2024 November / December

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This year, there is a mood swing sweeping across the country. We seem to be finally pulling ourselves back together after a difficult few years and people are starting to make plans to buy homes again. But with this optimism comes a sense of caution, and people are more concerned than ever about living within their means.

Adventure Homes in 2009 was an outlier, an experiment in what homebuilding might be, a lark, if you will. To put it plainly, Adventure Homes was expected to fail even before it was named.

No one told Wally Comer.

The fifth 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.

Champion Homes, Quartz Properties New Rental Community Endures Helene

Expansive

The Propane-Powered Home

70 Business, Life and MH Lessons Learned

VOLUME 7, EDITION 6 | 2024 NOVEMBER / DECEMBER | MHInsider.com

PUBLISHER Patrick Revere | patrick@mhvillage.com

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Merit Kathan | merit@mhvillage.com

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR George Allen | gfa7156@aol.com

EDITORS Dawn Highhouse | dawn@mhvillage.com, Sean Vichinsky | sean@mhvillage.com

CONTRIBUTORS Bryan Cordill, Suzanne Felber

COVER PHOTO Courtesy of Adventure 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

CONGRATULATIONS TO MHINSIDER AWARD WINNERS publisherFROM THE

Each edition of MHInsider magazine, particularly the November/December offering, is intended to honor the efforts of manufactured housing professionals, in this case with the unveiling of our annual MHInsider Industry Award winners.

The awards program is one of our team’s favorite features in the magazine, and MHInsider readers tend to give a great amount of kudos to the winners, and to MHInsider’s efforts to shed a light on some of the particular successes in bringing attainable, high quality homes to our customers.

Design and Build is the theme of the annual print finale, and in addition to the profiles of award winners, the edition provides news and insights on design trends coming into the New Year, the impact of the large number of recent changes to the HUD code, a feature on a builder celebrating

15 years in business, an update on tech advances at Clayton, and a peek in at a propane-powered home, just to point to a few pieces.

While we turn the lens in this edition on a select few award winners and editorial subjects, the aspect of this effort provides a 10,000-foot level view of so much creative energy among the tens of thousands of professionals who do this important work.

I see you and I thank you.

In particular, thanks go out to the MHInsider editorial board, which kicked efforts into overdrive on the recent award winners, providing insight on candidates, discussing the merits of their work, and coming to consensus on winners.

Enjoy the read, and please keep in touch so we at MHInsider can keep shining the light for the industry.

Patrick Revere is vice president of communications at MHVillage and publisher for the MHInsider magazine and blogs. His background is in print news, language, and communication.

INDUSTRY happenings

Transactions

Colliers Advises CAPREIT on $740 Million Sale of Canadian Portfolio

Canadian Apartment Properties Real Estate Investment Trust has entered into an agreement with TPG Real Estate to sell its manufactured housing community portfolio in one of the largest manufactured housing portfolio sales in Canada. The $740 million sale includes more than 12,000 sites across 74 communities throughout eight Canadian provinces. Colliers Manufactured Housing and RV Group National Director and Vice Chairman Michael J. Nissley served as the lead strategic advisor to CAPREIT, in coordination with Colliers’ team of institutional MHC transaction specialists, including Bruce Nell, National Leader of MHC Valuation Group,Richard Knapp, and Kari Pell. Nissley has facilitated the top three largest Canadian manufactured housing community transactions, including the Parkbridge portfolio for $790 million and the Keystone portfolio for $200 million. “Colliers’ MHRV institutional transactional and valuation experience is unparalleled in the global markets including the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and Europe. This transaction involving CAPREIT and TPG is a prime example,” Nissley said. “Our consultative approach to every deal is to deeply understand the capital markets environment, the assets and the financials, and identify upside opportunities, develop tailored strategies to maximize value, target a buyer list, and execute a seamless transaction for our clients.”

Northmarq Completes Sale of Two Pennsylvania Manufactured Housing Communities

Birch Knoll, a 92-homesite community, and Saucon Valley Crossing, a 163-homesite community, have been sold by ME Management of State College, Pa., to an undisclosed buyer. The properties are in Luzerne and Lehigh counties, two fast-growing areas. Northmarq’s Anthony Pino and Ari Azarbarzin completed the sale.

Oregon, Washington Manufactured Housing Portfolio Sold for $14 Million

Northmarq’s Los Angeles Manufactured Housing Investment Sales team of Jeff Benson and Sam Neumar have brokered the sale of Oaks Mobile Home Park and Woodlands Mobile Home Community in Woodland, Wash., and Western Star Mobile Home Community in Roseburg, Ore. The Washington communities were purchased by a private buyer from Vancouver, B.C., and the Oregon community was purchased by Hurst and Son LLC. The communities cumulatively had more than 200 homesites.

Monroe Capital, Triad Financial Enter $300 Million Partnership

Triad Financial Services and Monroe Capital are collaborating on a $300 million effort targeting commercial loans for manufactured housing communities. The partnership is set to fuel Triad’s growth in the sector, helping it deepen its relationships within the industry. Triad, a subsidiary of ECN

Capital Corp., has been in the industry since 1959. “Triad’s expansion into community rental financing underscores our commitment to offering compelling solutions for community owners,” ECN Capital CEO Steve Hudson said. “We are thrilled to bring Monroe Capital on board, as they have crafted a bespoke solution that aligns perfectly with our needs. They are truly a best-in-class partner.”

21st Mortgage Acquires United Community Banks Portfolio

United Community Banks has sold its manufactured housing loan portfolio valued at $318.2 million to 21st Mortgage Corporation, a division of Clayton Homes. The business was part of the Reliant Bancorp, Inc. acquisition in January 2022. The portfolio had been in runoff following United’s decision to cease originations in the third quarter of 2023. “Rather than continue to slowly liquidate the portfolio through normal collections, we took this opportunity to accelerate our exit from this business,” United Community Banks Chairman and CEO Lynn Harton said. “21st Mortgage Corporation is the premier lender in this area with great capability to service the customers.”

Green Courte Buys Arizona Community

Green Courte Partners, a private equity real estate investment firm, acquired Mountain Vista, a 460-homesite all-age community located in Tucson, Arizona. GCP has 24 communities and approximately 9,000 homesites in eight states. Mountain Vista will be managed by Windward

Communities, GCP’s wholly owned land-lease community operating platform. Windward will implement immediate and substantial capital improvements, including road paving, upgraded amenities, and refreshed landscaping and signage to enhance the community and support leasing initiatives.

FG Communities Buys N.C. Community

FG Communities has acquired a 67-homesite manufactured housing community on 21 acres in Raleigh, N.C. “The Raleigh manufactured housing community is located in a fast-growing area and is next to Lake Wheeler, a popular destination for outdoor activities,” FG Communities CEO Michael Anise said. “This is a key long-term holding for our portfolio that we believe will benefit as the area continues to grow.”

Pathfinder Creates New Community Division

Pathfinder Ventures has created a new division called Pathfinder Lifestyle Communities with a focus on the acquisition and development of manufactured home communities. “We get calls weekly from customers looking to live in our RV Resorts long-term, and given the similarities in the operations, and expertise and experience in MHCs, it’s a natural progression for us to focus on Lifestyle Communities, while providing solutions to high housing ownership costs,” Pathfinder Ventures CEO Joe Bleackley said. »

Personnel

M&T Bank Names Head of Affordable Housing Lending

Lopa Kolluri has been appointed head of affordable housing lending at M&T Bank and will be responsible for the development, oversight, and day-to-day management of the affordable housing vertical within M&T’s commercial bank. Based in New York City, Kolluri will establish operational processes and governance structures to ensure first-rate customer service to its affordable housing clients. In addition, she will work to strengthen M&T’s existing affordable housing relationships while establishing new regional and national customers. She has more than 25 years of affordable housing and community development experience. Before joining M&T, she was with the Department of Housing and Urban Development, where she served as the head of the Federal Housing Administration, overseeing $1.2 trillion in insured mortgages and leading 2,800 employees. She also oversaw HUD’s Office of Housing, which includes the offices of manufactured housing, multifamily housing, and housing counseling.

Champion Homes Promotes Executive

Champion Homes has named Laurel Krueger senior vice president, general counsel and secretary. Krueger has more than 20 years of experience in corporate governance, securities law, ethics and regulatory compliance, risk management, and mergers and acquisitions in the retail and manufacturing sectors. From 2021 to 2024 she guided Express, Inc.’s legal affairs, ethics, and compliance programs, and advised on all public and company governance matters. Prior to Express, Krueger served as executive vice president, general counsel,and corporate secretary at Kontoor Brands, Inc.

