MHI staff has held several meetings with key U.S. Senate staff regarding S. 1660, the "Formaldehyde Standards for Composite Wood Products Act." This legislation would require all finished wood products to comply with the California CARB standard regarding formaldehyde emissions. MHI has serious concerns with this legislation because among other things, it specifically singles out manufactured homes and RVs as being subject to the CARB formaldehyde standards. In addition, S.1660 would effectively transfer jurisdiction from HUD to EPA regarding formaldehyde regulation for manufactured homes. MHI will continue to meet and to work with key Senate offices during the legislative process.
Source: MHI Newswire

Following up on a post MHProNews last published April 8, 2013 regarding a lawsuit filed against an MHC owner for allegedly violating Penn. law requiring payment relocation expenses to residents of communities that close, realestaterama says Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane has settled with the owners. Kenneth Mayes, II and his sister, Sharon...
23 May 2013
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U. S. stocks slid as markets were down around the world, led by the Nikkei in Japan. The Dow had fallen steeply at the beginning of the trading session but recovered to finish with a minor loss. CNNMoney reports the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell -0.08 percent, -12.67 points, to close at 15,294.50. The Nasdaq [...]...
23 May 2013
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MarketWatch reports senior executives of MHC owner UMH Properties, Inc. will present at this year’s National Association of Real Estate Investment Trust’s (NAREIT) REITWeek Investor Forum June 5, 2013. Held at the Hilton Chicago, as MHProNews has learned independently, Northstar Realty Finance Corp. will also be among the presenters at...
23 May 2013
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Following up on a post from yesterday, May 22, about the three-story disaster housing by Garrison Architects New York City has chosen to meet emergency needs, treehugger compares shipping containers to modular housing, much as NYC did. Shipping containers can be easily stored for a dollar a day, stack 16 high, and are made to [...]...
23 May 2013
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The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reports the inventory of newly-built homes because of the recession has led to both houses of Congress with legislation seeking to resolve some ongoing credit access problems for builders. S. 1002 Senators was introduced by Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Johnny Isakson (R-Ga). Similar to the bill in the...
23 May 2013
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MHProNews has learned from CNNMoney the National Association of Realtors (NAR) released figures today that show total home sales rose 0.6 percent in April to just under an annual pace of five million, up nearly ten percent from a year ago. Lawrence Yun. Chief economist for NAR, noting consumer traffic is up 31 percent over [...]...
23 May 2013
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Following an article MHProNews posted April 1 regarding Clayton Homes CEO Kevin Clayton partnering with teacher Patricia Bradley to open a STEM school (science, technology, engineering, and math), knoxnews says classes are on track to start July 19, with Bradley as principal. The Clayton-Bradley Academy will begin with 140 students in K-6 and add...
23 May 2013
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Investors got mixed messages from the Federal Reserve, causing them to back off from the market today after earlier hitting new highs, sending the three indexes into the red. CNNMoney reports the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell -0.52 percent, -80.41 points, to close the day at 15,307.17. The Nasdaq dropped -1.11 percent, -38.82 points, to [...]...
22 May 2013
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According to the nypost, New York City has chosen a three-story, three-unit emergency modular housing prototype, complete with balconies, to be sited next to the Office of Emergency Management in Brooklyn. The upper two floors are 822 square-foot, three-bedroom units with a 480 square-foot handicap accessible apartment on the first floor. Designed...
22 May 2013
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According to what multihousingnews tells MHProNews, Jonathan McClellan and Kyle Baskin of Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services have been named senior directors of the company’s National Manufactured Housing Group. Since joining the Cleveland, Ohio firm in 2006, McClellan has closed on 48 transactions totaling over $148.5...
22 May 2013
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As follow-up to a story we posted April 18, 2013 concerning property tax rates in Iowa, Joe Kelly of the Iowa Manufactured Housing Association (IAMHA) informs MHProNews if SF 295 passes, property taxes on land lease communities will fall. The current rate is 100 percent of assessed value. With passage, the new measure would take [...]...
22 May 2013
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by L. A. 'Tony' Kovach A recent message caused me to review the latest on the http://business.FTC.gov website on advertising. Uncle Sam's Federal Trade Commission (FTC), your state attorney general, other... Read more
MARKETING

