Upgrading Your Community – Introduction to a New Series

by Chrissy Jackson

Communities are the enduring segment of the manufactured housing industry. As such, we community owners bear the brunt of the reputation – good or bad – that’s floating around the media and in the minds of the public. Communities age, they look tired, infrastructure wears out, new homes become larger and no longer fit on some of the older homesites and so on. We all know the many elements and challenges that this segment of the industry faces.

As a community owner or manager, it’s up to you to not only maintain your community, but to make it look as bright and shiny new as possible, while taking advantage of the maturing features that bring so much benefit to your residents.

How to do that? Glad you asked! There’s a series of articles coming that will walk you through upgrading your community – inside out – starting right here at www.MHMSM.com. Each month for the next eight months, we’ll look at a different part of the upgrade process and how to accomplish it while preserving the unique charms of your older community.

One of the other benefits of this series of articles is that community owners/managers of not-so-old communities can pick up tips for upgrades, too. Don’t wait until your entire community needs a facelift… start early using Chrissy Jackson’s tips.

Chrissy

Chrissy Jackson
President, Chrissy Jackson & Associates, Inc.
President, Florida Writers Association, Inc.
Vice President, Florida Writers Foundation, Inc.
P. O. Box 66069
St. Pete Beach, FL 33736-6069

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Chrissy Jackson bio

Services & publications specifically designed for the needs of the manufactured housing industry.

Chrissy began her career as a Community Manager in 1980 with a 200-site manufactured home community in a rural area of Florida. Over the next 16 years, she was responsible for communities ranging from 125 sites in economically distressed areas to larger, country club type developments with over 800 sites, including many with sales operations.

In 1997, she created and headed the Chrissy Jackson Seminar Division of Steiner Communities. This venue enabled Chrissy to then provide property management seminars and training across the country for state association conventions and private property management conferences.

In May of 1999, Chrissy joined the staff of the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) as Director of Training and Community Resources. She remains the principal trainer for the Manufactured Housing Educational Institute’s (MHEI) accreditation programs and other courses. These include the Professional Housing Consultant (PHC) course, the Crisis Communication courses, and the Play it Safe Disaster Preparedness Seminar. Chrissy Jackson also served as a professional resource available to the members of MHI’s National Communities Council.

She currently conducts private training sessions and workshops at regional or national employee conferences, and provides advisory services. Chrissy has been a presenter for the National Manufactured Housing Congress in Las Vegas, Nevada, for several years.

An internationally recognized author, she has been writing handbooks on community management since the early 1990’s. She has also written monthly columns for The Journal, Manufactured Housing Today, Manufactured Housing Professional News, The Merchandiser and Community Management (industry trade publications). In addition, she has penned guest articles for other newsletters, magazines and industry publications.

To reach Chrissy, write to Chrissy Jackson at P. O. Box 66069, St. Pete Beach, Fl 33736-6069. Or email chrissyj@earthlink.net. More information can also be found at www.chrissy-jackson.com.