New York Association Executive Retires

Bob Capenos, who has been in the manufactured housing industry for 40 years including six as executive director of the New York Housing Association, is retiring. “It has been a gratifying, challenging, and enriching experience, and I am truly proud of what we have been able to accomplish together,” Capenos stated. “I have truly enjoyed working with so many good people over my career. It is hard to believe that 40 years can go by so fast.”

Industry Giving RV/MH Hall of Fame Names Library

The RV/MH Hall of Fame library has been named the Kindlund RV/MH Library. Hall enshrinee Newt Kindlund recently donated $150,000, in honor of his late wife Joanne, to further the hall’s mission to preserve industry history, honor its members, and educate guests.

Yes Communities Provides Scholarships to 15 Students in Seven States

Yes Communities announced recipients of the 2024 Building Futures Scholarship, awarded to community residents and children of team members to support educational and career aspirations. Its fifth year, the program awarded a record total of $75,000 through $5,000 scholarships. Recipients were chosen based on academic achievements and demonstrated dedication to serving their communities.

In Memoriam

Industry Mourns Minnesota Professional

Michael J. Ives, 80, of Grand Rapids, Minn., passed away Sept. 2. Mr. Ives started his first business in 1965, selling mobile homes, and expanded to developing and managing land-leased communities and operating a real estate brokerage. He served in leadership positions in the Minnesota Manufactured Housing Association for more than 55 years.

Energy for happier homeowners and more profitable builders

As buildable lots on natural gas lines decline, propane provides reliable energy solutions that allow the freedom to build almost anywhere. Plus, e cient propane appliances from kitchen ranges to water and space heating systems provide homeowners comfort while making your next build even more profitable.

Learn why builders, manufactured housing professionals and remodelers across America count on propane to deliver best-in-class performance at propane.com/MHInsider.

By Suzanne Felber

Peer Through the Looking Glass into 2025 HAVE YOU

FELT IT?

This year, there is a mood swing sweeping across the country. We seem to be finally pulling ourselves back together after a difficult few years and people are starting to make plans to buy homes again. But with this optimism comes a sense of caution, and people are more concerned than ever about living within their means.

Many of us, including our customers, spend more and more time on social media checking out TikTok, “how to” videos on YouTube, and beautiful photos of homes on Pinterest. Ask yourself a question… “How ‘Insta-worthy’ are my homes?”

Are you showing the latest trends in your model homes, and are they staged so a buyer can see in 60 seconds that they want to live there? Here are some design and lifestyle trends that we think will be important in 2025, ones that you can show and sell in your homes.

Multiple Personalities

Factory-built homes are about constructing production-friendly designs to keep costs low and values high . The home, Great Escape by Cavco Homes, is among the favored floor plans for new In-Neighborhood community homes. Even though the home and finishes are the same in all of these community homes, each has its own personality using different colors, furniture, art, and design trends. The bayside model at Copano Bay highlights coastal bird watching, the home in San Antonio has a framed flag that flew over the Alamo, and the Flores Valley home has a boho/urban ranch feel that plays up the surrounding area. The home in Denton highlights its beautiful surroundings of live oaks and sunflowers, along with its close proximity to The University of North Texas.

There are no changes between these homes to the materials and colors — all of the colors and lifestyle nuances are items we added that the new homeowner could purchase themselves at their leisure. Using different styles of accessories and furniture along with impactful art can make any home feel different from the ones around it. »

Be Bold

Minimal, colorless homes and kitchens are definitely an anti-trend. Gone are all-white, hard-to-keep-clean kitchens, and they are being replaced by soft, warmer colors with bold accents of darker colors, large art, and statement pieces. A striking blue wall is a beautiful statement when you walk into this smaller-scale home, for instance. But many potential home buyers might need to learn how to decorate around it. The buyer can understand how the look can come together by adding other colors, using a neutral sofa, and tying the blue into the rest of the room with accent pillows, patterned accent chairs, and lighting. Wilsonart is a well-known laminate surface supplier that offers thousands of different patterns and colors for countertops and other surfaces at a fraction of the cost of a butcher block or natural stone. This allows us to have fun with accent areas like a kitchen island or bath without breaking the budget. Stone looks, especially travertine in warmer colors, are very popular, and you will see many more patterns and matte finish looks in 2025.

The Great Outdoors

Greens, especially leafy colors, continue to be a strong trend, and more natural-looking plants can be found in staged interiors. Bringing the outdoors in can make the home feel larger and more open. Outdoor entertaining areas remain essential, with porch model homes growing in popularity. At the 2024 International Builders Show, Cavco showed a home with a rooftop deck, which is a great way to use space on a smaller lot.

Eco Trends

Living an eco-friendly green lifestyle is necessary for most consumers. Besides being a way to keep utility costs down, it is the right thing to do. Consumers are asking for recycled materials like the 100 percent recycled material tiles that Kohler showed at the Kitchen and Bath Show. Concrete is a material you will see a lot more of in design. Kast concrete basins had an incredible choice of colors, and are a great way to add color to any bath. Be sure to highlight how your business and your homes are environmentally friendly. »

Get Cozy

Our home is our haven, and comfort is back in style. Soft materials are a must, with beautiful woven textures that make you want to snuggle up. Rounded corners give any room a softer feel, and the new neutrals like camel, honey, and terra cotta give home interiors the warmth buyers want.

LED Lighting

LED lighting is an area that will be trending heavily in 2025. With the cost of LED lighting coming down, now is a great time to try using this easily installed design element to add backlighting for a mirror, to add night lighting to the base of a kitchen island, or for accent lighting to open shelving. Recessed l ighting for the ceiling has also come down in price and is a great way to light a room. Be sure to have the dining room and other spaces wired for chandeliers, ceiling fans, or pendants that the consumer can add. It is an excellent way for a buyer to easily customize their home.

Spa Baths

With 2025 being the year that more consumers than ever will be taking a look at manufactured homes for the first time, the industry must be ready to show how the homes from our builders are not only a great value but also help create that Instagramworthy home that buyers love.

Bath areas are another place where buyers can customize their homes after the purchase. Interchangeable shower heads are now available to turn any bath into a spa retreat. Kohler has its new line of Spa Viva hand showers with a cleansing device, and there are other models that can add aromatherapy to a shower or bath to make life a little bit sweeter.

Eventstrade shows

TEXAS MANUFACTURED HOUSING ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONVENTION

Sunday, Nov. 10 — Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024

Los Colinas, Texas | Ritz Carlton

The annual meeting in Texas kicks off with a Sunday golf tournament at the Cowboys Golf Club, followed by a welcome reception that evening. Monday’s agenda includes breakfast, educational sessions, lunch, exhibitors, and networking. The evening features a cocktail reception and the Chairman’s Dinner as well as the PAC Casino Night event. The convention concludes Tuesday morning with a breakfast and the TMHA Fourth Quarter Board Meeting.

MHI’S NCC FALL LEADERSHIP FORUM

Wednesday, Nov. 13 — Friday, Nov. 15, 2024

Chicago | Westin Michigan Avenue

The NCC Fall Leadership Forum held each year draws more than 400 attendees and is the only strategic executive-level event of the year for national community owners. The meeting is geared toward professionals involved with manufactured home communities as an owner/manager, manufacturer, service provider, broker, lender, or consultant. Organizers and presenters explore new ideas, examine trends, and offer a unique industry perspective.

LOUISVILLE MANUFACTURED HOUSING SHOW

Wednesday, Jan. 15 — Friday, Jan. 17, 2025

Louisville, Ky. | Kentucky Exposition Center

The Louisville Manufactured Housing Show is the nation’s largest indoor show for manufactured home professionals. The annual gathering is organized by the Midwest Manufac-

If you have an event or gathering you would like to have listed with MHInsider, please contact us at:

www.mhvillage.com/pro/manufacturedhousing-industry-trade-shows/

tured Housing Federation, supported by the state associations of Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and Kentucky. The show brings out an array of new manufactured home designs, the latest in technology, the best in supplier offerings, and a look at all the newest amenities and offsite-built options.

