we can go through what we have and see what fits best. We can make relatively minor adjustments that will make a big difference for the homeowners,” DeRoo said. “And if the customer wants something they don’t see, we will find a way to make it work.

We’ll design a new floorplan in some cases.”

The ability to customize diminished slightly as material disruptions and cost became more of a challenge through 2021, but company culture doesn’t change because of a greater than normal number of shipping containers are stuck off the coast.

“It can be made to order, that’s I guess how you get 600 floorplans in

28 | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 EDITION

one facility,” DeRoo said.

Jensen said the company has a knack for building a house that’s heavier than most, with more hardwood and thicker decking, for instance.

“This is really a home to compete against the lower to middle market site-built homes,” Jensen explained.

“Many people in California buying this home have a household income of $250,000, but oftentimes cannot afford or do not want to pay the asking price for even older site-built homes where they want to live.”

Dolce Vita is a 55+ Resort Community in Apache Junction, Ariz.

In a mountainous, red rock setting of Southern Arizona’s Sonora Desert sits Dolce Vita, a treasure that was built by Sydney Adler in the late 90s and is now owned by Equity Lifestyle Properties. Cavco has supplied homes to Dolce Vita for 15 years.

There are 700 homesites at Dolce Vita, and the community is about 2/3 full. There is a 33,000 square foot clubhouse with billiards, a library and computer center, a gym, craft

and card rooms, a movie theater, and central ballroom. Outside, residents can enjoy water aerobics classes in the 3,000 square foot ocean-entry, heated pool, as well as a pair of spas, tennis courts, pickleball, bocce ball, horseshoes, shuffleboard, and a putting green.

“We have a very good relationship with the residents here, largely because we’ve been here through staff and management changes,” DeRoo said. “We try to be good neighbors when we’re bringing homes in, we want to be respectful of the setting and keep the noise and dust down as much as possible.”

Ronda Learned and her husband Randy moved f rom Nebraska to Dolce Vita in 2018. They are full-time residents.

“We liked that it was far enough out,” Learned said. “There’s not a lot around us. We came from a rural town in Nebraska, so this makes sense for us.

“And we really love the home,” she said. “I said if we’re going to move and make it permanent, that it had to be my dream home.

And this did it.” MHV

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Builder

CAVCO UPDATES BRAND, CLOSES COMMODORE DEAL

A

Arizona-based Cavco Industries recently completed an update of the corporate brand and finalized the acquisition of Commodore Homes, a deal that improves market share and geographic reach of the industry’s third-largest modular and manufactured home builder.

The company introduced its new brand in the fall, including a new logo and color palette.

From its roots as Cavalier Manufacturing, Cavco in the last five decades has grown to employ more than 4,700 team employees nationwide. Cavco is a leader in building, selling, financing, and insuring manufactured homes, modular homes, and park model RVs. 30 | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 EDITION

Cavco homes are available through independent retailers and company-owned retail stores across the U.S. and Canada and distribution points in 43 states with 40 retail stores and 19 production plants. In 2020, the Cavco delivered more than 14,000 homes, provided $165 million in financing to homebuyers, insured homes for over 60,000 homeowners, and provided claims assistance to more than 5,200 homeowners.

“As our business has evolved through the years, so too has the Cavco brand. We’re proud to introduce the new Cavco logo as the Company looks forward to a bright future filled with opportunity to make a difference,” »

Builder

Cavco supplies homes for communities and on private land nationwide.

MHINSIDER.COM | 31

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Cavco Increases Presence in Midwest, Builds Northeast Market Commodore Homes, which had been the country’s largest independent builder of manufactured and modular housing, has been purchased by Cavco. The deal was announced in July and finalized in September.

six new manufacturing facilities, two retail locations, and a home finance organization.

Boor said Commodore brands should remain intact following the acquisition, as has been the case with Fleetwood a dozen years ago and Palm Harbor about 10 years ago.

“We do not intend to change them,” he said. “Those brands have

Based on their vision for the industry and business philosophy, I have complete confidence that this is the right move for our dedicated associates, our valued suppliers, and our long-time customers.

-Barry Shein

The purchase price was approximately $153 million and was funded with cash on hand, the company said.

“We are excited to welcome the Commodore employees to the Cavco family and look forward to building on the strong reputation and success that Commodore has developed over their long history,” Boor said.

Acquiring Commodore means Cavco will assume and operate

a lot of value for the dealers and for homebuyers in the market.”

Boor praised the vision and work ethic developed at Commodore under Barry Shein’s leadership. He said the company has a reputation for quality, design, customer relationships, and integrity that is very consistent with Cavco’s philosophy and approach to doing business. »

MHINSIDER.COM | 33

Builder

Cavco Industries President and CEO Bill Boor said. “Cavco is a leader in the manufactured housing space...

We're excited for the future as we help homebuyers realize the homes of their dreams.”

The three primary areas of business for the company are Cavco Retail, including the Palm Harbor Village and Cavco Home Center collection, offering furnished model homes in a variety of sizes and price points for the public to tour and purchase.

Cavco Financial Services includes Standard Casualty Company and CountryPlace Mortgage.

Finally, Cavco Home Building Group designs and builds manufactured homes, modular homes, and park model RVs under the following individual brands: • Cavco Homes • Cavco Homes of Texas • Cavco Park Models & Cabins • Cavco West • Chariot Eagle • Destiny Homes • Durango Homes • Fairmont Homes • Fleetwood Homes • Friendship Homes • Nationwide Homes • Palm Harbor Homes “Cavco team members take pride in their work, knowing that the company’s home and service offerings provide stability, security, and wealth-building opportunities for families across the country,” Boor said. “For over 50 years, Cavco has worked to increase its positive impact on the lives of its customers and its team members, as well as in the communities it serves.”

Builder

“This deal took quite a while to put together and the upside is that we really got to know each other really well,” Boor said. “They’re very knowledgeable and very good people for us to be working with.”

Commodore builds manufactured homes in two states — Indiana and Pennsylvania — under the brand names Commodore Homes of Pennsylvania, Commodore Homes of Indiana, Colony Homes, MidCountry Homes, Pennwest Homes, and R-Anell Homes. The company has about 1,200 employees and operates across the northeast, midwest, and mid-Atlantic regions. Its retail operations are in Indiana and New York.

Commodore generated net sales of approximately $258 million and sold over 6,600 modules, equating to over 3,700 homes, in the last 12

months, according to a joint press release issued by the companies.

Commodore President and CEO Barry Shein said he and his team feel they’ve found a great fit with Cavco.

“Based on their vision for the industry and business philosophy, I have complete confidence that this is the right move for our dedicated associates, our valued suppliers, and our long-time customers,” Shein said.

“I offer my full support to ensure a smooth transition and a successful future for Commodore and its employees as part of the Cavco family.”

Boor said he anticipates a good blend of business practices prevailing from the transaction.

