Politics & Government
American Dream of Homeownership is Slipping Away-Association Spotlight
National Association of Home Builders "Priced Out" study reveals nearly 75% of U.S. households in 2025 can't afford a new median priced home
"In journalism a "beat" refers to a specific area of focus or specialization where a reporter develops expertise and sources." So said Google's AI powered Gemini. For those who have been regular readers of this writer for MHProNews and today's installment of the "Reality Check" series for this Patch
may recall that “Would-Be Homebuyers Need 80% More Income Than 4 Years Ago.” Biden-Harris era policies and programs sent inflationary costs and interest rates soaring. While there are some possible indicators that prices and rates are coming down, the 2025 "Priced Out" report from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reveals that nearly 75 percent of all U.S. households can't afford to buy a new media priced conventional house. What can be done about that and what role can trade associations play in that process?
Part I will explore those items. Part II will provide additional information plus more topics.
What follows includes select items generated by Gemini after it read a range of reports in the past two weeks along with other sources online to check the accuracy of reports checked on MHProNews. That said, while AI is useful, an expert can spot areas where AI could have provided a more specific result. That's what working the affordable housing beat allows a writer to do.
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Part I
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The American dream of homeownership is slipping away for a vast majority of households. A recent National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) study starkly reveals that nearly 75% of U.S. households in 2025 cannot afford a new median-priced home. In the face of this escalating affordability crisis, manufactured housing stands out as a potentially transformative solution, offering homes built to federal HUD code standards at a significantly lower cost than traditional construction. An array of third-party research reflects that reality.
https://www.manufacturedhomeli...
However, the manufactured housing sector in the 21st century has not yet fulfilled its potential in alleviating this crisis. Scrutiny of the industry's dynamics, particularly the role of its largest trade group, the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI), reveals a concerning narrative.
Manufactured Housing: An Affordable Housing Solution Suppressed by Industry Giants?
Laws Passed, Promises Unkept
Recognizing the affordability potential of manufactured homes, Congress enacted crucial legislation aimed at fostering its growth. The Manufactured Housing Improvement Act of 2000 included "enhanced preemption," granting HUD the authority to override restrictive local zoning ordinances that impede the placement of HUD-code homes. The goal was clear: to dismantle barriers and expand access to affordable housing nationwide.
Further bolstering this intent, the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 mandated a "Duty to Serve" for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, requiring these government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) to provide competitive financing for manufactured housing. The FHFA was tasked with ensuring this mandate was implemented.
Yet, years after these laws were enacted, their impact remains minimal. There are only a handful of documented instances of HUD utilizing its "enhanced preemption" authority. Even more starkly, despite the fact that chattel lending (financing the home only, without the land) represents approximately 70% of new manufactured home retail sales, neither Fannie Mae nor Freddie Mac has reportedly made any chattel loans since the Duty to Serve mandate was established in 2008.
But let's pivot back to two informative illustrations from the NAHB research, shown and linked below.
Per the NAHB analysis of 2023 American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau data, only 22.4 percent of U.S. Housing Stock is under $200,000. But 52.87 percent of the U.S. population needs a home under $200,000. As prior NAHB CEO Jerry Howard said during the Biden-Harris (D) era it is nearly impossible for a builder to produce a house for a first time homebuyer which may be just the kind of affordable home seeker that needs that under $200K home.
NAHB's Figure 2 revealed that about 76.4 percent of the population needs a home priced under $300,000 in total price. But as the NAHB said, "With a median price of $459,826 and a 30-year mortgage rate of 6.5%, this translates to around 100.6 million households priced out of the market, even before accounting for further increases in home prices or interest rates."
What Federal Reserve Researchers Said
James "Jim" Schmitz Jr and his colleagues have offered several research reports over the course of years (from about 2018 to 2025) that routinely make the point that conventional builders and HUD worked together to 'sabotage' the manufactured home industry's potential.
https://www.manufacturedhomepr...
While it is important to mention, that's not the focus of this post. Gemini made this point, that the largest trade group in the manufactured housing industry - the Manufactured Housing Institute - actually has through action and inaction limited its own industry. That sounds odd, doesn't it? Why would a trade group sabotage or limit its own industry? Is there evidence for such an AI cited claim?