INTERNATIONAL BUILDER’S SHOW

Tuesday, Feb. 25 — Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025

Las Vegas, Nev. | Las Vegas Convention Center

The NAHB International Builders’ Show® (IBS) is the premier global annual event to connect, educate, and improve the residential construction industry. It is a hub for new product launches, construction demonstrations, industry thought-leader sessions, home tours, workshops, and panel discussions. Manufactured home and modular home professionals will showcase their products and services in the convention center and in the outdoor village.

BILOXI MANUFACTURED HOUSING SHOW

Monday, March 17 — Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Biloxi, Miss. | IP Casino Resort and Spa

The South Central Manufactured Housing Institute each year hosts the Biloxi Show for manufactured housing professionals. It is North America’s largest indoor/ outdoor manufactured home trade show, featuring an outdoor village with nearly 50 homes on display, an impressive indoor exhibit hall that showcases the newest features from industry suppliers, as well as educational training to help build a business.

The Louisville Show VIP EXPERIENCE

The Louisville Manufactured Housing Show in 2025 will have an elevated experience for manufactured housing professionals who want all that the show has to offer or to provide staff or clients with a new experience.

Industry professionals are invited to attend the show Jan. 15 through Jan. 17, 2025, at the Kentucky Exposition Center where dozens of new factory-built homes will be on display, and about 130 service and supply exhibitors will be on hand.

The event is expected to draw more than 3,000 attendees.

The Louisville Show VIP Experience is a new feature in 2025, and is certain to add some excitement to the annual event.

VIP Treatment Includes:

Personalized Mailed Badges

Skip the registration desk and receive show credentials directly at the home or office.

Tuesday Night VIP Reception

Kick off the show with an exclusive reception at the Headquarters Hotel, the Hyatt Regency Louisville.

Access to the VIP Lounge

Enjoy private seating, wi-fi, charging stations, premium snacks, and more.

Wednesday and Thursday VIP Breakfasts

Start the day at the show with an exclusive breakfast for VIP attendees.

Upgraded VIP Bag

Enjoy a curated gift exclusively for VIP attendees.

Each year the Midwest Manufactured Housing Federation holds The Louisville Show, bringing together manufactured housing professionals from all over the country. It is the precursor to the spring selling season, the event that offers individuals from all corners of the industry the support and resources needed to make 2025 a strong sales year.

In addition to homes and service and supply exhibitors, The Louisville Show offers a robust series of educational seminars and expert panels.

The MMHF is a trade-association dedicated to the promotion and advancement of the manufactured housing industry throughout Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio.

The Louisville Show is open only to industry professionals. To inquire about the show, including for the sponsorship information, or the VIP Experience, attendees can visit TheLouisvilleShow.com or call (616) 888-8030. MHV

THERE’S AN EASIER WAY TO FIND ACQUISITION OPPORTUNITIES

With detailed rent, occupancy and community attributes for nearly 200 markets nationwide, Datacomp has the information the manufactured housing industry relies on to locate and evaluate opportunities. Get the insights you need in today’s competitive market and continue to grow your portfolio with confidence.

CHAMPION HOMES, QUARTZ PROPERTIES NEW RENTAL COMMUNITY ENDURES HELENE

Asheville, N.C. Partnership

Champion Homes and Quartz Properties partnered on Belle Meadow, a new 90-unit build-to-rent community in Asheville, N.C., and opened not long before Hurricane Helene came up through the gulf and across portions of the mid Atlantic.

Quartz Properties CEO Joanna Schwartz said Belle Meadow was extremely fortunate in relation to adjacent properties and communities.

“It has been an extremely challenging time, and our hearts are breaking for Asheville, all of western North Carolina, and everyone impacted by Helene,” Schwartz said. “Quartz was extremely fortunate. None of our properties flooded and we experienced only minimal damage. It took several days to confirm all of our employees were safe and now we are doing everything we can to minimize hardship by providing full pay, storm stipend, providing water tanks on site, and bringing in truckloads of critical supplies.”

In the Blue Ridge Mountains, Belle Meadow consists of 90 modular single-family homes and HUD code duplex homes on 10 acres. Homes at Belle Meadow use state-of-the-art offsite construction techniques, providing three or four bedrooms and averaging about 1,600 square feet. The homes are built off-site, set and finished on site, demonstrating the efficiency and quality of modular methods of construction.

Third Collaboration

Belle Meadow is one of the first build-to-rent projects in the area and is designed to meet the growing housing needs in the region. By using Champion’s modular home solutions, Quartz was scheduled to open tenants just six months after the first home was set.

It reopened shortly after the storm.

“Now Asheville’s housing needs are even more critical, and we are more motivated than ever to stay on schedule and release several homes per week,” Schwartz said. “It’s our small part in helping the community begin the long recovery process. We had a crew back to work within a week and were able to move two families into units.”

Build-to-rent projects like Belle Meadow deliver turnkey housing solutions that balance cost, quality, and speed, meeting the demands of the market.

The biggest hurdles in the weeks following the storm was the lack of municipal water, getting inspectors out in the field again, and getting site work finalized on Phase 2 of the project amid the other calls to action.

“We are optimistic that we can resolve these issues and will be able to provide additional housing very soon,” Schwartz said. “We remain committed to our mission of bringing high quality and affordable offsite housing solutions to the local and regional area. Quartz Modular and Quartz »

Transport have resources and teams ready to play a major role in rebuilding Asheville into the vibrant hub it was just a few weeks ago.”

Western N.C. a Prime Locale

Champion Homes President and CEO Mark Yost said The Blue Ridge Mountains provide an inspiring backdrop for the innovative modular homes in Asheville.

“We’re thrilled to introduce Belle Meadow to this vibrant area,” he said, “Our engineers and builder partners excel at developing attractive homes at price points unmatched by traditional construction methods. This approach is central to both the build-to-rent model and our commitment to increasing housing availability.”

Housing Shortage Solutions

The need to address housing availability cannot be overstated, Yost said. A surge in homebuying during the COVID era, fueled by historically low interest rates and a slowdown

in new home construction, has created a nationwide strain on availability for both buyers and renters.

Belle Meadow is the latest in Champion and Quartz collaborations. Other developments the companies have teamed on include Padgett Place, with 42 stunning craftsman-style homes, is near Black Mountain, N.C., and Cascade Ridge with 32 farmhouse-inspired homes displaying high-end finishes.

Champion Homes has 48 manufacturing facilities and employs about 8,800 people. The company also provides construction services to install and set-up factory-built homes, operates a factory-direct retail business with 72 retail locations, and operates Star Fleet Trucking, providing transportation services to the manufactured housing and other industries from several dispatch locations in the U.S.

Quartz Properties Management is a “modular-centric” residential development platform that optimizes the cost, efficiency, and environmental benefits of off-site construction to build value-driven, attainably priced homes that are both for sale and for rent. It is a general contractor, operates Quartz Transportation, and provides third-party services. MHV

Manufactured Home Community Financing

Wells Fargo Commercial Real Estate understands that making business decisions in the current environment is more challenging than ever. Our experienced bankers can provide the financial guidance you need to help navigate your company’s most pressing issues. With our industry knowledge, products, and services, we’re confident we can help keep your business moving forward.

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UMH PROPERTIES, INC.

A PIONEER IN MANUFACTURED HOUSING

• $2.1 billion in total enterprise value

As a publicly traded REIT (NYSE:UMH), we have been providing quality a ordable housing since 1968. Our portfolio provides high pro t margins, recession resistant qualities, reliable income streams and the potential for long-term value appreciation.

• 136 communities, 25,800 homesites, 2 joint venture communities containing 363 homesites, 11 states

• Housing approximately 22,000 families

• 7,800 total acres, 3,800 acres in Marcellus and Utica Shale regions

Response to the Most Expansive HUD Code Update in Decades

HUD Unveils 87 Changes to Construction, Safety for Manufactured Homes

By Patrick Revere

In September, officials from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development held a press conference in Elkhart, Ind., the area of northern Indiana in which a great many manufactured homes are built, to announce an expansion to the HUD code construction and safety standards that surpassed anything most manufactured housing professionals have experienced.

The 87 changes to the code, including a call to immediately begin taking orders and constructing duplex, triplex, and quadplex homes, is indicative of how seriously housing policy is being considered in regard to the need for an estimated three million homes nationwide.

A majority of the updates will be effective in March, though industry builders were allowed to begin construction of the multi-residential manufactured homes immediately.