by Beth Monicatti Blank Regardless of what products or services you sell, a successful marketing plan will combine several types of marketing methods to accomplish a certain goal or goals that... Read more
MARKETING

by Scott Stroud Want to casually keep up with friends and family between calls or while watching TV? Then, Facebook is the perfect medium for that. But, what about Social Media... Read more
MARKETING

by John Pentecost A troubling case developed in a mobile home park in Watsonville, California, in which a grand daughter moved in with an elderly woman homeowner in a 55 +... Read more
COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT & FAIR HOUSING (LEGAL)

by Kurt Kelly Here are two conflicting things lawyers often say. The first is, “You better have it in writing.” Many contracts must be in writing to be enforceable, particularly if... Read more
COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT & FAIR HOUSING (LEGAL)

by Chrissy Jackson “Every day is open house.” (WOW!) Curb Appeal . . .Sometimes, if you have been in your community for any length of time, you become rather immune to... Read more
COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT & FAIR HOUSING (LEGAL)

by Dave Shanklin Our industry’s major lender out of Seattle, CU Factory Built Lending, has wowed our industry with its very popular “Step Rate” loan product and has no plans of... Read more
FINANCING

by Andrea Levere Editor's Note: This is part of a series covering the release of Toward a Sustainable and Responsible Expansion of Affordable Mortgages for Manufactured Homes, the newest groundbreaking report CFED's... Read more
FINANCING

by Martin V. (Marty) Lavin Setting it up. First, let me set the stage. It’s been a few years, 3, since my last Las Vegas Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) Congress and... Read more
GENERAL MANUFACTURED HOUSING INDUSTRY TOPICS

by Mark Bowersox With two recent reports on manufactured housing recently completed, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has now turned its attention to a comprehensive review of the HUD Manufactured Housing... Read more
GENERAL MANUFACTURED HOUSING INDUSTRY TOPICS

by John Arendsen Manufactured Home Park/Community Owners/Investors of Rent/Lease Communities & Developers of Resident Owned Condo-Conversions, Sub-Divisions or Planned Unit Developments (PUDS) have more responsibilities, liabilities and obligations to their tenants/residents/homeowners... Read more
GENERAL MANUFACTURED HOUSING INDUSTRY TOPICS

1) Who, What and Where: (Your name and your formal title at your company.) Michael Evans C.E.O. Centennial Management, Inc. Corporate offices are in Aberdeen S.D. We currently operate 9 retail... Read more
GENERAL MANUFACTURED HOUSING INDUSTRY TOPICS

by L. A. "Tony" Kovach We at MHProNews are big believers that the factory built housing industry must recruit, train and inspire the young to become tomorrow's front line leaders. We... Read more
MANAGEMENT

by Tim Connor, CSP Here’s the bottom line in advance – Most of the training done by organizations is a waste of money and time. (Not being negative here – as... Read more
MANAGEMENT

by L. A. "Tony" Kovach Perhaps my favorite part of the Declaration of Independence is the phrase that begins with these words: "We find these truths to be self evident..." ... Read more
MANAGEMENT

by Zig Ziglar Several years ago, Angela Weir, a delightful young woman, worked with the Zig Ziglar Corporation. She was upbeat, always had the company's interests at heart, was easy to... Read more
PERSONAL REFLECTIONS, MOTIVATION and INSPIRATION

by L.A. 'Tony' Kovach Let's start this column with a true story that will tee up a theme necessary for success minded manufactured housing (MH) professionals. Read more
SALES

by Tim Connor, CSP The following 52 behaviors when mastered as a part of your personal and career development will guarantee increased sales. Each of the 52 topics are critical to... Read more
SALES