The Masthead - Latest Comments

Re: President Donald Trump’s Historic Opportunity for America’s Rebirth

John Swatt — Tue, 21 Mar 2017 17:49:36 -0000

You got to be kiddding.

Re: Discrimination!

Kurt D Kelley — Fri, 10 Feb 2017 10:33:06 -0000

Great Article on possibly the most pressing topic in our industry - discrimination against affordable housing, both blatant and disguised.

Re: The Sight of Blood

Boe — Fri, 22 Jul 2016 14:17:59 -0000

you don't seem to be a hate filled person Tony. Not sure how you can support these people.

Boe

Re: Buffett’s Letter Defends Clayton; Trump, Other Hopefuls POTUS Path via Preserving Access to Manufactured Housing?

latonyk — Sat, 19 Mar 2016 22:45:01 -0000

Thanks for sharing your concerns; let's start the dialogue with these other video points of view...

http://manufacturedhomelivi...

Re: Buffett’s Letter Defends Clayton; Trump, Other Hopefuls POTUS Path via Preserving Access to Manufactured Housing?

Sikovit — Sat, 19 Mar 2016 20:34:41 -0000

What's missing is a discussion on the affordability due to MH park rents. While one might be able to obtain a small loan for the MH home itself, depending on the lot location and size of the home, in my area it can cost $400 to well over $600 for the lot rent on a single to double-wide home that has a monthly payment of, say, $200. You could rent an apartment, albeit a 340 sq ft studio, for $450 and up...and incteasing. Either way, it's still out of the affordability range for many low-income people as I'm finding out in my own search. I don't know how older folks living on a meager fixed income can afford the ever-increasing lot rents. It's ridiculous. I've, seen some small, one bedroom, 1 bath older models selling for maybe a couple grand, practically giving them away, but you have to give the MHC $700 a month, or the sellers just walk away because they can't sell the home. What do you do about that situation? The cost of living- and I mean the REAL cost of living- not some half-baked government figure, but things like a basic roof over our heads go up 2-6% a year and our wages go up 1% or less, how long do you think this can continue before half of us are living on the street? No matter how the government and corporate aristocracy try to 'fix' it or spin it, so long as they and the bankers get theirs, those on the lower income scale are screwed.

Re: Influencing the Narrative – Policy, Billionaires and Quality, Affordable Manufactured Housing

Steve Lefler — Tue, 24 Nov 2015 14:21:41 -0000

Tony,

Using Rahm Emanuel is spot on. He has his own Crisis in Chicago

http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/...

Factory built housing should be at the forefront on all discussions for the need of affordable housing alas the NIMBY attitude with its history, lack of lending, image and perception prevent it from gaining a seat at the table with government or municipalities.

Re: Manufactured Housing’s Fairy Tales vs. Roaring Ahead

Ken Hauck — Sun, 06 Sep 2015 08:27:06 -0000

Tony, I am sad to see these previous comments here in a so called "professional" forum. These comments below are so "Facebook" rude and juvenile I would think Tony, you would remove them. Also, Tony, you of all people to write such a degrading article about other people in our industry. This is part of the problem. I know you know this - Mark 3:25 "And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand." Both you, Danny and George are good for "our" industry. I love that George is not afraid to challenge others in our industry such as Frank Rolfe, yet in all my conversations with George Allen, he has never maligned or called him names. In fact George would not promote anyone who lowered them selves to that level. Outsiders to our industry read all of this and it doesn't look good. I ask you respectfully to remove any juvenile name calling and the comment previously made here. I would also ask you to remove this article, it does nothing for our industry except divide it. I love Manufactured housing and what we stand for - we are the only answer to the future of non-government affordable housing! God Bless.

Re: Trumped! The Take-Aways for our Industry?

Victor Frost — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 10:13:43 -0000

Wonderful article Tony. While I understand the idea of defining ourselves, much like "The Donald", the problem with him is that some people (I will admit, I include myself in that "some people") simply don't trust him. So if I don't trust him, I don't trust HIS definition of himself, and this is something that we see in the MH industry as well. Some people just don't trust that our homes are of the same quality as a stick built home.

Prime example: I was at a family gathering this past weekend and my aunt asked me how work was going, so I start telling her. She then interjects and starts going on about how she was told her home was "supposed" to be built so and so way, and have this and that, but she is finding out that she was sold a bill of goods that wasn't true and she looks at me like "how could you sit there and tell me your homes are such high quality when I was told the same thing years ago when I bought my home". Needless to say, even though my aunt trusts me, she now has an inherent distrust for the industry (not to mention the builder of her home, which we do not carry).