“There are huge opportunities in operations. A lot of times when one company buys another there’s a tendency to come in and say you’re

going to implement all of operating procedures across the new locations,” Boor said. “The really interesting thing is that Commodore does some stuff in manufacturing that I am really looking forward to investigating and bringing into all of our plants.”

About Cavco Cavco Industries, Inc., headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, designs and produces factory-built housing products primarily distributed through a network of independent and company-owned retailers.

The company is one of the largest producers of manufactured homes in the United States, based on reported wholesale shipments, marketed under a variety of brand names including Cavco, Fleetwood, Palm Harbor, Fairmont, Friendship, Chariot Eagle, and Destiny.

About Commodore The Commodore Corporation and its different divisions have a history dating from 1952. They are the largest independent manufactured and modular homebuilder in the United States, operating under a variety of brand names including Commodore Homes of Pennsylvania, Commodore Homes of Indiana, Colony Homes, MidCountry Homes, Pennwest Homes, and R-Anell Homes. Commodore has over 1,200 employees and operates across the Northeast, Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, with wholly owned retail stores in Indiana and New York. MHV

FOR MORE INDUSTRY NEWS, VISIT OUR BLOG AT

MHINSIDER.COM 34 | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 EDITION

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Builder

‘THE JESSUP WAY’ Business Partners Team to Grow New Texas Builder

by Patrick Revere

We show up each day at 6-6:30 so we can be there to shake each employee's hand each day to thank them for being there with us.

-Scott Cannon

36 | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 EDITION

Builder

J J

Jessup Housing set up a nicely branded and comfortable networking lounge at a hotel and conference center for the Texas Manufactured Housing Association annual meeting.

The space served as a prearranged spot for Jessup employees, clients, and partners.

Scott Cannon, the company’s vice president of sales, sat forward on one of the many bench-style sofas in the networking lounge and talks about the origins of Jessup as an organization, its roots and culture, and the homes it builds for customers in nine states.

“Every person in the business builds as if we’re building for our own family,” Cannon said. “Each home is like a new baby.”

In barely four years, Jessup Housing, out of Waco, Texas, has become a destination employer and a vital housing provider in the central and western U.S. The company was started by David and April Jessup with a small group of investors at the end of 2017, leveraging the industry veterans’ 50-plus years of experience with multiple builders. Together, they selected a location to build homes and pulled in a team to make it happen. » MHINSIDER.COM | 37

Builder

Cannon came aboard in May 2018. Casey Peacock and his sister-in-law, Meghan Roller, joined the team after running a collection of manufactured home dealerships, Hench’s Homes, in central Texas. Lance Inderman was “the land guy.” Donnie and Jack Brewer signed on with dealerships in North Louisiana, and Todd and Marvin McDonald rounded things out with dealerships in Jasper, Texas. Finally, April Jessup was set to draft and design homes, manage payables and receivables, and order materials.

But first, they needed a new facility.

Jessup I in Waco “David leased the old plant, a shell really, with no planks and no cover and no plumbing or wiring or anything else,” Cannon said. “The shell of the building was there, but really nothing else.”

They had the advisers in place and hired contractors to build out a factory to manufacture homes the way Jessup intended. The Jessup team held a job fair at the factory and 381 people showed up. They were overwhelmed with

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the response. They hired 80 people the first week and have been ramping up a bit more every quarter.

“It’s a modern plant in an old shell,” Casey Peacock said. “We put a lot of money in on the front end to save on the backend, and it’s worked.”

Like its production space, the leadership team for Jessup requires each home to have an added element of integrity that will serve the homebuyer well. They use cross members throughout, state of the art plumbing systems, enhanced insulation, and a number of other measures to build the best possible home in each price point.

The company has worked hard, Cannon said, to organize a package of floor plans and homes built to satisfy 80% of Jessup’s market.

“We want to be the best builder on the planet,” Cannon said. “This is all above and beyond what HUD code requires…We to do it The Jessup Way.”

Start Simple, Do It Well Jessup spent most of 2018 getting the home building facility, the key players, and the partnership worked out.

They built oil field units to get the factory ramped up and systems in place. In 2019 the company began building a multi-section home to bolster its lineup of single-section floorplans. In July of 2019, Rick Michalak rounded out the team, with 35 years management experience, as vice president of production.

“We were able to increase our production 25% in a relatively short period of time,” Casey Peacock said.

It wasn’t long before Jessup was producing 30-35 homes each week. When a need for expansion arose, the company expanded into an adjacent facility on the same site.

In July of this year, Jessup acquired its second plant in Waco, and production continues to ramp up at “Jessup II”. Now with more than 300 employees between the sites, its central Texas workforce is poised to optimize production towards 50 floors per week.

“We’re just ramping up,” Peacock said. “We are adamant about avoiding overtime, to manage labor expenses while providing our team members with work-life balance. We’re getting into a rhythm, and that’s what you want. That’s how we’re going to consistently get 45-50 floors a week.”

And, of course, the demand is there to support production. In March 2020, they sold 100 homes in a week.

“It was 140 the next week. It just keeps going up and up,” Peacock said. MHV

Builder

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Builder 40 | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 EDITION

Tennessee Home Builder Earns Multiple Awards, Hires New Director

C

Clayton has been honored multiple times in recent months, including on Oct. 4 for its positive impact on the state’s natural resources and communities.

“Whether it’s a private business, a government body, or a college or university, we want to recognize those who are showing a commitment to protecting the environment in Tennessee,” Gov. Bill Lee said. “Our honorees this year have proved worthy of such recognition.” » MHINSIDER.COM | 41

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The Maryville-based company was honored by the Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Awards program for exceptional voluntary actions that improve or protect the environment and natural resources with projects or initiatives not required by law or regulation.

“We have an outstanding group of award recipients,” Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) Commissioner David Salyers said. “We want these awards not only to honor the winners but to encourage others to follow their lead.”

Clayton Savannah, a home building facility in Savannah, Tenn., was recognized for material management practices, one of eight organizations honored on the day. It worked toward the vision of “developing housing innovations that improve lives and build a better tomorrow” in multiple ways, including with a partnership at Pickwick Landing State Park. The company diverted landfill waste from the home building process by donating leftover

gypsum board to add to a nutrient rich mix of compost to feed the gardens.

“We earned this award due to the way our team members have embraced sustainability by reusing, reducing, and recycling materials,” Clayton Savannah Environmental Health & Safety Manager Lisa Lujan said. “During the pandemic, we stopped and looked at our internal processes to see what we could do better on reducing and reusing materials. In 2020, Clayton Savannah reused 1.5 million pounds of materials – primarily wood and sheetrock – that would have otherwise gone to the landfill.”

The program also gives awards for agriculture and forestry, building green, clean air, energy, and renewable resources, environmental education and outreach, natural resource conservation, sustainable performance, and water quality conservation.

The state environmental awards have been given each of the last 35 years, but not necessarily in each category.

The 2021 awards lacked an honoree in the clean air category. Eleven judges reviewed 75 nominations in picking the 2021 recipients.

