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 …

Even though tens of millions of Americans understandably believe that “the system is rigged,” the case can be made that the system is more rigged than most realize. The response from the Office of General Counsel at the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to this writer and MHLivingNews publisher L. A. “Tony” Kovach is an example of that which will …

“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” – Abraham Lincoln.   Preface before addressing the headline issues: Steve McDonald reminds us in the intriguing lyrics from the title song of Sons of Somerled that there’s been times when the sword is mightier than pen. Today, sometimes money seems to outweigh pen and sword, although …

The following are the comments as prepared for the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) virtual listening session scheduled for Wednesday 12.11.2019.    — FHFA Listening Session Comments by L. A. ‘Tony’ Kovach, Publisher of MHLivingNews.com, MHProNews.com, Award-Winning Manufactured Home Industry Expert and Consultant (LATonyKovach.com and http://www.linkedin.com/in/latonykovach)   Speakers addressed the Washington, D.C. Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Duty to Serve …

Perhaps 75 to 80 percent of manufactured home communities are owned by local owners who are often in a good working relationship with their residents. But the other 20 percent or so may fall into a different category, and that segment will be part of the subject of this report with expert analysis. “My name is Tim Sheahan and I …

In the legal world, the difference between one word and another can be significant. The President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR) is Mark Weiss, J.D. – an attorney. Weiss was asked by Mobile and Manufactured Home Living News (MHLivingNews.com) to respond to concerns about remarks made by the Manufactured Housing Institute …

The following are remarks as prepared for a federal agency who is once more thoughtfully offering this writer for Mobile and Manufactured Home Living News and ManufacturedHomeProNews.com an opportunity to present to federal, corporate, and nonprofit officials. While these are considered expert ‘views’ or ‘opinions,’ the remarks are all documented with evidence that supports the various statements.   Were Abe …

“Getting Zoning for Manufactured Housing Right” is a working paper published by the Lincoln Institute for Land Policy authored by Daniel R. Mandelker. The Lincoln Institute says the following about Mandelker. “Daniel R. Mandelker is the Howard A. Stamper Professor of Law Emeritus at Wash U Law and is one of the nation’s leading scholars and teachers on land use …

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 …

Before launching into this news, analysis, and critique – in fairness to the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) – they describe themselves like this. “The Manufactured Housing Institute is the only national trade organization representing all segments of the factory-built housing industry.” At times, MHI has also said that they represent “all segments of manufactured housing.” They elaborate by saying that “MHI members …

It is another tragedy unfolding before our eyes. But it is also one that growing numbers are being forced to live. More Americans – who once owned or rented – are now living in their vehicles. Even before the COVID19 crisis began, with then then-booming economy, over 500,000 Americans were on the streets, in tents, or were otherwise living in …

Not every surprise or “present” is the kind placed with gift wrapping under a proverbial Christmas tree. In a year that began with a robust economy with record incomes and employment for millions, it is sadly finishing with millions out of work. At this time last year, perhaps 99.9 percent of Americans did not know what COVID-19 was, even as …

How do you know you have found the Rodney Dangerfield of affordable housing? Simple. It is when your kind of housing does not get its proper respect.     One recent example of that improper respect is when a local news channel – sincerely trying to give manufactured homes a complement – can not seem to keep their video camera …

In my junior high school civics class, I don’t recall a single time that we ever heard the term “fake news.” That phrase is a relatively new phenomenon. What we did get some insights on was the historic period that featured “yellow journalism.” Yellow journalism was agenda-driven news. It’s defined below. By the mid-20th century, journalism was increasingly taught to …

Preface. From the New York Times to local ABC 6/WOWT, reports about aggressive, problematic behavior, including threats of eviction for ‘rules infractions’ have been coming in with respect to Provo, Utah based Kingsley Management Corporation owned Maplewood Estates manufactured home community in Omaha, Nebraska. Before diving into the details of that report, a broader cautionary notice is warranted for any …