“There is a waiver which allows manufacturers to start immediately making those multi-unit products that we talked about,” Teresa Payne, administrator of the office of manufactured housing programs at HUD, told the audience at Hotel Elkhart.”We know the market is demanding those and we want to get those out as quickly as possible.”

Representatives from three top builders in the country confirmed the demand for the multi-unit dwellings during a talk at the SECO National Conference of Community Owners in Atlanta later that month.

Jared Ray, regional business development manager with Cavco Industries, the country’s third largest builder of

manufactured homes, said demand has skyrocketed since the company began constructing the homes in 2023.

“We get 100 to 120 leads a week just on duplexes, and it’s even outside of communities,” Ray said. “We get inquires from local municipalities, universities… it opens up a whole new world for this industry that we were unable to tap into before.

“Usually it’s us working with municipalities, fighting to get housing in, and now they’re calling and saying ‘Hey, can you build this for us’,” he said.

Byron Stroud, of Champion Homes, works with community operators nationwide who are in need of new homes and increased density on their properties.

“Now we have the opportunity to get a group of many units together that eliminates our struggle in many cases to take care of smaller lots than previously planned rather than trying to squeeze in single wides where double wides were previously planned,” Stroud told the audience at SECO.

“So, I believe they’ve given us a great alternative,” he said. “A lot of the details have to be ironed out but we know the opportunity is there. For all community owners, I see a redevelopment opportunity, a new phase, a completion of a community’s property… all of those types of design solutions may be in the works with these new HUD regulations.”

Approximately 30 percent of new manufactured homes go to communities under the land-lease model.

Federal Housing Administration

Commissioner Julia Gordon said the expansion of home types allowable

within the HUD code provides the ability to supply factory-built homes nationwide in a greater variety of settings.

“You want to be able to match the type of housing that’s in those communities,” Gordon said. “Whether it’s having homes that can have kind of zero lot line and can just fit into a particular area, or having an actual home with two separate living quarters.”

Industry professionals have expressed an interest in having multi-residential homes to increase density in a variety of settings, including manufactured home communities, on or near college campuses, for workforce housing, or blended into housing developments along side traditional single-section or multi-section

manufactured homes and standard site-built homes. Similar to the usage of an ADU, the units within a primary residence also can be used to lease, or provide housing for an aging relative.

The increased variety of home types along with the industry’s long-held advantage in speed to market, Gordon said, can play a major role in “closing the gap” on the U.S. housing shortage.

To use site-built construction in development means an elongated process, and labor pools that move from market to market in teams rather than the stability of community and a single work site. Factory jobs are more stable and predictable and the use of homes from the factory eliminates the wait. »

Kurt Kelley President

Payne emphasized work with municipalities in saying site-built homes take “multiples of the amount of time it’s going to take to have this whole new neighborhood right there… right near jobs and good schools and all sorts of things people think about when they think about where they want to live and when they want to buy a house.

“We want to be giving that federal voice, that imprimatur, if you will, to what is happening out in this exciting sector,” Gordon said. “We’re missing millions of homes right now. We have lots of young families, for example, who aren’t moving out from their parents and forming a household because they simply cannot find, let alone afford, a place live.

“This is something we can scale,” she said. “Building them in a factory rather than on site, you can really develop your workforce in an area, you can really be a force for jobs and we’ve seen more and more localities interested in ‘Well, could we locate one of those plants here?’ It’s really exciting but it just takes raising this up over and over in the national conversation.”

The construction and safety code, commonly referred to as the HUD code, was signed into law 50 years

ago, and Elkhart is the birthplace of the manufactured housing and RV industries. Elkhart, the location of the RV/MH Hall of Fame, hosted the Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee’s September meeting, at which the code updates were announced.

More than 22 million people live in manufactured homes, and last year the industry produced 89,717 new homes.

“We continue to play a critical role in increasing the affordable housing stock. Today’s manufactured homes are durable, efficient, sustainable, safe, and, most importantly, affordable," Payne said. "That’s why our program is essential to providing housing to everyday Americans whether it’s for purchase, for rent, for a first-time homebuyer, or a senior looking to downsize. And for families seeking to build generational wealth.

“The HUD code, as we call it, has continued to evolve to meet the needs of modern consumers, which has increased the acceptance of manufactured housing,” she said.

Zach Huneycutt, Clayton’s national manager of community sales, pointed to the exception letter or waiver HUD issued along with the change to include multi-residential structures as an emphasis on the need for immediate solutions to the housing crisis.

“One of the biggest things to take away is what HUD sees in what we can do in our industry and how we can deliver affordability to the market that is so desperately needed. We’re excited about it,” Huneycutt said.

Stroud said the duplex solution is an important one because the change can be handled on existing production lines with little retooling, if any.

“There is a firewall from the ridge all the way to the ground, so there are differences in construction,” he said. “And now instead of putting two single wides in a very narrow space we are able to put that unit in that looks like a double wide with a full front porch.”

Input on HUD Code Changes from MHI

The Manufactured Housing Institute issued a statement commending the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for its long-awaited updates to the Federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards. As the nation navigates an affordable housing shortage, »

manufactured housing offers quality and affordability to Americans who need and deserve both.

“These updates to the construction code for manufactured housing will support the industry in delivering homes with innovative designs and modern features, bringing attainable home ownership to more people across the country,” MHI CEO Lesli Gooch said.

Gooch said she applauds the administrative waiver for the production and immediate delivery of in-demand one- to four-unit manufactured homes as “a vital move toward addressing housing challenges in high density areas.”

MHI expressed concern about the “tight 180-day timeline to enact these substantial new changes” including 74 updates to reference standards, 16 new standards, and three regulatory text changes.

The proposed revisions and updates to the HUD code are critical, MHI stated. They clear out the backlog of items previously approved by the Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee, which have been pending HUD approval and implementation for years. To avoid future backlogs, MHI

urges HUD to provide more regular updates to the HUD code to alleviate construction challenges and streamline attainable home ownership nationwide.

Other Key Changes to the HUD Code

Open floor plans, truss designs, and specifications for attics:

The updated requirements for exterior door separation and structural design enable open floorplans that maintain fire safety, clarify unclear provisions, and enable optimization of truss design. In addition, the final rule provides clarity regarding structural design requirements for attics.

Ridge roof designs:

Revised definitions and regulatory language allow certain specified roof ridge designs (peak cap and peak flip roof assemblies) without a requirement for specific on-site inspections by a HUD-approved agency, except for certain exclusions. This type of roof installation is common through the industry and uses technology that is time-tested. This update is beneficial for manufacturers »

and consumers by incorporating more recent design practices into the regulations and eliminating unnecessary inspections and associated costs.

Materials that facilitate modern design approaches and improve quality:

Updates to reference standards for materials (wood, steel, piping) and products align with other building standards, allow the use of more modern design approaches and installation of alternative materials, and improve the quality and safety of homes for consumers.

Accessibility improvements:

Modifications to standards for accessible showers comply with national disability standards for roll in showers. This eliminates the need for HUD alternative construction approval and reduce cost and burdens for manufacturers and consumers.

Modern and energy-saving appliances:

use of more modern and energy efficient appliances, including gas-fired tankless water heaters, eliminating

the need for HUD alternative construction approvals for use of such appliances.

Additional process efficiencies that save time and reduce costs:

Improved language stipulating prerequisites for the process of obtaining installation licenses increase flexi bility for installers; updates to water system piping testing procedures decrease on-site testing time; and utilization of appliance QR codes for manuals and information will reduce paperwork and bookkeeping.

All the details on the changes to the HUD code are posted to the Federal Register web page. MHV

ABOUT US

For over six decades, Triad Financial Services has earned the trust of borrowers, dealers, manufacturers, and lending institutions alike. Our unwavering commitment has enabled families to achieve their dream of homeownership.

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POPULAR FLOOR PLANS

MHInsider has launched a new editorial element to its magazine offerings, with a feature on popular floor plans a few editions per year. The floor plans, curated by the internal MHInsider editorial team, are intended to provide insight on consumer trends in the manufactured housing industry as well as to provide for the reader compelling visual imagery of the homes the industry builds and sells.

Each edition of MHInsider in which Popular Floor Plans are included will feature a layout that has a builder and home description, a bullet list of home features, exterior and interior photos, and a detailed floor plan so readers can appreciate the design and construction of the home.