Our industry really needs to work on its public image and start rebuilding that trust if we are ever going to seriously grow. We certainly do our part, here at our home center, to educate and work on rebuilding that trust, but it feels as though that process is akin to a lawyer dealing with a hostile witness on the stand.

I believe that if the public could understand that the overwhelming majority of the manufactured homes of today are truly not their parents "mobile home" , and are built with quality materials, we would see market growth like never before, but it takes a bit more than a few home centers pushing that message to touch the greater market. Rest assured, we are certainly doing our part.

Vic Frost
Fairfield Homes & Land

Re: August 2015 in Manufactured Homeville

Victor Frost — Mon, 03 Aug 2015 11:51:38 -0000

Wonderful article Tony! Keep fighting the good fight!

Re: It’s Axiomatic!

L. A. Tony Kovach — Fri, 22 May 2015 13:37:53 -0000

"Spam"

Re: Manufactured Housing’s Fairy Tales vs. Roaring Ahead

Robert Hill — Tue, 28 Apr 2015 19:14:33 -0000

George is just old and demented. It seems very impolite to poke fun at the disabled.

Re: It’s Axiomatic!

Robert Hill — Tue, 28 Apr 2015 19:06:18 -0000

"the runaway star of MH trade media" ??? You have an over-inflated opinion of yourself.

Re: Passover, Good Friday and Easter

L. A. 'Tony' Kovach — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 09:02:53 -0000

Chad, thanks for sharing your compelling thoughts on this topic. I think Kurt's video above speaks to this issue too. Jim Clayton pointed to an opportunity that the movie Killing Jesus (or the new A.D. the Bible Continues) on NBC, may produce some nice opportunities to harken to what matters most.

Thanks again for your work and for sharing.

Re: Passover, Good Friday and Easter

L. A. 'Tony' Kovach — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 08:59:15 -0000

Kurt, wonderful message in this video! Thanks for sharing it and for your kind comments.

Re: Passover, Good Friday and Easter

Kurt Kelley — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 11:37:34 -0000

Great message, Tony. When I see you, I see a truly joyful spirit who values every minute of life.

Here's a great 90 second video a friend of mine sent me on the role of Religion in our society. It's worth a watch. https://www.youtube.com/emb...

Re: Passover, Good Friday and Easter

Chad Carr — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 10:06:22 -0000

Thanks Tony for having the courage to speak openly about this. Too many of us (including me) are afraid to speak up and out about our faith and beliefs. It seems to me that failure to do so is creating a space that is being filled by so much that is wrong.

We don't all have to be Christian or Jewish or even religious for the world to be a better place, but if we were all comfortable speaking openly about being Christian or Jewish it would certainly help the world to become a better place.

Peace to you and to all during this Holy season!

Chad

Re: Passover, Good Friday and Easter

L. A. 'Tony' Kovach — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 09:38:37 -0000

Jim,
Thank you, sir! A number of private comments have come in, so your gracious public message is much appreciated.

We watched "Killing Jesus" last weekend on National Geographic, it was nice to see Fox showing it again. I sent Bill O'Reilly a kudos note, it is as you said much needed these days.

We also watched "A.D. The Bible Continues" on NBC last night, another well done made-for-TV story. Good ways to spend part of Easter.

Blessings to you and all!

Tony

Re: Passover, Good Friday and Easter

Jim Clayton — Sun, 05 Apr 2015 13:12:19 -0000

Tony, I like a lot. This is especially timely, no only because of Easter, but because I had special friends over to watch, "Killing Jesus", a just out TV special. The
crucifixion scenes were extremely graphic -- and certainly delivered the planned emotional impact. Your wonderfully written, and creative connection, to what we do was enjoyed -- and timely. Cheers and Blessings, my friend! Jim Clayton

Re: Where there is Smoke…is there Manufactured Housing Institute Fire?

slefler — Sun, 21 Dec 2014 12:07:58 -0000

Pause for a moment and look back at the manufactured home history.

It is littered with failed lending institutions who tried to make a go of Chattel financing. It has specially built communities once endorsed and built by the factories; but now long since forgotten. These communities are typically designated affordable housing most in the industry argue to keep it that way.
Where pray tell are the innovations? The "Tiny Houses"? the darlings of the media are not in the factories portfolios or even sponsors on the numerous TV shows. Independent builders are stealing the show, publicity and the media.