Clayton Home Building Group® Recognized as Market Leader Clayton Home Building Group received the 2021 ENERGY STAR® Residential New Construction Market Leader Award for 34 of its off-site home building facilities across the nation.

The facilities were awarded for the construction of energy efficient manufactured and modular homes.

ENERGY STAR® certified homes are quieter and more comfortable, have lower utility bills, and help protect the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

To earn the ENERGY STAR® certification, homes must meet strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. From January 2020 through April 2021, Clayton built over 20,000 ENERGY STAR® certified homes.

“Through our green building practices and energy efficient features that are included in our Clayton Built® homes, we are able to embrace sustainable home construction,” CEO Kevin Clayton said. “While we pride ourselves in the homes we build, we are also proud of the innovative building methods and standards we continue to adopt for the future.”

44 | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 EDITION

natural resources, which translates to less greenhouse gas emissions and reduced strain on their respective power grid.”

In addition, Clayton will also be expanding its ISO program. Currently, all of its manufacturing and supply operations are ISO 14001 certified, or in the process of becoming certified. Clayton will be expanding this program to address energy efficiency across its manufacturing and supply facilities by conforming with the ISO 50001 standard. This effort is aimed at reducing energy consumption and indirect emissions from purchased electricity. MHV

Reach Over 30,000 Manufactured Housing Professionals in Print and Online To Advertise Call:

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Builder

The company’s continued emphasis on being an environmental steward in the community and in the homes it builds has resulted in the hiring of a new director for environmental and sustainability initiatives.

“Building a better tomorrow for our communities and the environment is core to our mission at Clayton,” Clayton Director of Environment and Sustainability William Jenkins said. “Contributing more ENERGY STAR® certified homes to the marketplace is a great achievement for Clayton’s sustainability initiative. It represents our commitment to build a more sustainable future for our customers and communities.”

Beyond Energy Star, Clayton is starting the process of assessing the carbon footprint of its operations. Once established, it will be used as a baseline to set progressive emissions reduction targets going forward. As part of its national sustainability effort, Clayton aims to improve the energy efficiency of its homebuilding and supply facilities, set ongoing reduction targets for waste and water, and increase reliance on renewable energy.

“Innovations in energy efficiency help our homes operate more efficiently than comparable homes built to code,” Jenkins said. “This enables our customers to significantly reduce their consumption of energy and

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DALLAS BUILDER PLANS 700-HOME COMMUNITY

by Sean Vichinsky

A

A large Dallas-based builder, Megatel Group, has developed a new line of homes built for community living that will be set in a series of three developments, named Golden Gate, including one with 700 new homes in the Dallas suburb of Weston.

“This development project in Weston marks the launch of our prefabricated home park product line,” Megatel co-founder Zach Ipour said. “Within the next five years, we plan to build and develop 10,000 prefabricated homes across the nation through this platform.” »

MHINSIDER.COM | 47

Builder

Megatel’s Other Texas Communities are in Prosper and Celina The Dallas Business Journal reports area home prices have increased a record 23.7% in the previous 12 months, among the largest surges in the nation.

Megatel constructs houses, townhomes, and apartments throughout North Texas. It also develops lagoon communities, including one under construction in Forney. It has more than a dozen additional lagoon

We are pleased to develop our first of many prefabricated home parks and to provide a modern, yet affordable housing option for individuals with low to moderate income levels.

-Zach Ipour communities planned for six regional states. Founded in 2006 by brothers Aaron and Zach Ipour, Megatel Homes has become a prominent homebuilder in the Dallas Fort-Worth metroplex.

The company posted record-breaking sales results in May 2021, with more than 300 home sales and over $120 million in gross contract sales in that month alone.

“Recently, our focus has been on targeting the more affordable end of the housing market with higher density products,” Ipour said. “Additionally, we are hyper-focused on providing homebuyers with more value through the development of our new lagoon communities that offer world-class amenities, ultimately revolutionizing the typical residential subdivision.”

New Affordable Housing in Texas Homes in the new affordable Golden Gate Communities will range in size from 550 square feet to 2,400 square feet. Golden Gate Communities will feature a unique amenity center with a café, fitness areas, and resort-style swimming pool, pickleball, bocce ball, volleyball, and a playground.

Five acres at each community will be dedicated to amenities such as a farmers' market, which will provide 48 | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 EDITION

residents access to local produce and will ultimately support small business owners and agricultural workers.

“We are pleased to develop our first of many prefabricated home parks and to provide a modern, yet affordable housing option for individuals with low to moderate income levels,” Ipour said.

He said the use of prefabricated homes will help reduce the negative and costly impact of supply chain shortages and material scarcity.

“As material costs and labor shortages continue to negatively impact the industry, fabricated home parks will offer quality affordable housing options,” Ipour said.

“Through our Golden Gate Communities, we will change the perception of ‘trailer parks’ and provide innovative and modernized communities that are attainable for people with all price points, budgets, and lifestyles.

“Nationwide, there are approximately 250,000 construction jobs sitting vacant and prices, as well as lead times, of building materials have skyrocketed,” he said. “Our new prefabricated home park platform is an innovative approach to provide affordable housing options and to ultimately expand our customer base.”

Rent-Back Program Boosts Homeownership In March of 2019, Megatel launched its Rent-Back program in an effort to create a bridge between renters and homeownership. In partnership with select apartment communities, the Megatel Rent-Back program rebates up to a year of rent payments at lease-end to renters who choose to purchase a home.

“Our rent-back program has directly contributed to our success as renters search for more incentives that can help them achieve homeownership in today's surging market,” Ipour said. “This is a concept that no other home builder offers, and one that will serve as a solution to one of the biggest hurdles that would-be homeowners face. We have been investing in this program for two years and are now able to see the extraordinary results of this pioneering concept.” MHV

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Finance

Illinois Kicks Off New Year with New Lending Disclosure Requirements

by Devin Leary-Hanebrink

D

During the holiday season, as manufactured housing prepares to close the books on another strong year, it is nice to set aside time to reflect on everything the industry has accomplished — including the first year in nearly two decades that home shipments crossed the six-figure threshold. However, it is equally important to keep an eye on the future, especially because a new year always includes the introduction of new regulations and compliance requirements. As such, Illinois is leading the charge with a new lending disclosure that take effect New Year’s Day and affects every lender (and many retailers) operating in the state.

50 | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 EDITION

Illinois Senate Bill 1779 (“SB 1779”), which was signed by the Governor on Aug. 13, and takes effect Jan. 1, 2022, amends the state’s Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act (the “Deceptive Practices Act”) by creating additional disclosure requirements when lenders provide loan terms to a consumer purchasing a home that has not been converted to real property.

Specifically, a lender or an agent of a lending company, when offering terms for a mortgage note for the purchase of a manufactured home that has not been deemed real property by satisfying the requirements of the Illinois Conveyance and Encumbrance of Manufactured Homes

disclosure is required in connection with all manufactured

Act”), must now disclose the following: 1. A ny affiliation between the landlord and the lending company; 2. That the loan is a chattel loan; 3. That the terms of a chattel loan prohibit refinancing; 4. That, depending on where the consumer affixes the home — be it property owned by the consumer or on certain types of leased land — it may qualify as real property under the Conveyance Act; and 5. Any other reason that prohibits refinancing.