Enjoy our second installment of the feature, and feel free to contact the manufacturer of the home with any questions. »

Adventure Homes is a single-plant manufacturer of HUD code homes and state code modular homes. The Indiana-based builder came out with this series of three homes — which also are available in 600-square-foot and 840-squarefoot versions — as a type of “tiny home” or “cottage home” primarily for lakeside and campground settings as short-term rentals. ONE IN A SERIES OF LAKESIDE COTTAGES

2 bed and 1 bath

Adventure Homes Contact: Sales Manager Shawn Carnahan (877) 510-1955 or shawn.carnahan@adventurehomes.net

The dwellings also are purchased as second homes, rentals, vacation getaways.

Notable Features Within the Lakeside Series:

• Residential “shed” style metal roof

• LP SmartSide or vinyl siding

• 8-foot covered cedar porch

• Vaulted ceilings (living room and kitchen)

• Finished drywall

• LED can lights

• Optional transom windows

• Optional LED electric fireplace with shiplap

• Optional tiled showers

“With a spacious, open floor plan for entertaining and a convenient kitchen layout, the Lakeside series homes are a dream home. Explore the extra space, two bedrooms and one bathroom layout, and beautiful construction.”

A SMALL HOME WITH FURNITURE-FRIENDLY DESIGN

Legacy’s cozy singlewide is the ideal starter home or downsizing option for empty-nesters.

The “furniture-friendly design” provides the ultimate in affordable luxury. The home comes with stain-resistant vinyl-wrapped walls, European-inspired raised panel vacuum-sealed high-definition cabinet doors, post-form roll-top counters with bullnose front edge and integrated backsplash.

Legacy Housing Contact: Sales Manager Mike Bates (817) 624-7565 or mikebates@legacyhousingcorp.com

Notable Features Within the Cozy Singlewide:

• Vinyl thermal pane windows

• Factory-select 34p-inch steel in-swing front door with deadbolt

• Center shelves with vinyl front edge banding in base cabinets

• Tongue and groove OSB floor decking

• Elongated commodes

• Composition shingle roof at 4/12 pitch

• 11-11-31 Insulation

• American made single-piece (not welded) I-beam frame

• Full-length outriggers/wall supports

• 2×6 floor joist 16-inch on center

A CRAFTSMAN FRONT-LOAD STYLE

One in a series, the Miguel XT is a full drywall, designed space for either community business or for street retail.

The 28-by-48 floor plan includes large bedrooms and an open living area. The 8-foot by 13-foot covered front porch provides added space and makes for a pleasing street view. The home, shown at the SECO National Conference of Community Owners in Atlanta, includes contemporary interior features such as a floating entertainment center, stainless kitchen appliances, accent walls, and square porcelain bath sinks.

or

Notable Features Within the Miguel Series:

• Painted sheetrock

• Painted birch accent walls

• 9-foot ceilings

• Transom windows

• Ceramic tile shower

• Fiberglass tubs and showers

• Overhead heating and ducts

• Optional composite decking

“The Miguel was very nicely received in Atlanta, and we look forward to providing more information on this unique yet versatile home.”

Adventure Homes Celebrates 15 Years

Indiana Builder Opened at The Worst Time ‘Never Expected to Make It’

By Patrick Revere

“Wally Comer and Adventure Homes have been the true pioneers of the manufactured housing business, creating opportunities for the American dream in both employment and family home ownership. Wally and Adventure Homes are a true example of how an organization should be run!”

— Nikki Elliott, Green Valley Homes

Adventure Homes in 2009 was an outlier, an experiment in what homebuilding might be, a lark, if you will.

To put it plainly, Adventure Homes was expected to fail even before it was named.

No one told Wally Comer.

“Yes, they did…” Comer said. “Everyone did, but it was clear to me what I needed to do.”

The writing was on the wall but it was in a language Comer doesn’t speak. Skepticism is fine, but there is a way.

Consumer financing was wobbly, homebuilding facilities were contracting and closing faster than in recent memory. And Wally Comer wanted to take over an old plant and build a new company?

Please.

“We were never expected to make it,” Comer said. But he talked to his wife Joanna, talked some more with people from the plant about sticking around, bought the place and kept on moving… and there it was, an adventure at hand in Garrett, Ind.

Adventure Homes is owned by Walt Fuller, Jerry Henry, and Wally Comer, who remains vital to central operations and is in the office and plant most days.

How Comer Came to Start Adventure

Comer came from LaCrescenta, Calif., and went to University of California for a marketing degree. He joined Redman with the RV division, moved to Oregon for a stint in the “mini-motor home” division before moving on to manufactured housing. After taking some turns with the industry, »

15 YEARS OF ADVENTURE HOMES, BY THE NUMBERS…

17,275 homes built (HUD single section, multi section and modular)

8-time Manufacturer of the Year award winner (MHI - Three plants or fewer)

4-time Home Design Award winner (MHI)

2-time Interior Design Award winner (MHI)

230 person team (Up from 80 in 2009)

2,095 floors produced in 2023 (up from 689 in 2010 – 1st full year in business)

$91.7 million in sales in 2023 “built and sold” (up from $13.1 million in 2010 – 1st full year in business)

HONORS FOR WALLY COMER

Class of 2019 MH Hall of Fame Inductee

2020 MHInsider Leadership Award Winner

2024 Ohio Manufactured Homes Association Lifetime Board Member Award

Comer was hired to run Fleetwood’s plant in Garrett.

“Our plant had a solid reputation with the dealers, a well trained workforce, and a seasoned management team in place,” Comer was quoted as saying at the time. “The decision was really rather simple: Lose all that we had built together as a team or purchase the facility and save 80 jobs.”

The plant shut down on a Friday and re-opened on Monday under the new name, never to miss a step. Of the 230 current employees, 33 are from the original group of 80. Twenty-two of them have been there 10-plus years, and another 70 have been on the team for more than five years.

Comer confides that the company lost a little money the first year, stabi-

lized in the second year, and turned a decent profit by year three.

At the beginning, Adventure Homes couldn’t even hang a sign out front. There were no formal agreements for pay, or insurance or other benefits. In no time, all of the details would work out. The first year, Adventure Homes sold $13 million in homes. Ten years in it eclipsed $53.5 million.

Because Fuller and Henry had confidence in Comer, they gave their full support. The Adventure plan was simple; keep prices low, and put all the resources they are able into the homes they build. To this day, signs hang in the factory that say “Would You Buy the Home You Built Today?” and “Remember, The Next Inspector is The Customer” as well as “If We Don’t Do It Better – Our Competition Will”.

“The thing I love about Adventure is Wally. He has the kindest heart. He treats everyone like family. He expects your best and that’s easy to do when you work for a guy who always gives his best. We are all one big family and that is the best work environment anyone could ask for”

— Susan Kasinger, Adventure Homes Controller

Comer reminds people that the homes Adventure builds cost a substantial amount of money, but the quality and care that goes into them is free.

They don’t really care about the numbers, not as much as about the house, he has said. Adventure builds what people want. The company is proud of its roots, “Luxury and Comfort for Less” and over time has evolved the motto to “Dream It. Design It. Build It. Love It.”

“I’m not a mass producer,” Wally Comer said. “I’m sort of a quasi-custom builder, and we’ve been very successful.”

How to Celebrate 15 Years

Shawn Carnahan, the sales manager at Adventure and a second-generation employee with the company, said the company celebrated during the week with a barbecue chicken dinner, and then tee-shirt and lawn chair giveaways.

“We continued the celebration on Saturday with a company picnic,” Carnahan said. “We rented out Fort Wayne’s largest indoor entertainment center, providing hours of fun and a buffet of food. It was a wonderful gathering! Everyone works so incredibly hard throughout the week, it’s awesome to meet everyone’s families and spend time outside of the work environment.”

Kirk Kacsor is the purchasing manager at Adventure Homes.

“Without a doubt, the success and growth of Adventure Homes in the past 15 years has to do with the culture and the people who make up the team,”

he said. “ The family environment, a ‘can-do’ attitude. It starts at the top with our owners and filters down through the company.”

The ownership at Adventure Homes has created a stable work environment by offering incentive pay and other benefits, the company’s production manager Keith Carnahan said.

“During my time as CEO at Zeman Homes I made the decision to take the ‘Adventure’ with Wally and his team. The partnership between our companies has been one of the best that Zeman has had. This partnership has provided us with a great product, at an affordable price and superb customer service, as well as a friendship with one of my favorite people in the world, Wally Comer.”

