500-word Executive Summary. Decades of third-party research from the late 20th century and throughout the 21st century demonstrate that HUD Code manufactured homes are the most proven form of affordable housing in U.S. history. Nevertheless, concerns and confusion about manufactured homes and industry brands exists. Evidence and applied common-sense suggest that several brand-related concerns are valid. Mainstream media reports often …

With that backdrop, let’s dive into the specifics of several residents stated to media or posted online about Pine Hills community in Middlebury, IN. That will be followed by additional information – good and bad – about Sun Communities (SUI), which for years has had a reasonably good reputation. Mention will be made to other operations that happen to be …

On paper, much of what Clayton Homes General Counsel, Thomas “Tom” Hodges, J.D., has said or written over the years may seem fine from the viewpoints of certain quarters involved in the battle for more affordable housing in general, and more manufactured homes in particular. But according to the information, evidence, and reasoning in a complaint with the Tennessee Bar …

Inflation. Afghanistan. Supply chains problems. Southern border. COVID19 vax mandates. Soaring housing costs. A series of apparent blunders and oversteps of authority are behind Joe Biden’s plunging approval. Which makes it odd at best that the National Housing Conference (NHC) President and CEO’s David M. Dworkin, who has spoken favorably about support for manufactured homes, recently said to fellow “housers” …

Let’s start with the lyrics to two different versions of the song, “Ain’t We Got Fun.” The earlier version is from Peggy Lee, later it was performed by Doris Day. How this relates to more affordable home ownership will be made clear on the far side of these two versions of the lyrics and related videos.  It is noteworthy that …

At the Novi Home Show, on October 8-10 at Suburban Collection Showplace, Novi in Michigan, there will be several brand new, upper scale manufactured homes on display that can be toured at no additional admission cost. Meaning, there are other things occurring at the Novi Home Show, and if you attend anyway, then your fee-entry into the show also is …

It is a troubling story that has a better-than-expected ending. But former nurse Laurie Myers had to appear in Knoxville, TN “General Sessions Court on Tuesday, Sept. 14,” where she was told to expect “to be officially evicted from Amherst Ridge.” Amherst Ridge is a land-lease manufactured home community that per an informed local source was once owned by Clayton …

Properly understood, existing federal laws are routinely and broadly speaking on the side of residents and white hat independents who believe they are being victimized by “predatory” firms operating in the manufactured housing industry.  With that statement in mind, Berkshire Hathaway backed Apple’s recently announced settlement of $100 million dollars in a class action antitrust lawsuit filed against Apple by …

“The art of [good] economics consists in looking not merely at the immediate but at the longer effects of any act or policy; it consists in tracing the consequences of that policy not merely for one group but for all groups.” – Henry Hazlitt, Economics in One Lesson. What is true for honest individuals should also be true for a …

When someone wants to understand the lack of affordable housing in the U.S., by reading published studies from a range of sources, a few common facts emerge. The underlying causes of the affordable housing crisis observed by experts and partisans are often similar regardless of which of the two major political parties they may favor. For example, Zoning is a …

Congressional Representative Cindy Axne (IA-D) office made the following media release available to MHLivingNews. First-time visitors should note that  there are white-hat brands in manufactured housing as well as so-called black-hat or “predatory” brands too. More on that further below. The Rep. Axne press release will be followed by additional information, some MHLivingNews analysis, and a brief related commentary.   …

Mobile and Manufactured Home Living News (MHLivingNews) believes strongly in the virtue of giving credit to where it is due. We routinely source information from sources across the left-right divide. Among the resources that we spot-check is Zero Hedge, a generally – but not always – ‘right’ or conservative leaning source. In a report dated July 22, they quoted Mark …

Sometimes the quality of remarks are more important than the mere quantity of statements to public officials. Earlier this week, there were no apparent statements to the FHFA on the Duty to Serve (DTS) manufactured housing mandated for mortgage giants Fannie Mae’s and Freddie Mac’s proposed plans for 2022-2024 by anyone actually living in a manufactured home. There were also …

Ben and his family have lived in manufactured housing for some years. He recently bought a new manufactured home.  In his view, he has been lied to repeatedly by the sales person as far as delivery dates and other issues were involved. That said, Womack said he and his wife love the floorplan and home that they bought, if it …

Why is there so little competition in the manufactured home lending market? While there are several interlocking factors, one of the simplest points to make is that the mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are not doing the robust lending in the manufactured home market as they are doing for conventional housing. What follows is a step-by-step explanation based …