Manufactured Home Headlines Follow Public School Bus Crash Into ‘Mobile Home’ – Revelations and Multiple News Videos, Facts, and Eye-Opening Analysis

When a school bus plowed into what was likely an older manufactured home that was described by mainstream media as a “mobile home,” that kind of accident is a rare event. To illustrate the rarity: “From the years 2007 through 2016, there were 1,147 school-transportation-related crashes. Typically, there are approximately 114 school bus accidents in a year. In 2016, there were 119 fatalities related to school bus accidents.” That’s according to the law firm of Anidjar & Levine, P.A. That same source stressed that school bus accidents are rare: “Accidents involving school buses are a rarity in the United States. With almost half a million school buses carrying 25 million children to school every day…” More recent data from the National Safety Council (NSC) said: “School bus-related crashes killed 108 people nationwide in 2021, up 50% compared to the pandemic-related low number of 54 deaths in 2020…” The NSC also reported: “From 2012 to 2021, about 70% of the deaths in school bus-related crashes were occupants of vehicles other than the school bus, and 16% were pedestrians. About 5% were school bus passengers, 5% were school bus drivers, and 3% were pedalcyclists.” With that preface, details and regional news video about the Greenville County, South Carolina public school bus is warranted.

Those videos will help set the stage for a fascinating and perhaps unexpected look at manufactured homes vs. other housing options.

Part I – School Bus Crash with Multiple News Videos, Facts, and Analysis

 

 

 

 

While this is deemed a ‘rare’ incident, school buses have hit conventional housing that made mainstream news reports too.

 

 

 

As is true with so many topics, “terrifying school bus accidents” is a thing online.

 

 

Needless to say, when injuries, death, or property damage results, it is sad for those involved. In this recent Greenville County, South Carolina incident, it is unclear if that mobile or manufactured home was insured. But presumably the school district involved had insurance and would be responsible. While memories and inconvenience are involved, it may conceivably be a blessing in disguise for the homeowner, if a newer or nicer home is the ultimate outcome.

 

 

 

According to a response from an MHLivingNews inquiry to left-leaning Bing’s artificial intelligence (AI) powered Copilot, consider the following facts.

About half of homeowners and renters have faced difficulties this year in affording their mortgage payments or rent, according to a recent survey conducted by online real estate broker Redfin¹. The high cost of housing in the U.S. has led many individuals to make significant sacrifices to keep a roof over their heads. Some of the measures taken include selling belongings, working overtime shifts, canceling vacations, taking on second jobs, and even skipping meals¹.

In February 2023, the national median mortgage payment reached $2,184, up from $2,061 a year ago and $1,750 in February 2022. Median rents also increased to $1,981 in February, compared to $1,937 a year ago and $1,684 during the same period in 2022¹. Despite these challenges, most homeowners have managed to stay current on their payments. The delinquency rate for mortgages (defined as being 90 days or more past due) stands at 3.88%, which is relatively low compared to historical averages¹.

It’s evident that the burden of housing costs is affecting a significant portion of the population, and finding affordable housing remains a critical issue for many Americans….”

 

How important are modern manufactured homes for solving the affordable housing crisis? Is there evidence that without millions of new inherently affordable HUD Code manufactured homes that the U.S. housing crisis can’t be solved, even with more government spending?

 

Modern manufactured homes play a crucial role in addressing the affordable housing crisis in the United States. Let’s delve into why they matter and the evidence supporting their importance:

1. Affordability and Quality:
   • Manufactured homes are often more affordable than traditional site-built houses. They offer a cost-effective housing option for a wide range of consumers.
   • These homes are built to strict federal standards, which ensures their quality, durability, and safety. They use high-quality materials and energy-efficient designs¹.
2. Existing Impact:
   • Approximately 22 million Americans, most of whom earn less than $40,000 a year, already live in manufactured homes. These homes constitute the largest source of unsubsidized affordable housing in the country¹.
   • In rural America, one in seven homes is a manufactured home, highlighting their significance in addressing housing needs across different regions².
3. HUD Code and Standards:
   • The Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards Act aims to protect the quality, safety, and affordability of manufactured homes. It also facilitates homeownership for all Americans².
   • These federal standards ensure that modern manufactured homes are energy-efficient, well-constructed, and designed to meet the needs of residents.
4. Biden-Harris Administration’s Commitment:
   • The White House recognizes the importance of manufactured housing. The Housing Supply Action Plan emphasizes manufactured homes as a solution to increase housing supply and lower costs¹.
   • HUD has launched the Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative for Community Enhancement (PRICE) Program, providing $225 million in competitive grants. These funds support repairs, rehabilitation, infrastructure upgrades, and services for manufactured housing communities³.
5. Challenges and Solutions:
   • Policymakers need to address issues related to land use and zoning, titling, appraisals, and financing to ensure that manufactured housing becomes a more widely available and affordable option⁴.
   • By promoting the acceptance of manufactured homes in all residential zoning neighborhoods, we can significantly expand the availability of cost-effective housing options⁵.

In summary, modern manufactured homes are a cornerstone of affordable housing, and their continued growth and acceptance are essential for addressing the housing crisis in the U.S. Government support, along with private sector collaboration, can further enhance their impact and accessibility¹. …”

Is it fair to say that MHProNews, MHLivingNews and the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform have each in their own way documented the need for more manufactured homes, and have exposed inept and/or corrupt behavior that has kept manufactured home production below historic levels even though numerous research projects by sources independent of manufactured housing has praised the manufactured home option?

Editorially, let’s be clear. Almost anything can be turned into a story that involves the need for millions of more affordable housing and thus manufactured homes. Be the news good, bad, strange, surprising, whatever, it is potentially an opportunity for the manufactured home industry to engage with the culture and thus advance its message. According to left-leaning CBS News: “About half of homeowners and renters said they have periodically struggled this year to afford their mortgage payment or rent, according to a recent survey from online real estate broker Redfin.”

According to Democrats, affordable housing is one of their top issues.

 

 

People that are initially merely curious suddenly find themselves learning surprising and positive information about modern manufactured homes. When millionaires and billionaires own a manufactured home, it becomes all the easier for people of all other income groups to overcome whatever hesitancy they may have.  Indeed, research by Freddie Mac said that “most” Americans are now ready to consider a manufactured home for their own housing needs.

 

 

By publishing this article, it is almost guaranteed that this will be a popular item for some time. Curious outsiders looking in will find information here they sadly won’t find at the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI), for example.

Manufactured housing production has been rising in the past two months.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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That’s a wrap on this installment of “News through the lens of manufactured homes and factory-built housing” © where “We Provide, You Decide.” © ### (Affordable housing, manufactured homes, reports, fact-checks, analysis, and commentary. Third-party images or content are provided under fair use guidelines for media.) (See Related Reports, further below. Text/image boxes often are hot-linked to other reports that can be access by clicking on them.)

How quickly they grow! Our son is about the same height as dad now. On that occasion recalled by this photo, all on Capitol Hill were welcoming and interested in the discussion of manufactured housing-related issues in our 12.3.2019 meetings. But Texas Congressman Al Green’s office was tremendous in their hospitality. Our son’s hand is on a package that included a copy of the Constitution of the United States and other goodies. MHLivingNews and MHProNews has worked with people and politicos across the left-right divide.

By L.A. “Tony” Kovach – for MHLivingNews.com.

Tony earned a journalism scholarship and earned numerous awards in history and in manufactured housing. For example, he earned the prestigious Lottinville Award in history from the University of Oklahoma, where he studied history and business management. He’s a managing member and co-founder of LifeStyle Factory Homes, LLC, the parent company to MHProNews, and MHLivingNews.com. This article reflects the LLC’s and/or the writer’s position, and may or may not reflect the views of sponsors or supporters.

http://latonykovach.com

Connect on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/latonykovach

Recent and Related Reports:

The text/image boxes below are linked to other reports, which can be accessed by clicking on them.

 

https://www.manufacturedhomelivingnews.com/october-2023-ultimate-manufactured-housing-and-mobile-home-manufactured-home-research-trends-statistics-expert-views-fact-checks-and-insights/