— Dee Pizer, Zeman Homes

“That keeps the workforce intact. I have always believed that the success of our company starts out on the production floor. Our workforce has the ability to build a wide variety of high-quality, customized homes from a very budget friendly single section, all the way up to a high end modular home, all in one facility,” Carnahan

said. In conjunction with the drafting, administration staff, purchasing, sales and our service department, they all work together to produce a quality home that people are proud to live in. Our workforce is the heart and soul of our company.” MHV

•

• Nationwide

• Quality Assurance: From exterior essentials to top-tier systems, we deliver excellence in every product.

• Comprehensive Inventory: Find everything you need for your new build or remodel under one roof

• Installation Excellence: Our extensive network of 1,800 accomplished contractors ensures seamless installations

Engage Yale Advisors well in advance of a sale to guide you through the process and to maximize your results.

Understand Market Trends

Stay updated on MH & RV market conditions and comparable sales. Pay special attention to your local market occupancy and rent comparables.

Prepare Your Property

Ensure the property is well-maintained and marketready. Lease any vacancies, sell park-owned homes (POH), and review expenses for potential cost savings.

Get a Professional Valuation

Obtain an accurate valuation to determine your park’s value today and potential value over the next few years.

Organize Legal and Third-Party Documents

Ensure all titles, leases, and documents are current and complete. You may consider ordering updated title, survey and environmental studies.

Optimize Financial Reports and Performance

Review and enhance your property’s financial performance to attract buyers.

MANUFACTURED HOMES ARE ALL WE DO

When you need an appraisal on a new or pre-owned manufactured home, go with the time-tested experts on market-based comparable valuations since 1987.

At Datacomp, manufactured homes are our singular focus — and you won’t find more expertise, specialization, or reliability anywhere else.

CLAYTON INKS DEAL WITH ORACLE CLOUD

Homebuilder Consolidates Finance, Planning, Supply Chain Processes

Clayton, the industry’s largest builder, announced it is using Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications Suite to streamline business processes and support its mission to provide attainable, sustainably-built housing to U.S. individuals and families.

The integrated suite of cloud applications to manage finance, planning, and supply chain processes provides efficiencies for Clayton resulting in reduced costs and enhanced decision-making.

Clayton has more than 60 home building and component manufacturing facilities, over 380 company sales locations, and a product portfolio that includes a comprehensive range of modern manufactured and site-built housing.

Its vertically integrated solutions include home building, retail, and financing business units.

Clayton’s complex operations made it difficult for leadership to gain timely insights and slowed decision-making, Clayton said in a corporate statement.

The unified business platform is expected to streamline complex finance and accounting processes, improve operational visibility, and support the company’s dynamic supply and demand planning needs.

“The housing industry has endured numerous headwinds recently with rising interest rates and material inflation. Now, more than ever, we need to stay focused on enterprise-wide productivity, improvements, cost reduction, and driving value for our customers,” Clayton CFO Jim Stariha said. “Oracle Fusion Applications Suite has enabled us to standardize intricate finance and supply chain processes on a single integrated cloud platform and take advantage of advanced capabilities to reduce working capital, increase productivity, expand insights, and improve decision-making as we make home building more sustainable and homeownership more attainable.”

With Oracle Fusion Cloud Enterprise Resource Planning, or ERP, Clayton has been able to increase efficiency and insights, reduce costs, and improve financial controls by consolidating financial data from its business units into a single chart of accounts and general ledger. It has helped Clayton further streamline planning, budgeting, and reporting to accelerate its financial close process.

Additionally, Oracle Fusion Cloud Supply Chain & Manufacturing, or SCM, has helped Clayton improve supply and demand planning and increase the efficiency of home building and logistics operations so it can quickly respond to changing market conditions, the company stated.

“To stay competitive in the housing market, Clayton needed to consolidate systems, streamline processes, and embrace automation,” Oracle Executive Vice President of Applications Development Steve Miranda. “With Oracle Fusion Applications, Clayton can take advantage of an integrated applications suite with embedded AI to help improve the speed and accuracy of processes, increase overall efficiency, and bring new housing innovations to market that help make homeownership a reality for more people in America.” MHV

THE PROPANEPOWERED HOME

How This Energy Source Enables Homes to Be Built Anywhere

By Bryan Cordill

Propane Council Partners With Southern Living To Share The Benefits Of Propane In Unique Environments

As the housing industry continues to evolve, so do the challenges facing builders. With increasing scarcity for land and buildable lots, growing environmental concerns, and a rising focus of living off the grid and off natural gas lines, the flexibility to build anywhere has become a critical factor in home construction. Among the innovative solutions to these challenges is propane — an efficient, reliable, and eco-friendly energy source. Propane is increasingly being recognized for its ability to power homes in diverse and sensitive environments.

A prime example of propane’s versatility is its role in the 2024 Southern Living Idea House, nestled along the Kiawah River in South Carolina. This 4,400-square-foot residence not only showcases modern home design but

also demonstrates how propane supports residential construction in remote, eco-sensitive areas. It allows homebuilders the freedom to build in locations where some energy sources are unfeasible.

One of the greatest challenges in homebuilding is finding land that is both available and buildable, while housing demand continues to grow. Single-family housing starts are expected to rise by 9 percent in 2024, with continued growth projected through 2025 and 2026. Notably, 58 percent of those houses are in new residential developments, including areas available for manufactured land and home packages, which may be off-grid and lack access to natural gas, similar to this project near the Kiawah River. »

Propane is increasingly becoming the solution to these challenges. PERC president and CEO Tucker Perkins shares that residential consumption accounts for 50 percent of the propane used in the U.S.

“Homeowners today are prioritizing energy sources that are both reliable and eco-friendly. For this reason, we’re seeing more builders incorporate the use of propane in the residential construction space,” Perkins said. “Propane checks all the boxes — it’s clean, efficient, and resilient, making it a smart choice for builders and homeowners.”

The area around the Kiawah River is also part of a highly sensitive ecosystem, meaning it was critical that the home’s energy source would not

pollute air, soil or waterways. Propane’s clean properties produce significantly fewer greenhouse gas emissions in a variety of applications compared to other energy sources. It is non-toxic, non-poisonous, and won’t contaminate soil or water. Propane is recognized as a clean alternative fuel under the Clean Air Act.

Tom Dillard, the builder of the Southern Living Idea House, emphasizes that propane’s flexibility and sustainability were key to making this project a reality.

“We’re the visitors here, nature was here first,” Dillard said. “Our job was to not impact that in any negative way, so using clean energy that would allow homeowners to enjoy living here was extremely important.”

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The 2024 Southern Living Idea House operates on a 1,000-gallon buried propane tank, powering a variety of applications including the water heater, space heater, fireplaces, indoor and outdoor kitchens, pool heater, and its backup generator. The underground tank also offers aesthetic benefits and minimizes environmental disruption to the surrounding ecosystem.

“Propane allows homeowners to enjoy modern amenities while respecting the ecological values of the area,” Dillard said. “It’s an energy solution that doesn’t interfere with the natural beauty of the region.”

Research by the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) shows that propane appliances produce 52 percent less greenhouse gas emissions compared to electric equivalents. And with the recent HUD code update, manufactured housing residents can now enjoy more of these benefits, allowing gas-fired tankless water heaters to be installed and shipped from the factory to homes.

Those benefits shine through in the Southern Living Idea Home. With more than 10 propane appliances in the home, Perkins says the home is projected to provide a 13 percent reduction in CO2 equivalent emissions compared to an all-electric home.

“When building in environmentally sensitive areas like coastal South Carolina, it’s crucial to use an energy source that does not harm the ecosystem,” Perkins said. “Propane supports high energy demands without sacrificing comfort, efficiency, or reliability.”

Building in hurricane-prone areas like South Carolina presents

even more challenges. In August, Hurricane Debby hit the East Coast, leaving many without power. Propane’s reliability and resilience offer significant advantages in regions prone to extreme weather.

Will King, president of High Cotton Homes, has seen firsthand how propane’s versatility has made itself indispensable in disaster-prone areas.

“As a former firefighter and now builder, I’ve seen the devastation natural disasters can cause. And having lived through events like the 2011 tornadoes in Birmingham, I know how crucial it is to have reliable energy

switches, propane gives homeowners the resilience they need to withstand extended power outages safely.”