SB 1779 also makes clear that any violation of this new disclosure requirement constitutes an unlawful practice within the meaning of the state’s Deceptive Practices Act. Compliance with SB 1779 may seem simple enough, but there is more to it than meets the eye. First, as of publication, the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, the agency that oversees regulation of banks, financial institutions, and various licensed professions that operate in the state, has not yet promulgated an approved form or other type of safe harbor that lenders are to use when providing the required disclosure. Second, the Illinois DFPR has yet to clarify how it interprets “affiliate” in the context of potential relationships between landlords and lending companies. For example, it is unclear if affiliated relationships would be limited to the more traditional concept of corporate affiliation (e.g., two companies that are wholly-owned subsidiaries of the same parent entity) or if the Illinois DFPR will interpret the term more broadly to include contractual relationships or other similar business relationships.

Further, the requirement to disclose to consumers that “the terms of a chattel loan prohibit refinancing” is unclear. On its face, SB 1779 appears to indicate that this

home purchases financed as chattel loan transactions.

However, in our experience, the terms of a chattel loan generally do not contain a prohibition or restriction that would limit refinancing. In fact, refinancing is common.

Such a disclosure could mislead consumers — especially consumers who may qualify for refinancing but, after receiving this disclosure, will believe refinancing is not even an option. It is also unclear how this disclosure should be interpreted in connection with the requirement to disclose “any other reason that prohibits” refinancing.

The initial disclosure could imply that chattel loan refinancing is unavailable, whereas this second disclosure implies that refinancing is available only in certain circumstances. Without additional information, this will confuse most consumers.

While several issues remain unanswered as of publication, we anticipate that the Illinois DFPR will publish interpretive guidance before the end of the year.

Additionally, McGlinchey already is working with the Illinois DFPR to address items in need of clarification and will provide updates as soon as possible.

Happy Holidays from McGlinchey, and cheers to another great year for manufactured housing. MHV Devin Leary-Hanebrink practices with McGlinchey Stafford PLLC. He helps clients navigate state and federal government agencies that regulate a wide range of industries, including banking, consumer financial services, housing, and construction. McGlinchey Stafford PLLC is a multi-service law firm with a national presence, serving clients from offices in Alabama, California, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington, D.C.

It’s not what’s under the tree but who’s gathered around it.

Happy Holidays!

MHINSIDER.COM | 51

Finance

as Real Property and Severance Act (the “Conveyance

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by Patrick Revere

A

A new organization formed by manufactured housing professionals is recruiting members and building partnerships to organize on a single platform an important voice in advancing the industry.

Women Advancing Manufactured Housing is the result of years of casual conversation about organizing a coalition for women in the industry and came to fruition during a roundtable discussion among Justine Natalie from Dynamic MH Solutions, Maria Horton from Newport Pacific, Sherrie Clevenger from CoreLogic, Maryuri Barberan from Pentagon Properties, and Kim Schultz-Rainford from Innovative Housing Solutions at the recent SECO Conference.

The five primary organizers comprise the executive committee for the new group. While the group focuses on the support and advancement of women for the industry, the organization is open to any manufactured housing professional who wants to be involved.

“WAMH is a movement that has been discussed for many years,” Horton said. “The group that has come together to see it come to life has a combined 150 years of experience in all aspects of the industry, and we remain excited to honor, recognize, and learn from all industry professionals who want to join.”

Horton said the organization will partner with an existing nonprofit while it continues to organize its legal and operating structure. WAMH’s mission is to support women in the industry, improve the perception of manufactured housing, and collaborate and expand each member's knowledge and network.

Organizers for WAMH have been meeting weekly since October, and are planning quarterly member meetings with subject matter experts, including at in-person events as the organization grows. WAMH already has a modest number of supporters who have committed to membership as well as providing startup funding.

WAMH Key Goals • To provide a supportive network to increase the presence and voice of women in the manufactured housing industry.

• Consistently strive to improve the perception of manufactured housing.

• To create a collaborative effort for general industry answers and to share and expand the knowledge of each and every member of WAMH. “Although it’s been a relatively short time since WAMH was formed, this phenomenal group of women has already contributed fantastic strategic ideas to drive positive momentum within manufactured housing,” WAMH co-founder Justine Natalie said. “ I am honored to be on the executive committee and to partner with industry professionals as we work toward our WAMH mission statement. We are looking forward to spreading the word about WAMH and are excited about what we will bring to the industry in terms of knowledge, support, and mentorship.” MHV

From left, Maria Horton and Justine Natalie, are two of the organizers for the new industry organization Women Advancing Manufactured Housing.

MHINSIDER.COM | 53

Advocacy

New Organization to Advance Women in Manufactured Housing

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Advocacy

»A WORD FROM THE STATE EXECS MHInsider asked the directors from three state associations across the country what types of labor challenges their members are facing, as well as what is being done in the area of exclusionary zoning. Here is what manufactured housing advocates from Arizona, Wisconsin, and Indiana had to say.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AMY BLISS

PRESIDENT KEN ANDERSON

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RON BREYMIER MHINSIDER.COM | 55

Advocacy

»1

hat kind of work is being W done at the local government level to address exclusionary zoning and other practice that prohibit manufactured homes?

Ken Anderson, president of the Manufactured Housing Industry of Arizona: We have begun conversations with our Arizona lobby team to develop language for a bill to improve zoning for manufactured homes throughout the state. Taking on one city or town (as we have in the past) is very difficult. To date, we have the cities of Phoenix and Tucson approved for MH, but few others. To bypass this laborious task we would require approval from the state legislature and the governor. There would be strong opposition from the League of Cities and Towns, which means the process could take three to four years. Our plan would be to develop strong specifications for both installation and aesthetics to gain acceptance with the legislature while keeping an eye on affordability.

Amy Bliss, executive director of the Wisconsin Housing Alliance: The Wisconsin Housing Alliance hired an attorney that specializes in municipal and county government issues, to draft a “Model Zoning Ordinance.” The goal is to have an ordinance that municipalities can use to update their terminology and replace outdated stereotypical language that was really meant to eliminate single-section homes in subdivisions. They do not necessarily want to eliminate today’s new manufactured homes. It will

56 | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 EDITION

also update ordinances regarding manufactured home communities.

Many municipalities have not looked at updating their ordinances since the early 1970s and will welcome the assistance without paying fees for their own attorney. There has been a great deal of research that indicates there is a critical need for the “missing middle” homes in Wisconsin and the manufactured and modular housing industry needs to seize on this opportunity.