Here is how Gemini phrased it in italics below. The text and the website links are per Gemini. The two words that are hotlinked had those links edited in by this writer for clarity on what Gemini was referencing, because there is evidence to support its AI generated finding.
Is the Industry's Largest Trade Group an Obstacle to Growth?
The persistent failure to fully implement these supportive laws raises serious questions about the priorities and effectiveness of the industry's largest trade group, the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI). Investigative reports from MHProNews (https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/) and the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR) (https://manufacturedhousingassociationregulatoryreform.org/) suggest a potentially detrimental dynamic.
These reports indicate that MHI appears to be prioritizing the interests of its largest members, many of whom operate on a business model focused on consolidating existing manufactured home communities, as well as production and retail operations.
This consolidation strategy seemingly benefits from the very barriers that "enhanced preemption" and robust financing options were intended to overcome.
Gemini also said the following.
Benefiting from Scarcity: The NIMBY Advantage
Statements made in publicly traded investor relations presentations and earnings calls by leaders of some of MHI's dominant members reportedly reveal that the current market conditions – characterized by NIMBYism and limited new development of manufactured home sites – are advantageous to their business models. By consolidating existing communities and controlling production and retail channels within this constrained environment, these large players can enhance their market share and profitability. This model inherently disincentivizes aggressive advocacy for policies that would lead to significant organic growth and increased competition through the placement of more new manufactured homes.
The impact of this constrained growth is significant. In 1998, the U.S. saw the production of 373,143 new manufactured homes. In stark contrast, recent data cited by MHARR, collected for HUD, shows that in a recent period, only around 103,314 new manufactured homes were built annually. This dramatic decline underscores the stagnation of the industry's potential to address the affordable housing crisis.
Economic Drag: The Trillion-Dollar Cost of Inaction
The consequences of this lack of affordable housing are far-reaching. Research from the National Low Income Housing Coalition and the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) indicates that the economic drag caused by the shortage of affordable housing amounts to a staggering two trillion dollars per year (https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/nimby-vs-yimby-homelessness-and-housing-insecurity-re-discovering-complete-value-of-affordable-housing-multifamily-housing-vs-manufactured-homes-reimagined-castles-and-moats-analysis/). By hindering the growth of affordable options like manufactured housing, the lack of enforcement of existing laws has significant macroeconomic consequences.
A Pattern of Silence
Compounding these concerns is the apparent lack of direct engagement from MHI's leadership in addressing the evidence and allegations raised in these reports. Despite documented outreach from MHProNews to MHI board members and senior staff seeking clarification or rebuttal, there has been no known direct public response to these evidence-based analyses. This silence raises serious questions about transparency and accountability within the industry's leading trade group.
Why This Should Concern Everyone
- Taxpayers: The failure to implement cost-effective affordable housing solutions like manufactured homes places a greater burden on taxpayers through increased social service costs and economic instability.
- Affordable Housing Seekers: The lack of enforcement of laws designed to expand affordable housing options directly limits opportunities for homeownership and perpetuates housing insecurity.
- Truth-Seeking Media and Researchers: The apparent contradiction between MHI's stated goals and the observed outcomes, along with the lack of transparency, warrants rigorous investigation to uncover the underlying dynamics.
- The Nation's Economic Health: The multi-trillion-dollar economic drag caused by the affordable housing crisis underscores the urgent need to unlock all viable solutions, including manufactured housing.
The manufactured housing industry possesses the inherent capacity to significantly alleviate the affordable housing crisis. However, its potential remains suppressed, seemingly by a confluence of unenforced laws and the business strategies of its largest players. For the sake of millions of Americans and the nation's economic well-being, a renewed commitment to enforcing existing legislation and a critical examination of the industry's leadership are urgently needed.
Supporting Evidence and Analysis:
The claims made in this article are substantiated by the following sources and in-depth analysis:
- NAHB "Priced Out" Study: Highlights the dire state of housing affordability (https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/nahb-priced-out-study-expose-nearly-75-of-u-s-households-cannot-afford-new-median-priced-home-in-2025-what-about-manufactured-homes-eye-opening-mhi-mharr-mhville-facts-evidence-analysis-fea/).
- MHProNews Extensive Reporting: Provides detailed investigative journalism and analysis of MHI's actions, the business models of its key members, and the lack of implementation of crucial legislation (https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/).
