General

UMH Properties, Inc. has released a new paper about the promise of manufactured housing communities. Entitled, “Manufactured Housing Communities Provide a Supply-Side Solution to the Affordable Housing Crisis,” by Aaron Potter, MBA, Assistant to the President, the paper outlines  major issues facing housing markets across the country and how manufactured home communities can help millions of families own homes that are affordable and of the highest quality. Very low-, low-, and moderate-income families are struggling to find quality, attainable housing   opportunities as the affordability gap expands. UMH’s paper explains the magnitude of the problem, noting both its severity and reach —almost one-third [...]

By The Wisconsin Realtors Association The Wisconsin REALTORS® Association (WRA) released a groundbreaking new study, “Falling Behind,” that shows a severe workforce housing shortage and highlights the need for bold bipartisan action now to address this growing concern. From a high of more than 30,000 single-family home permits authorized in 2004 to fewer than 12,500 permits authorized in 2017, Wisconsin is on the cusp of not being able to adequately provide housing for today's growing workforce needs. The detailed report showcases the primary causes of the workforce housing shortage and the subsequent results that this shortage brings to the state [...]

Packers fans!  A member has graciously donated two premier club seats (face value of $738) to the Monday, October 14th Packers game against the Detroit Lions….with auction proceeds benefiting Tomorrow’s Home Foundation!  If you would like to make a bid on the tickets, please send it to laurie@housingalliance.us. (Or call us at 608-255-3131 or fax to 608-255-5595).  The highest bid by noon on Monday, October 7th will win the tickets!  Thank you for supporting Tomorrow’s Home Foundation!! Featured Events

By Kramer, Elkins & Watt   In Wisconsin, over the last decade or so, ‘CCAPing’ (pronounced ‘see-capping’) has become a verb.  It’s how many of us check someone out, whether it be a friend, that creepy neighbor, our boyfriend’s wacky ex-girlfriend, a potential suitor, or a potential employee.  Stop right there.  Did you say, potential employee?  If you have ever CCAPed a potential employee or thought about it, the warning in this article is for you. What is CCAP? CCAP stands for Consolidated Court Automation Program, also known as Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA), and is available to anyone with an internet connection, [...]

If you have not heard yet, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have developed loan programs specifically for manufactured homes. This a first step to providing more financing opportunities for manufactured homes. These programs were created to help reach an underserved population and offer more opportunities for Americans to become homeowners. Both programs are for homes on private land and each has requirements. A summary of each program is below. Fannie Mae MH Advantage Home Design Requirements Home must be designed as a multi-section propertyEaves that are 6 inches or greaterRoof pitch at a ratio 4/12 or greaterHome designed with one [...]

By Mark Conte of Conte Manufactured Housing Compliance ServicesIn case you haven’t heard, as of today (August 5, 2019), the state of New Jersey is ending its partnership with HUD as a “State Administrative Agency” or SAA. One of the results of this action, NJ code officials no longer have authority to issue permits and perform inspections of manufactured housing installations. A summary of the new rule states that “the Federal government will be responsible for oversight of the installation of manufactured homes in the State of New Jersey”.When I read over the NJ rule, they seemed to tie the [...]

Elmer Frey was an industry icon that left his legacy as a leader and innovator in the factory-built housing industry. If you know of anyone currently in the industry that fits this description, nominate them for the prestigious Elmer Frey Award. The award will be given out on November 6th at the Annual Conference Dinner. To submit a nomination, please send a letter by email to Julie@housingalliance.us; or fax to 608-255-5595; or by mail to Wisconsin Housing Alliance, 258 Corporate Drive, Suite 200C, Madison, WI  53714 by October 8th. Please include: 1. A story about the person’s current and/or historical involvement with the factory-built [...]

Good News! The Department of Safety & Professional Services home titling system now shows the home’s age, size, manufacturer, and home lien information. You will need to click on the individual title record to see all of this information. The eLSA system Public Lookup is where you can find professional license information, as well.  Please note that DSPS will no longer inform license holders by mail when a license is up for renewal. Set up your account today and provide an email address so DSPS can inform you of your licensing information. Featured [...]

Fannie Mae has a great new website touting the next generation of manufactured homes.  It gives a nice overview of the  building process, details mortgages for manufactured homes and gives information on MH Advantage homes and mortgages. There’s also a great 30 second video you can find in the upper right-hand     corner of their website at http://www.fanniemae.com/todaysmh/. Featured Events

By Laurie Mercurio, WHA Communications Director Did you think we’d ever get to a point where consumers could purchase a home online?!  Or that some consumers are choosing to purchase a home online site unseen?  No surprise, then, that we’re hearing more and more stories about the issues and downfalls of ordering homes online. An Alliance member retailer encountered a prospective buyer who changed her mind on the home she was going to purchase because she found a better deal online.  Curious about what we would encounter, I posed as a prospective buyer and called that same online retailer to inquire [...]