Ron Breymier, executive director of the Indiana Manufactured Housing Association: Indiana has seen local ordinances adopted that establish new minimum square foot requirements for homes intended to move into established land lease communities. This made it impossible to replace older smaller manufactured homes with homes that fit the lots built for smaller homes. In 2021 the Indiana MHA was instrumental in passing a law that prohibits local units of government from enforcing existing or adopting new ordinances that place minimum square foot requirements for homes going into land lease communities.

The law also allows the placement of modular duplex homes for workforce and elderly housing to be placed in land lease communities.

»2

ationwide, the availN ability of labor is a major concern -- are there any programs underway that do a good job to communicate the value of the trades in particular, as well as other professions, in our industry?

Ken Anderson: Near the end of 2020, the MHIA Executive Committee met to review how we could best serve the industry and our members in 2021. Because of the deep backlogs affecting every segment of our membership, especially given the shortage of the manufacturer labor force, we decided to develop a program to assist in recruitment. We established a committee of manufacturer general managers, their human resource managers, members of our executive committee and MHIA staff to develop the program. The intent was to supplement existing programs in place by the manufacturers. We began with the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce with social media program called Built Your Future Arizona (BYF) which offered a website specifically for construction sector job postings. Each of our manufacturers listed job opportunities with the respondents communicating directly with the respective HR staff.

We then began our own social media program tied to MHIA's website, attracting additional applicants. Since we launched this program we have had over 300 responses forwarded to our four manufacturing facilities in Arizona. In the near future, we will add a direct mail campaign to target residents who live within a one-mile radius of each plant.

Amy Bliss: We have a very good network of community colleges that have trade programs to teach the building trades. They are the best solution to getting younger people into this industry and all related industries.

There are also some state grant pro-

Ron Breymier: There has been an increase in local ordinances that prohibit the replacement of manufactured homes on lots in land lease communities if the lots have been vacant for more than six months. Indiana’s association is drafting legislation for introduction in the 2022 General Assembly to prohibit enforcement of existing ordinances or adopting new ordinances that prohibit the placement of manufactured homes in land lease communities regardless of the amount of time a lot has been vacant. In a time when there is an affordable housing crisis, local government should not have restric-

tions that make it impossible to use manufactured housing as a solution for providing quality-built attainable homes for consumers.

»3

hat type of state or W regional issues are keeping you busy currently?

Amy Bliss: The biggest issue for our retail and manufacturer members is material price increases. In Wisconsin, a retailer cannot increase the price of a home after the purchase contract is signed. Unfortunately, manufacturers and retailers do not have agreements that lock the price so the retailers are often selling more homes but losing money on the sale after absorbing the price increase. It is a tough problem to

solve all around. Another concern that has been keeping us busy is the failing infrastructure in communities. Between failing private septic systems and lead service lines for water, many communities are simply closing rather than upgrading their infrastructure. I would love to see community owners plan ahead for the replacement which is inevitable.

These are big-ticket items and we are looking for options for state grant funding to assist. I’m hoping that with the implementation of the new infrastructure package there will be funds available to preserve manufactured home communities. MHV

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MHINSIDER.COM

MHINSIDER.COM | 57

Advocacy

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Advocacy

Industry Rallies to Inform on Practical Energy Standards for Manufactured Homes

E

Energy efficiency is a strong point for manufactured homes, particularly homes built during the last dozen years. Nearly every builder of HUD Code homes has improved its standard energy efficiency and rolled out myriad options for products that help with sustainability in energy transfer and cost reduction.

Manufactured home builders pack every bit of R-value they can into a home, knowing it will be a prime tool in marketing the homes because it will help reduce monthly costs for the buyer.

Manufactured home builders hit the mark on efficient housing, including when it comes to energy, from the way materials are shipped and stored to a manufactured facility, to efficiencies on the line, and the quality of products used within well-designed floorplans.

Department of Energy Conservation Standards for Manufactured Housing Manufactured housing industry leaders have found a unified voice in helping policymakers in Washington, D.C., to understand that the energy efficiency standard being discussed would be counterproductive for factory-built homes, and would impede the availability of affordable homes going to market.

The Manufactured Housing Institute, in responding to the energy department and garnering support to op-

pose the changes, is quick to point out that the industry appreciates energy efficiency. The problem lies in how the department proposes to implement those efficiencies.

“The current DOE proposal is fundamentally flawed and must be completely rewritten to ensure manufactured homes remain an available option for American families,” MHI said in a published statement on Oct. 21 “If the proposed rule is finalized as written, it will eliminate manufactured housing as an affordable housing option for hundreds of thousands of potential homebuyers.

“The DOE proposal would dramatically increase the costs of manufactured homes, and in some areas of the country, will make the construction and transportation of homes nearly impossible. The proposal uses the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code, which was developed for commercial and site-built residential buildings and ignores all the construction aspects unique to manufactured housing.”

MHI and the industry collectively ask the energy department to recognize the HUD Code as a starting point for construction and safety standards of manufactured homes.

A comment period held from July through Nov. 26 has allowed for industry input before rule making moves forward. MHV

MHINSIDER.COM | 59

Design

HOW TO DESIGN A HEALTHIER HOME

by Suzanne Felber

60 | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 EDITION

Design

A

Having solid surface flooring helps keep less dust and allergens in your home. Having the right appliances also makes for a healthier home.

Are you leaving money on the table every time you sell a home?

The past few years have been challenging, to say the least. Now we are at a point that it isn’t just about cost, it’s about being able to get materials in a timely fashion to be able to build the homes that you have sold. Rebranding our homes and getting even more consumers excited about them is something that, as an industry, we have been working on, and it is starting to work. People are understanding that we are a viable solution to the affordable housing crisis.

With the pandemic came a renewed interest in healthy living, along with what we all can do individually, and as a community, to help save our planet and ourselves.

As a Lifestylist, this has always been my focus, and it is now even more so today.

A healthy home and embracing a health-and-wellness lifestyle mean different things to different people. It can be as simple as recycling, or it can be about updating your plumbing fixtures and appliances to save water and to be energy efficient. The less we waste, the healthier the planet will be for everyone. » MHINSIDER.COM | 61

Design

Here are five easy ways to promote a healthy lifestyle in your homes.

1. Recycling — It is often overlooked, but factory built housing is one of the most efficient forms of construction. For anyone who has ever toured or worked in one of our plants, you know that there is little or no waste created in the construction of our homes. Everything that you can repurpose or

We often put in stainless “pretty” appliances, but how efficient and functional are many of these long term?

Are you buying look or function?

-Suzanne Felber

A well designed kitchen is the heart of the home in many ways. Having energy efficient appliances is an important part of the design. Credit: Beko Appliances

recycle is, and many companies are putting a lot of thought into what happens to a home when it is updated down the road. The Shaw Carpet Cradle to Cradle Recycled content carpeting can be infinitely recycled keeping millions of yards of carpet out of landfills. Offering recycling centers in communities is an easy way to truly make a difference.