- MHARR Advocacy and Data: Offers a critical perspective on industry challenges and provides data on production trends (https://manufacturedhousingassociationregulatoryreform.org/).
- MHI's Stated Mission (IRS Form 990): Contrasts stated goals with observed outcomes (https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/ManufacturedHousingInstituteMissionStatementPerIRSform990SignedByRichardDickJennisonPresCEOManHousingInst-MHProNewsFactCheck.jpg).
- Data on Declining Production: Underscores the lack of market growth (https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/u-s-hud-code-manufactured-home-production-flatlined-in-feb-2025-whats-behind-the-data-mharr-shares-which-mhi-publicly-ducks-diminished-manufactured-housing-industry-facts-evidence-analysis/).
- Economic Impact Research: Highlights the significant cost of the affordable housing crisis (https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/nimby-vs-yimby-homelessness-and-housing-insecurity-re-discovering-complete-value-of-affordable-housing-multifamily-housing-vs-manufactured-homes-reimagined-castles-and-moats-analysis/).
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While that is useful and insightful, Gemini might have linked the report that provided much of the information shared above. It is linked below. That home shown below is a HUD Code manufactured home.
https://www.manufacturedhomepr...
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Before wrapping up, a word about that featured image for this article. Is that a conventional ‘site built’ house? Or a manufactured home? The image doesn’t say. It could be either one. True, many manufactured homes don’t look like that one, but they can be made to look like that model home. The basic rule of thumb is that a manufactured home costs about ½ of cost per square foot for a similar sized conventional ‘on site’ built house. Without millions of more manufactured homes the U.S. affordable housing crisis can't be solved by conventional housing alone.
Detailed evidence blending decades of human expert ‘beat’ experience with AI cross-checked analysis is linked here.
More on the affordable housing topic in the days ahead. Until then, check out the following reports on similar or entirely different topics. Thanks for checking in on this installment of the "Reality Check" series for this Patch.
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Presidential Message on Holy Week for 2025
Congressional Lawmakers "Monopoly Busters Caucus" to Fight High Costs
Manufactured Home Groups Split in Transparency Amidst Housing Crisis
Young Leaders' Faith Behrens on Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida's Future
Passover-Holy Week-Timeless Lessons for Americans in Story Telling
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Congress Must Now Cut Taxes and Regulations plus Trump Tariff Insights
Manufactured Housing Misses-Experts and Insiders Critique MHI Failures
My Retail-Main St. (vs. Wall Street) Investing-Advice to Son and Wife
[Note: on this date at about 2:42 PM ET, our investments are up on 6 of 7 investments and are up overall.].
Wilson: Did former Clinton-era VP Al Gore Commit Climate Change Fraud?
Can a DA impanel a Grand Jury to Probe a National Organization?
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MHARR Calls on HUD Sec Turner to Address and Fix Federal MH Program
Homeownership Raises Wealth-Lowers Poverty-Reasons Cavco Study Matters
Thanks again for checking into this installment of this "Reality Check" series for this Patch.
Problems and Solutions: Illegal Immigration and Housing Construction
MHProNews Agree a Lot with the Daily Signal But Not This Time-Virginia Allen on right missed same things Alice Carter on left did months ago>>> Don't let long debunked myths keep Americans from enjoying the benefits of affordable home ownership and more intergenerational wealth. https://patch.com/florida/lake...
Real Reason Behind Left’s Freak-Out About the Department of Education?
ESG Ruling Puts New Pressure on Public Pension Funds and BlackRock
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Trump Team Secures Southwest Land Border-Lowest Encounters Since 2000
Under Kash Patel Leadership FBI Finally Releases Docs on 2017 Shooting
Mark Weiss, JD-“The Good, The Bad And The Ugly” in Affordable Housing
Mark Weiss, J.D., is President/CEO of the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR) on MHI, HUD, and MH Industry Woes
Is There a Recession Ahead? John Carney's Fact-Packed Insight & Answer
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Americans Mostly Support Trump On Deportation vs Activists Fighting it
Manzanita Miller unpacks new survey insight most 'Americans Side With Trump On Deportation—Not w/Activists Fighting For Illegals and Gangs.'