“What’s even more impressive is that a propane-powered generator can activate within seconds of a power outage,” King said. “It truly provides power when families need it most.”

As more homeowners seek to build in off-grid locations, propane will continue to play a pivotal role in supporting energy independence.

The dream of building and living anywhere is no longer reserved for rustic cabins or off-grid minimalists — homes can now thrive wherever

podcast recording was held on Sept. 16 and featured Perkins, alongside builders Dillard, King, and Matt Blashaw. The discussion covered the growing trends and insights of off-the-grid homes and the role that propane plays in making these homes both sustainable and resilient. To access the full discussion and learn more about the future of off-grid living, listen to the Path to Zero podcast episode at propane.com/ environment/podcast. MHV

Bryan Cordill is the director of residential business development at the Propane Education &

MHINSIDER 2024 INDUSTRY

AWARDS

MHInsider Editorial Board

George Allen

Barry Cole

Ron D’Ambra

Kevan Enger

Suzanne Felber

Dawn Highhouse

Maria Horton

Darren Krolewski

John Neet

Karl Radde

TC Sheppard

In Recognition of the Highest

Achievements

in Manufactured Housing

The fifth 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 MHInsider editorial board assisted in selecting among more than 90 candidates for the Industry awards. Deliberations continued among our internal team and external advisors until consensus was reached for recipients in five categories.

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

ADVOCACY AWARD WINNER

AMIE HACKER

of Clayton Homes

Amie Hacker, vice president of real estate and acquisitions for Clayton, is the former owner and principal at Parkplace Homes and Boardwalk Properties. In addition to dedicating much of her career to becoming Kentucky’s top manufactured home retail sales organization, she is a leader in creating change toward the sale of more energy efficient homes. Hacker is the past chairperson for the Kentucky Manufactured Housing Institute, and currently serves as secretary. She also has served as treasurer and vice chairperson for the institute’s political action committee. Hacker has been a trustee for the Manufactured Housing Institute’s board of directors, helping to lead the national organization and its efforts in Washington, in addition to working with the organization’s education Institute.

What do you believe are Leadership Award winner Amie Hacker’s greatest achievements?

“True leadership is inspiring and helping individuals reach their potential while assuring the organization achieves its goals. True achievements are things done successfully by attitude, effort, courage and/or skill. Amie’s career is the epitome of these. Her career started with a successful repo business that led to more successful retail, community, and insurance businesses. Along the way she learned each aspect of the manufactured housing business while forming strong relationships. Fighting unfair zoning issues became a specialty. She makes each organization better while inspiring and encouraging individuals. Amie has served as a role model for women in the industry and has devoted a lot of time advocating for qualified diversity in the industry.”

— Credit Human National New Markets Catalyst Barry Noffsinger

What are the award winner’s personal skills or character traits that you feel have contributed most to these successes?

“It all comes down to Amie’s inclination to genuinely connect and collaborate. Because she is a natural leader, Amie has been tapped to serve on the National Retailers Council’s Board of Governors, including as chair. Amie’s path to success is realized through her inclination to foster relationships and build collaboration and trust. I can always rely on Amie to provide inspiration and encouragement, no matter the challenge. Amie is a great listener who really makes an investment in learning and understanding others. She has been integral to supporting the industry’s success, whether it was leading a board or participating in an advocacy effort. She leads and inspires through example.”

— MHI CEO Lesli Gooch

DAVE HEGEMANN INFLUENCER AWARD

What do you believe are Influencer Award winner Dave Hegemann’s greatest achievements?

“When I think of Dave’s highest achievements, the very first accomplishment that comes to mind is the success of Rent Manager. To imagine that an award-winning solution came from a desire to help his father succeed is remarkable. Now, thousands of manufactured housing professionals use his software and attend an industry-leading conference, and more than 500 employees work to accomplish his vision.”

— Brittany Christerson, chief operating officer of LCS/Rent Manager

What are the award winner’s personal skills or character traits that you feel have contributed most to these successes?

“Dave has an incredible knack for seeing the big picture while staying attuned to the finer details that matter most. His forward-thinking approach, combined with a natural ability to inspire those around him, has been key to our success in the manufactured housing industry. He drives innovation not just through vision, but by ensuring that the entire team feels empowered to push boundaries.”

— Tony Little, chief technology officer of LCS/Rent Manager

WINNER of London Computer Systems/Rent Manager

Dave Hegemann coded and built what would become Rent Manager in the middle and late ‘80s as a way for his father’s mobile home park and campground to operate more efficiently. Hegemann’s effort expanded to a series of communities in the area of London, Ohio, hence the company name. Rent Manager is among the most dominant property management software solutions in the space, not just for manufactured housing but for multi-family, commercial, self storage, and other areas of property management.

The Influencer Award honors individuals who by their presence and authentic implementation of ideas have created widely held business practices and wholesale improvement for the industry.

LEADERSHIP AWARD WINNER

JAMES ‘JIM’ SCOULAR

of Jimsco Inc.

Jim Scoular, of Iseman Corp., a longtime South Dakota retailer, and Jimsco Homes, a community owner and operator, was instrumental in the reimagining and long-term success of the RV/MH Hall of Fame, serving on the board and donating resources for the Scoular Manufactured Housing Museum, a moniker that Jim is quick to point out as a tribute to his family, particularly his father Ralph, a hall of fame inductee in 1998. He is a decades-long member of the state association in South Dakota, was a member of the governor’s task force on taxation and titling of manufactured homes, helped establish the current framework of the SDMHA, and contributed to the formation of setup and installation standards for homes in South Dakota. He joined his father in the hall in 2006, and is the recipient of the hall’s Darryl Searer Spirit Award.

What do you believe are Leadership Award winner Jim Scoular’s greatest achievements?

“My father exemplifies leadership through action and inspires others through thoughtful coaching. His distinctive leadership approach empowers individuals, unlocking their potential even when they may not yet see it themselves. By fostering success and driving projects beyond conventional limits, he has led teams to achieve remarkable and unforeseen outcomes. His compassion, generosity, and unwavering dedication to people are the hallmarks of his leadership and have always been his most defining qualities.”

— Jeff Scoular, son and real estate manager at Jimsco Homes

What are the award winner’s personal skills or character traits that you feel have contributed most to these successes?

“Jim has proven to be one of the most passionate and determined individuals that I have worked with in my career. His commitment to excellence and his dedication to the needs of the RV/MH Hall of Fame is unparalleled. He is always willing to step up and go the extra mile by giving his time and his treasures to ensure that the hall will be around for years to come. He is truly an inspiration.”

— Al Spencer, president of Dakotaland Homes and RV/MH Hall of Fame inductee

CHARLES FANARO LEGACY

What do you believe are Legacy Award winner Charles Fanaro’s greatest achievements?

“Fanaro demonstrated that it is possible to elevate both the quality of life for residents and reduce their cost of living through a thoughtful and innovative approach to manufactured housing. He achieved this by integrating three key components: One, a carefully designed land plan featuring cul-de-sacs and curvilinear streets, enhanced with attractive landscaping and water features; two, high-quality factory-built homes that are virtually indistinguishable from site-built homes due to improved engineering and construction techniques; and three, a strong emphasis on community amenities, services, and effective management. His approach resulted in a mutually beneficial outcome for the developer, the resident, and the surrounding community.”

What

are the award winner’s

personal

skills or character traits that you feel have contributed most to these successes?

“Charles’s success can be attributed to a combination of his visionary leadership, perseverance, and strong moral compass. When faced with numerous challenges — ranging from local resistance to obstacles in securing support from manufacturers, lenders, and consumers — he remained committed to his vision. His deep understanding of the target market, unwavering belief in the potential of his concept, and dedication to delivering results set him apart. He built a strong team, filled the community with residents who valued the offering, and consistently upheld his personal values of fairness, integrity, and reliability.”

— Mary Ann Andersen, head of operations, sales, and marketing for DWG Corp. (now a division of Hometown America)

Charles “Chuck” Fanaro, founder of DWG Corporation, transformed the landscape of manufactured housing and senior community living in the late 1980s and early 1990s with his development of Saddlebrook Farms in Grayslake, Ill. Fanaro introduced a unique concept that combined manufactured housing, land leasing, and essential community services tailored to the needs of his target demographic. Saddlebrook Farms stood out for its innovative use of high-quality HUD-code homes, placed on specially designed floating slabs and often positioned parallel to streets. He acquired Hi-Tech Housing to gain greater control over supply and to a process for interior drywall and eight-foot sidewalls, features many builders avoided because of concerns about cost and shipping damage. In addition to interior enhancements, Fanaro elevated exterior features with lap siding, attached garages, landscaping, and custom driveways. Saddlebrook Farms has grown into a thriving community with nearly 2,000 occupied homesites, offering a premier living experience for seniors.