2. Energy Efficiency — If you have ever been in one of our homes in winter, even with no heat on, I am always amazed how well insulated many of our homes are. As an industry, we have also started using more energy-efficient heating and air units, and 62 | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 EDITION

the Nest style thermostats can play a big difference in keeping down a homeowners utility bills. It is not just about the initial cost of the home, it is also about how much it will cost to maintain it and how expensive the utility bills will be. If we can help our customers understand how the extras that we add in our homes will help cut their monthly expenses, they will be more secure in investing more to buy their dream home.

3. The Right Appliances — When asked which rooms are the most important to homeowners, time and time again consumers choose the kitchen and the bath. Appliances are a big expense, but they are also so important to the health and well-being of the homeowners. We often put in stainless “pretty” appliances, but how efficient and functional are many of these long term? Are you buying look or function?

An appliance company that is one of the leaders in Europe has landed in the United States, and they are going to change the way that people use and think about their appliances. Beko has already been named the Energy Star® Partner of the Year for Sustained Excellence, and its focus is health and wellness. The company’s Everfresh® technology will keep produce fresh for up to 30 days.

Imagine how much healthier a family would be, and how much money could be saved through fresh fruit and vegetables that last more than a week. And the technology comes at many levels of Beko’ offerings, not just on the high end. I anticipate the brand will be seen and talked about in our homes very soon, and customers will be asking for them.

Induction ranges remain a bit more pricey than what you’re likely to see in our homes, but the price is coming down. Induction is one of the most energy-efficient ways of cooking, and on many of the ranges, you can boil water in 90 seconds. It might take a couple of years, but I see this as the new frontier for ranges and cooktops.

4. Water Works — Every year fresh water is getting more scarce, and finding ways to use water more efficiently in our homes and plants needs to happen.

Believe it or not, well designed dishwashers save gallons of water every time someone uses them, is a more sanitary way to clean your dishes and is a huge time saver. Making sure that you use faucets that won’t be dripping and wasting water a few years out is also a great water and maintenance saver, and there »

Design

are beautiful bath faucet sets that are major water savers without having to sacrifice stream strength.

Make sure that your outdoor faucets can be protected or shut off during chilly weather to prevent freezing.

5. Bringing In the Outdoors — Air quality has become a huge topic of concern. We need to talk about how we protect the indoor air quality of our homes, and how we use insulated windows, bath fans and ceiling fans to keep the air moving, to filter out unwanted particles. Making sure that you change your filters and use better quality filters when you do is an easy way to improve the air quality in a home.

Spending more time outdoors also is very beneficial for our health and well being. An inviting outdoor space, maybe even with an outdoor kitchen, is a great way to blend indoor and outdoor living. A large front porch not only adds to the curb appeal of a home, but it is a great way to be a more active part of your neighborhood while enjoying friends and family. Even if an expansive porch isn’t something that can be done on all homes, making plans available to consumers for site-added porches and

decks is a great way for consumers to realize the unlimited potential of our homes.

If you have noticed, a lot of these ideas are things that we are already doing to some degree. Some have been done for so long that we forget to talk about them, or we are talking about them in a value-added sense instead of them being about improving the customer’s quality of life long term. Try adding in a product or idea that is focused on health and well-being, then use this as a talking point to educate homebuyers and residents on all of the things that you already are doing in your homes. I think you will discover that there may be hidden profit in your home that cannot be overlooked. MHV Lifestylist Suzanne Felber has been active in the housing industry for more than 30 years. Felber realized that factory-built housing was the housing of the future, and has been actively working to promote the lifestyle ever since. She started American Housing Advocates as a way to share the great news about manufactured housing. To learn more about her work, visit www. lifestylist.com and www.americanhousingadvocates.com, or read her @lifestylist social media posts.

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64 | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 EDITION

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Design

Contemporary Community Design The Subdivision Model

by Don Westphal and Emeka Nnadi

I

In our practice as Landscape Architects, we plan residential subdivisions in addition to manufactured housing communities. We find similarities between the successful examples of both housing types in several areas: Creative planning, Recognition of existing site features, Home selection for curb appeal, Project imaging, and Landscaping.

Creative planning and Recognition of existing site conditions go hand-in-hand. Plans that grow out of the land are not only more interesting but also less costly to build.

Two examples of this are illustrated here. Oakland Hunt, a subdivision planned with recognition of the woodlands and wetlands, has a curvilinear street pattern and maximizes the value of adjacent open space to neighboring homesites.

The Land Lease community, Woodcreek, was similarly planned. Preservation of the wetlands and woodlands on site there dictated the layout of streets and lots. Many of the homesites back up to environmental areas and add to the value of the individual sites. Preservation of these valuable natural resources assisted in the zoning and site plan approval process of both projects.

Home selection for curb appeal played a significant role in the success of both projects. Proper treatment of the home as »

66 | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 EDITION

Design MHINSIDER.COM | 67

Design viewed from the street is an effective way to improve the project image. Side entry garages in subdivisions helped to shift emphasis from the garage to the front door of the home. The simple trick of matching the garage door color to the siding color in manufactured homes with garages is effective. Specifying homes with attractive street faces, windows, shutters, dormers, and eyebrow roofs rather than blank vinyl walls is a simple, but effective, appearance upgrade.

Project Imaging begins at the entrance to the community. Naming of the project should be done early on in the design phase of development. Creating an effective name reflective of the location, of pleasant surroundings, 68 | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 EDITION

or a sense of community. We are particularly critical of attaching estates to the name. Since when is a 4,500 square foot lot an estate? Landscaping, lighting, and fencing can extend the image beyond the entry sign. The use of materials, colors, and lettering styles throughout the community are effective ways to enhance the image.

Last, but not least, a very important element in creating a desirable image is landscaping. Often overlooked in land-lease communities, subdivision developers have used this method to create a desirable appearance from the first sale and will do so well into the future. Proper landscape plantings, installed early in the building process will be working for the developer 24/7 and improving

Design

with age. This is important not only for the community but also for the individual homes. Street trees planted on the lots after the home is installed grow to become a welcomed, shade producing asset. Many older subdivisions and manufactured home communities with tree-lined streets are a testament to the benefits of early planting programs. Requirements for even minimum landscaping on individual homesites as part of the sales package, or requirements and guidelines for community living are essential to the long-term appearance of the project and add to the pride of ownership.

Each manufactured home community that follows the successful subdivision image model goes a long way

toward improving the overall image of our industry. MHV Donald C. Westphal, Associates, LLC, winner of 7 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.

Emeka Nnadi is a landscape architect and the founder of Nadi Design and The Nadi Group consulting on urban design and planning for organizations and governments. He has a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the Enugu State University of Technology in Nigeria and a master’s degree in landscape architecture from the University of Manitoba.

MHINSIDER.COM | 69

Design

DEVELOPMENT IS BACK! Should You Develop an MHC? If So, What Does It Entail?

by James Cook and Mitch Gonzalez

70 | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 EDITION

Design

F

First off, how did we get here? There was virtually no development for the manufactured home community property type for 20+ years!