We watch for the awakenings.

Re: What is MHI’s and the Manufactured Housing Industry’s Leadership’s Strategy?

latonyk — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 13:58:23 -0000

Boe,
Thanks as always for sharing your perspectives! Doing well, looks like you are too, congrats!

Tony

Re: What is MHI’s and the Manufactured Housing Industry’s Leadership’s Strategy?

Boe Davis — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 13:00:03 -0000

Tony - hope you are doing well. Read the above article with my morning coffee. It seems to me that MHI and all other Industry associations have pluses and minuses. In MHI's case I can think of a few things.

First, there are too many voices with too many views. I am not opposed to free speech but not everyone has to be heard. There has always been a lack of cohesion within this industry. Community owners focus on their issues. Manufacturers focus on their issues. While I am sure these issues are important there seems to be no connectivity of purpose. In other words how do the issues of community owners and manufacturers dove tail? How do you build on that common purpose? Hard to get that kind of clarity when all vested parties seem to think their issue is number one.

Second, to want good leadership one has to want to be led. I don't know how many industry related associations there are but there are too many. Unhappy with the group you belong to? Start another association. Out here in CA there are multiple tenants rights groups. All of them, it seems to me, are created when the association they belong to doesn't do what they want. Instead of working with in the structure of that group to effect change they form a new one. While anyone can do that I wonder if they understand that they dilute their voice and become less representative. If, as you say, we can all benefit then we all need to be invested and connected to a common ideal.

Finally, an association is only as good and focused as its membership. The failings of MHI or any association are the failings of the membership. Whether these failings are due to lack of focus or effort or due to the mind numbing stupidity of petty disputes (MHI/MHARR comes to mind) is irrelevant. What is relevant is focus and commitment. We don't have it. We are a reactionary industry. We have been re-birthing for a very long time and it seems that the gestation goes on and on and on.

The reason my company ended all of our industry memberships is the cost was prohibitive, for the cost we got nothing and we participated and contributed to the dysfunction by being a member. These days are family run business, which is thriving, answers only to communities and advertisers we serve in CA. We focus on supporting 340 communities,185,000 readers and 200 plus advertisers every month. The communities, readers and advertisers are all connected and we focus on that and that alone. That is why we are thriving.

This industry can thrive if it can define its purpose, communicate the benefits of that purpose to its membership and get its members to commit to making that purpose come alive in everything they do. Good luck with that.

Re: Manufactured Home outperforms conventional site-built house in hurricane wind test

latonyk — Wed, 23 Jul 2014 15:47:50 -0000

Ronnie,
You are correct, this is the start, not the finish of something useful! Trust you are well, thanks for your comment.

Re: Manufactured Home outperforms conventional site-built house in hurricane wind test

Ronnie — Wed, 23 Jul 2014 15:19:50 -0000

Great for the industry but for a casual TV viewer I'm afraid all they saw were the visuals of an MH being destroyed. It would be great for MHI to get the B roll and produce a professional video with more emphasis on the structure that did not fail.

Re: Subsidized Housing – Our Secret Enemy?

s epperson — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 15:16:24 -0000

One might ask for a policy change that allows the Voucher program to subsidize homeownership in communities - the precedent for ownership already exists for this program.

Re: Stumbling ahead? Manufactured Housing, “Doing it Badly”

Frank Wright GRI, SRES, SFR, — Sat, 24 May 2014 03:42:50 -0000

Tony, has anyone run this by you. Location , Location, Location . The top 300 NAHB builders aren't selling homes on leased land, the money is in developing new communties, the next , the next. Equity builds from the land under the homes and being in the best located school districts, builds resale value for there home buyers. Proud owners build equity. All the MHC need to be converted in to CO-OP or Condo ownership. New business model for in industry build product for Developer planned subdivisions only or joint venture to successes. Plants are overhead, developed unsold lots are a cost. Pricing fixed for both to make a fair profit. lst Mobiles Schult 1934, 1976 Manufactured HUD came about because of quality about to lose all funding, Operation Breakthrough 1968 Hud Sec George Romney real Modular specs state approved.started. High build out. costs , Low build out cost, you have to run all the numbers. I see the future successful Manufacturers running wet cube lines, panel lines, trusses, Pulte#2,Merged with Centex which owned Cavco Lennar#3, NVR#4, Toll Builders#5 all have or are using panels.It's past my my bed time for this senior citizen. Maybe more another day.