The Legacy Award honors manufactured housing professionals whose overall career contributions are certain to create meaningful and

SCOTT ROBERTS VISIONARY AWARD WINNER

of Roberts Communities and Roberts Resorts

Scott Roberts is a second-generation owner of communities and RV resorts, running the organization founded in 1968 by his parents Bob and Barbra Roberts. Under his direction, the company has grown from four properties to nearly 30 communities and resorts with more than 10,000 homesites in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, and Texas. Roberts has invested approximately $80 million into 3,000 sites within the last eight years. About 700 of those are developed for RVs and park models, with the balance being affordable manufactured homes. Roberts Resorts continues to diversify its portfolio of properties, some like Village Farm and Village Camp, with high-end amenities. The latest Village Camp, in Flagstaff, Ariz., is a groundup community with more than 400 sites in an area known for its skiing, hiking, biking, dining, and shopping.

What do you believe are Visionary Award winner Scott Robert’s greatest achievements?

“Scott has always had a long-term vision for attainable home ownership. It really is in his DNA, having grown up in MHC communities and having had a father who not only owned 20-plus communities in the ’90s, but who also was one of the first operators to be vertically integrated by owning a manufacturing factory and transporting his own homes. He has shown his vision by deciding early to have ‘homeowners only’ communities rather than moving toward rentals to fill homesites. He invested in 2010 when the stability of the housing market continued to be a matter of question. He purchased three rental properties in central Texas — 1,200 sites and 50 percent occupied — that are now Oak Ranch, a community with 1,050 spaces just a mile and half from the Tesla gigafactory in Austin.”

— Roberts Communities Executive Vice President of Sales Ernesto Iglesias

What are the award winner’s personal skills or character traits that you feel have contributed most to these successes?

“Scott Roberts is a true visionary. Industry professionals seek his expertise as to how to design and develop a quality looking manufactured home community, along with questions regarding the operational aspects of our existing communities. He takes time to explain how each of our job functions helps contribute to families that may not be able to afford their own home. He has provided mentorship to many people, not only sharing his successes, but he is sure to point out mistakes, some costly. He has created afterschool programs for kids and there are always special events at each one of his communities. These are all things that don’t boost the bottom line, but that is one way that Scott gives back to the community.”

– Roberts Communities Senior Vice President and Head of Acquisitions Bob Pence

Rent Manager has delivered advanced technology to the manufactured housing industry for more than 35 years. It’s a commitment that continues to this very day.

Congratulations to our founder, Dave Hegemann, on winning the 2024 MHInsider Influencer Award.

BUSINESS, LIFE, AND MH LESSONS LEARNED

By George Allen, CPM Emeritus, MHM-Master

“Some lessons can’t be taught. They simply have to be learned.” And “The past is where you learn the lesson. The future is where you apply the lesson.”

Whether we realize it or not, we’ve all learned life, business, and manufactured housing lessons while passing through different stages and phases of our education, career, and relationships. The test, however, is whether we recognize lessons for what they are — advice and experience along the way; then how well or poorly we apply them to new and future decisions, actions, and opportunities.

The content to follow is thoroughly eclectic, in that lessons cited are drawn from biblical truth, history, childhood experience, military combat, business basics, property management, verbal and written communication, even tongue-in-cheek, as is this one: “Ask, don’t tell and keep your ask out of trouble!”

During the French and Indian War in 1759, Major Robert Rogers, a colonial officer, published 19 Standing Orders to his rangers. With small modifications, most of them apply to contemporary military, even business operations.

Relative to planning and preparedness: “Don’t forget nothing!” “Have your musket clean as a whistle, hatchet scoured, six rounds power and ball, and be ready to march at a minute’s warning.” And “Every night you’ll be told where to meet if surrounded by a superior force.”

Pertaining to attitude, readiness, and diligence: “When on the march, act the way you would if sneaking upon a deer. See the enemy first!” “When we camp, half the party stays awake while the other half sleeps.” And, “Don’t sleep beyond dawn.”

AND, IN MY OPINION, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSONS TO BE LEARNED IS THAT PROFESSIONAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS, IMPROVED RESIDENT RELATIONS, AND A POSITIVE PUBLIC REPUTATION.

The 250 year old list goes on, but you surely see the lessons to be learned.

One of the first lessons I learned during childhood and early teen years? The Boy Scouts of America motto, “Be Prepared” taught me to think ahead in everything I did.

Then, in 1968 and ’69, headed for Vietnam as a lieutenant of Marines, I carried many new lessons, but three stand out: “6-P Rule of Planning” equates to “Proper Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance.” And the letters SMEAC, to this day, remind me when preparing to engage in a new project or ace a new challenge, to know my Situation, Mission, Execution (plans), Administrative, and Communication resources. On my helmet liner I penned this quote: “Where duty calls or danger, be never (found) wanting there!”

From 1970 forward, I was like a sponge learning the lessons of business. My first one? A verse from Proverbs 24:3, from a paraphrased translation of the Bible: “Any enterprise is built by wise planning, becomes strong through common sense, and profits wonderfully by keeping abreast of the facts.” Early on I read of a successful New York City homicide detective who kept this sign on his desk: “GOYA – KOD!’” short for “Get off your arse and - knock on doors!” That was a reminder to chase down crime leads. For me? To collect rent and get to know my residents.

At the time there was a raft of basic management lessons I absorbed, used, and revisited. Elements of the Management Process were/are “Planning, Organizing, Leading, and Controlling.” And there were the “M’s of Management referring to “Manpower, Machinery, Material, Methods, and Money”…pretty much covers the basics. I also tried to be “firm but fair” in my supervising, and came up with what I called the “Management Success Formula”… “Listen and Learn, Plan and Prepare, Motivate and Manage with the right product or service, location and timing, skills and

experience, attitude and motivation, management and staff, methods and resources.”

Or there is that old bromide, KISS: “Keep It Simple Stupid!”

Along the way I learned to communicate in word and writing. That’s when I first tried the ABC3 Rule of Good Communication: Be “Accurate, Brief, Clear – Concise –Complete.” Then there was Ernest Hemingway’s advice that wasn’t: “Use short sentences, use short first paragraphs, use vigorous English, and be positive, not negative.” And there’s Rudyard Kipling’s apt advice: “I had six honest men. They taught me all I knew! Their names were WHERE and »

WHAT and WHEN and WHY and HOW and WHO!” In 2000, I coined the WRITE acronym:

Watch for opportunities inspired by living, learning and working,

R esearch, using M’s of Management, to collect and organize information,

Ideate and plan the pre-write, with best hook and most effective style,

Tell the story! Again, with ABC3, and

E dit thoroughly, but only after 24 hours! Package it. Publish it. Reuse it.

I wasn’t into real estate management and investment long before I learned the acronyms: NIMBY. Not in my back yard

LULU. Locally unwanted land use BANANA. Build absolutely nothing anywhere near anyone

And of late, YIMBY: Yes in my backyard

Some years later, when in the manufactured housing business, I compiled and espoused the Six Right Ps of Marketing: “Right Product, Right Place, Right Price, Right Promotion, Right People, and Right Process.

Lessons learned can be found everywhere in our interrelated business models, family lives, and personal relationships. And, in my opinion, one of the most important lessons to be learned is that professional property management is the key to success, improved resident relations, and a positive public reputation. Anyone in operations or management should consider a basic PM certification, and all regional executives should be certified property managers. MHV

George Allen is a nonfiction author, internet blogger, and magazine columnist with expertise in manufactured housing and land-lease communities. He also is a retired lieutenant colonel of U.S. Marines, with a combat tour in the Republic of Vietnam and service during Desert Storm. Read his autobiography, “FromSmittyAlpha6 to MHMaven” available via www.educatemhc.com, and also his “Chapbook of Prayer” and “Chapbook of Business Management & Wisdom” as well as other interesting titles. Allen can be reached at gfa7156@aol.com, (317) 881-3815 & GFA c/o Box # 47024, Indianapolis, IN. 46247.

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