The MH & RV Class has attracted a lot of attention lately from the institutional investment world, but the “smart money” has been quietly acquiring these properties for years. Today, it is estimated that more than 70% of the larger, institutional communities are owned by an aggregator that rarely sells, thus creating a scarcity of opportunities to invest in the industry.

Due to the increased demand, coupled with this scarcity of product, investors have been forced to start bidding on mid-size and even small communities just to place raised or allocated capital seeking a safe home. Today, even the 75- to 150-site communities are becoming very sought after. »

MHINSIDER.COM | 71

Design

The good news is the increase has arrived. New manufactured in value and demand per space developments offer significantly have finally made it feasible to higher than existing returns Construction costs develop new communities and compared with other communiare on the rise in turn a profit. ties. Investors can expect to see all asset classes.

In the heyday of development 20% - 30% stabilized cash-on-cash in this sector, the 1970s and 80s, returns compared to high single Material costs are up you could sell 75-100 new homes digit/low double digit returns for 19.4% in the last 12 every year and generate a large existing properties. months according enough profit on each home sale Seeing how attractive they are, to cover the cost of development let’s break down the steps of develto the Product Price of the site itself. Since then, and opment for a new manufactured Index and labor especially since the recession, the home community. is slowly coming cost of site-built homes has been Site Selection. It’s important artificially depressed and too low to dial-in the necessary buying back as government for new manufactured homes metrics for your investment, such assistance runs out. to offer a competitive price. In as population and market rents. addition, the relatively low value Different metrics should be used of a developed space was further to prequalify the property based suppressing development of new on the property type. While an communities and, to a lesser RV Resort will benefit from traffic extent, RV resorts. count on a major interstate, a We abruptly turned the corner sometime in 2019 as Manufactured Housing Community will benefit from prices per developed pad reached $80-200k per site in prime local employment centers and single-family home prices. markets, and suddenly, development started to spring up Acquisitions. Once we have selected a possible develaround the U.S. Then, the pandemic and government opment site, we are ready to dive into the due diligence. shutdowns came, which caused people to flee cities and Third Party Reports such as feasibility studies, drainage multi-family housing and rush to more rural settings. reports, and environmental assessments will be necessary This rush to detached housing fits the MH & RV industry in the evaluation. Buyers and Sellers can expect purchase perfectly. The rapid mass migration, combined with a agreement terms to include 90-day due diligence and shortage of construction workers, has created urgency 45-day close with contingencies on third party reports to build. Single family rentals are selling at record highs and zoning hurdles. and the delta between site-built and factory-built housing Entitlements. We will then do a full evaluation of the has never been wider. current zoning and adjacent parcels. In most cases, the With construction rapidly on the rise, we felt it necessary to launch a dedicated land and construction division to better understand and facilitate new community development.

Enter Mitch Gonzalez, the national land and development director for Yale.

Land Development for New Affordable Housing Existing mobile home communities are selling at record-breaking prices per pad as institutional investors continue to consolidate the sector. As such, a new generation of feasibility for manufactured housing developments 72 | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 EDITION

property will not have the necessary zoning and a Land Use Change will be needed. The best way to go about this will be to engage a designer and local engineering group for conceptual drawings. These will be very helpful for the pre-application meeting with Planning & Zoning when you are expected to sell them on your idea.

Construction. Construction costs are on the rise in all asset classes. Material costs are up 19.4% in the last 12 months according to the Product Price Index and labor is slowly coming back as government assistance runs out.

It is critical to staff the right General Contractor for the project that will be able to build at a competitive rate.

and RV resorts, so please reach out to Yale advisers for more information. MHV Mitch Gonzalez is the director of land sales and development for Yale finding the highest and best use of a property leveraging a diverse background in real estate investment. He previously ran a construction company providing general contracting services for brands such as Emcure Urgent Care, Jonna Properties, and Safeway Oil Company, overseeing $70M in closings.

James Cook is the national director of brokerage for Yale Realty and Capital Advisors. He entered the manufactured housing and RV property asset class in 2005 as a licensed agent listing homes for a local investor. In 2012, he founded the fully integrated finance and brokerage shop and has accumulated transaction exceeding $1 billion in value. He offers perspective at a national level, providing insight into the niche industry.

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Design

A new MHC development can expect between $30k and $45k of hard costs per pad across the U.S. Lease Up. The last barrier of entry will be setting up an allocation to fill the community. Many manufactured home builders are 6-12 months out on orders. It is important to be timely and strategic in making sure model homes are available when sites start to come online. A great sales team will need to be assembled to ensure lease-up coordinates well with home allocation.

Zoning continues to be a big hurdle for Manufactured Housing Developments, yet all states need more affordable housing. As more 5-star communities are built, there will be more great examples for what affordable housing can be. Development of MHCs is gaining traction in states like Arizona, Texas, and Florida and I expect the Southeast coastal markets will see the next wave of new development in the space.

Yale Realty & Capital Advisors can be a resource at every step of the development process. We have clients and partners that specialize in manufactured housing

Sales

DEATH OF A SALESMAN… And the Impact of Denial

by John Ace Underwood

T

This article isn’t about a play written by Arthur Miller in 1948, about the life and failures of a salesman by the name of Willy Loman. While the play revolves around success, failures, delusions of grandeur, I will focus on his perpetual cycle of denial and draw some parallels between this character and a reality in which so many sales professionals find themselves cemented in, usually totally unaware.

More and more major purchases are made by the consumers without the assistance or interference of a “salesperson”. One only has to look at the auto industry, conventional site builders, and the evolution of online representatives to see evidence of this shift.

In the factory-built housing industry, the profession of selling, as we know it, is a dying profession. If one chooses to ignore changes in technology, changes in marketing, changes in how people think, shop, and buy, this profession has no significant future, and for many of you, this will be a hard pill to swallow, but no less accurate. Knowing that you are becoming obsolete is never good news.

Manufacturers have discovered that sales organizations, independent or not, have always been the weakest link in the distribution chain. Poorly hired, trained, and managed sales organizations providing an underwhelming customer experience have been a primary culprit in our inability to take our rightful place in the affordable housing space.

74 | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 EDITION

Sales

For years, manufacturers have been trying to address this shortcoming and the evolution of technology has given manufacturers the hope that they need not be so critically linked to this weak link in their distribution. I know this to be a fact as I was one of the people that was called upon to see if we could make a difference.

Technology is continuing to make it easier and easier for consumers to do most of their research, product selection and design, all from the comfort of their living room.

Before most prospective buyers ever pull out of their driveway, they will have already, in a broad sense, determined what product(s) they’re looking for, what such homes should cost and what options they are interested in.

Furthermore, they will have a shortlist of places they would like to visit, view product, and narrow down the field to whom they would consider buying their home from. If you’re not on that list, the likelihood of you seeing that prospect is minimal at best. All of this is a process of elimination. They eliminate the rest until they’re left with what they feel is the best.

Here is where we circle back to Arthur Miller’s play.

