Informed sources have told MHProNews about a national association with significant ties to numbers of HUD Code manufactured housing professionals; an association many times larger than the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) or the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR), or both combined.
That group?
The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) has some 325,000 member companies. For membership, a company must not be publicly traded, and must be a for-profit entity. The aim of that rule is to keep large businesses from dominating the smaller ones, says the organization.
Against that backdrop, the Daily Business News has learned that the combined totals of NFIB members among:
- MH Retailers,
- MH Community Operators,
- Component Suppliers, and
- Producers of manufactured homes….
…numbers of companies in the hundreds; more than the last known totals for MHI and MHARR combined. The Nashville, TN based operation has some 325,000 total members, which would mean it has more member companies, than there are currently employed full time in the manufactured housing industry.
There are apparent upsides and downsides to NFIB membership, from a manufactured home company’s perspective.
The cost for membership is generally quite modest, with numerous member benefits listed on the NFIB website. They take strong positions on issues like healthcare, regulations, etc., and provide resources to their members to aid them in navigating such issues.
Among the downsides, NFIB doesn’t currently make it easy for manufactured home businesses who are members to readily network with each other.
A manufactured housing association leader privately told MHProNews that they worked with NFIB at the state level to battle an issue that both associations faced. That association executive praised the NFIB’s role in that matter.
Following the insights noted above, MHProNews inquired directly to NFIB on some questions, and was told by staff that one approach they recommend for prospective members of industries with very specific needs – such as manufactured housing – is to be a member of their industry’s state association, while using NFIB’s huge numbers as a backup to support their causes at the state and national level. ##
(Image credits, as shown above.)
(Editor’s Note: As the insightful report today by Joe Dyton reflects, MHProNews is welcoming periodic guest writers. ICYMI, Matthew Silver is taking some much needed and well-earned time off, and L. A. “Tony” Kovach will be helping fill the Daily Business News role in the interim).
Submitted by L. A. ‘Tony’ Kovach, to the Daily Business News, MHProNews.