Willy Loman was in perpetual denial as are so many salespeople in our industry still trying to make a living in their dying profession.

Is this to suggest that all salespeople will become obsolete in the years to come? Yes, if we’re talking about

salespeople who sit and wait for walk-in traffic. Yes, if we’re referring to salespeople who are of the belief that leads generated by internet marketing campaigns are worthless. Yes, if we’re talking about salespeople that IF they respond to leads, they do so after a few days and then only once. Yes, simply because those salespeople serve no meaningful purpose.

My own statistics collected over the last 10 years clearly show that 75% of all website-generated inquiries are never responded to, save perhaps an autoresponder sent out by a CRM. My own statistics show that less than 44% of all inbound sales calls go to voicemail. When you can’t even manage to answer the phone when prospective buyers call, why would we then wonder why manufactured housing still represents 9% of all new housing starts, a few points less if you take out community sales.

What Can the Sales Team Do to Thrive?

Let’s talk about the three primary skills that are absolutely critical if you wish to succeed in the immediate future.

First, you need to recognize that the sales process starts when a lead is generated, not when someone shows up on your location.

Second, you need to have a fundamental understanding of how digital marketing works and the role that » MHINSIDER.COM | 75

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immediacy and frequency play in your success. Immediacy is the speed at which you respond to a lead, measured in minutes, not days or weeks, and frequency is how often you try to reach out to a prospective buyer.

Most studies confirm that you must respond to leads within the first 14 minutes, and you have to do so at least 8+ times in the first 72 hours if you want to increase sales.

Third, you need to have the ability to build a personal relationship with your prospective buyer over the phone. Literally intercepting that prospect as early in their buying process as possible and be willing to work with that individual until they recognize the importance of coming to see you in person. In short, you must be able to convert leads into conversations, conversations into visits and visits into commitments.

That is the only way you will survive and thrive. Or, like Willy Loman, you can continue to live in denial that the world around you has changed, unwilling to adapt to a technology-driven world, and your remains will be found on the mountains of bleached bones from those who waited by the front door for their next “up”. MHV John Ace Underwood is the founder of SellingEdge, a consulting firm within the manufactured housing industry, as well as microseminars.com, an online training program. Reach him at johnaceunderwood@gmail.com, or (520) 241-9907.

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TEN THINGS THAT ONCE WERE

by George Allen, CPM Emeritus, MHM-Master

78 | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 EDITION

D

During the year 2015 we dismantled a vacant 10X60’ 1962 Homette mobile home on a rental homesite in our land-lease community. What a learning experience that turned out to be! We observed this 59-year-old weathered but secure home had been fabricated using nominal (existing in name only) 2x2" wall studs that actually measured 1 ½x1 ½".

Seriously, today’s HUD-code manufactured homes feature 2x4" and larger wall studs.

For a relatively short period of time, during the 1960s and early 70s, aluminum wiring was attempted in mobile homes. Did not work out well, as it tended to overheat. So copper wiring continued to be the norm.

Underground fuel oil systems in mobile home parks of the day were commonplace until the 1980s. They still exist in some rural locales. These systems require mobile homes

Allen Legacy

to have a fuel oil-fired furnace. When these properties are sold, it’s often necessary for underground fuel oil lines to be emptied or removed without contamination.

Trade Shows Come and Go

How to do this?

Disconnect fuel oil lines from homes and above ground tanks adjacent to the homes. Attach a portable air compressor to the line with a temporary pressure fitting. Then blow the line or lines, capturing residual fuel oil coming out the other end into a sealable container.

Community bathhouses and laundromats harken back to the early days of mobile homes, when in-house sanitary facilities, as well as washers and dryers were not yet standard features. Today it’s possible, in older communities, to sometimes find remnants of laundry facilities.

Relative to terminology, we’ve seen trade lingo evolve from the trailers and mobile homes of the 1940s through 1960s to manufactured housing of the mid 1970s and forward. Today we encounter specialty design terms like Community Series Home circa 2009, and most recently, via MHI’s research and influence, CrossMod™, for scattered building site and new subdivision placement.

In the early 1990s, “manufactured home living” was taught in some high school home economics classes. The programs might feature lesson plans and in-person training aids on the topic. Perhaps it’s time for our desirable lifestyle message to be reintroduced in our education system?

Probably one of the most eclectic manufactured housing-related relics of our past is the Order of the Golden Hitchball. This was a social club, complete with bronze lapel pins depicting a manufactured home hitchball, that was particularly popular in the state of Indiana. At the association’s annual meeting, the group chose a king and queen from among their membership.

show during the month of August at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind. A similar fate has befallen the once-annual Tunica Show, and we most recently ended the Networking Roundtable hosted by GFA Management, Inc., yours truly, and recently, EducateMHC. This event ran each year from 1989 to 2021.

Who remembers the Urban Land Institute’s rather shortlived Manufactured Housing Communities Council, »

For nearly four decades between late 1960s and to the late 90s there was a huge outdoor manufactured housing

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Allen Legacy

the MHCC, not to be confused with the Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee? This MHCC was launched in 2004 under the leadership of Randy Rowe, founder of Hometown America and Green Courte Partners property portfolios.

The MHCC served as a think tank via periodic meetings of members for the manufactured housing industry and land lease-community owners/ operators nationwide until 2015.

Industry In the News And there’s more. Think publications. Who doesn’t recall the iconic Manufactured Home Merchandiser magazine published for decades in Chicago by the late Herb Tieder and Jim Mack? Then there was The Journal, founded and nurtured by Jim Visser in Georgia. Herb and

Jim were founding members of the RV/MH Hall of Fame. For a short while, a firm in Arizona published Community Management magazine.

And there were others. Many readers also recall the Allen Letter, first published during the late 1980s, but in 2020, absorbed into equally popular The Allen Confidential newsletter – scheduled to cease publication at the end of this year. Fortunately, we have MHInsider print and digital news for manufactured housing professionals. And online, Kurt Kelley’s Manufactured Housing Review routinely introduces new topics and contributors.

Maybe in a future Allen Legacy column I’ll describe periodic top management meetings held on-site in host land-lease communities.

It was pretty much attendance by

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invitation, where all were subject to nondisclosure of proceedings.

Program topics were solicited and announced beforehand, usually five for the day if the meeting continued over the lunch hour. Everyone arrived the afternoon prior, stayed at same local hotel, dined together that evening, and car pooled to the meeting venue in the morning. These were some of the most productive educational and networking sessions to occur among community owners and operators.

Can you think of other “things that once were, but are now not the same, or don’t exist?” If so, let me know, at gfa7156@aol.com. MHV George Allen has owned and fee-managed land-lease communities since 1978.

He’s a former MHI Industry Person of the Year and a member of the RV/MH Hall of Fame. He has been designated a Certified Property Manager-Emeritus and a Manufactured Housing Manager-Master. He’s also a senior consultant and staff writer with EducateMHC. Allen can be reached at (317) 346-7156 and gfa7156@aol.com.

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