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Lakeland Study Test Frank Rolfe Claim "Mobile Homes" Lower Prop Values
Hybrid Expert Human Study Combined with Multiple AI Powered Fact Checks plus 3rd Party Research Expose Disputed Claims in Critical Reporting
Manzanita Miller-Trump Tax Cut Helped Middle Class-Extension Welcomed
According to Manzanita Miller, the "Trump’s Tax Cuts Benefited The Middle-Class And That Is Why Extending Them Is Wildly Popular" LATK FEA--
New Manufactured Home Production Trend UP But Research Raises Concerns
Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR) Released Jan 2025 data that reflects continued improvements since 2023 but...
VP Vance-Illegal Immigrants Squeeze U.S. Citizens from Home Ownership
Is There a Recession Ahead? John Carney's Fact-Packed Insight & Answer
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Americans Mostly Support Trump On Deportation vs Activists Fighting it
Manzanita Miller unpacks new survey insight most 'Americans Side With Trump On Deportation—Not w/Activists Fighting For Illegals and Gangs.'
VP Vance-Illegal Immigrants Squeeze U.S. Citizens from Home Ownership
Bill Wilson - "A Mistake From The Past That Can Be Avoided"
GROK Affordable Housing Crisis Thesis-‘This Ain’t Theory—it’s a Heist’
Fact Checks by Grok-Copilot-Gemini Point to Problems at Manufactured Housing Institute that help Explain 21st Century Manufactured Home Sales
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Is Decline in Christianity in U.S. Over? Pew Research Suggests It Is
Numbers of Those Praying and Attending Religious Services or Mass Have Stabilized According to Recent Findings Including a Big New Pew Study
Feb 2025 sees Lowest Number of Border Crossings in Modern USA History
HUD Sec Scott Turner Tension with HUD Research v Local Zoning Barriers
GROK reports on "Most Comprehensive" article on Sec Turner's recent remarks to WMAL, CPAC, and on challenges to solve affordable housing.
Dems Fretting Over Billionaires Are on Billionaire Dole for Years
Audrey Streb-for DCNF and via Daily Signal: Democratic Officials that Criticized Wealthy Despite Taking Funding from Billionaires (Ouch!)
Rob Romano-Who Controls Foreign Policy? President Or District Courts?
'Sexual Deviants' in Federal Service to be Fired-per DNI Tulsi Gabbard
More on those and other topics in this eclectic "Reality Check" series here on this Patch.
Big Majority Approve DOGE-Plus Political Cartoons to Muse and Amuse
THE Reality Check-All of Us Have Been Manipulated & Lied to-E. Nickson
Dan Bongino to FBI - 'We’re About to See it All. It’s All Coming Out.'
Larry Elder on 'Supercharging the U.S. Economy' Using a Proven Method
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Democrats and GOP both 'Underwater' in New Poll-But Guess Which Leads?
By the Numbers - Evidence of Discrimination Against Believers in God
Employees! It is ‘Not Free Market Capitalism It’s Corporate Feudalism’
HUD Sec Turner-'Corporate Takeover of Housing—A Manufactured Crisis'
'Trump Is Leading a Historic Counterrevolution Against the Deep State'
Federal Racket-Follow the Money-Tammany Hall 2.0 and Big U.S. Media
U.S. Manufactured Home Industry Production 2024 Total Up per MHARR
(Note MHARR is short for the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform.)
‘Endemic Mismanagement of HUD Manufactured Housing Program’ Nom Turner
'Restoring and Expanding Affordable Housing Role of Manufactured Homes'–MHARR Letter Cites 2000 Reform Act, "Enhanced Preemption" Much More
Scott Turner Confirmed Secretary of Housing and Urban Development-Official HUD+Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR) News Releases; Manufactured Home Generational Wealth
> ‘Endemic Mismanagement of HUD Manufactured Housing Program’ Nom Turner
'Restoring and Expanding Affordable Housing Role of Manufactured Homes'–MHARR Letter Cites 2000 Reform Act, "Enhanced Preemption" Much More...https://patch.com/florida/lake...
> Big Govt, Big Pharma, Big Food made Americans Overweight and Unhealthy
> Virginia Bishop for ‘Well-Regulated Borders’ Amid VP J.D. Vance Rumble
> Romano-Trump Bans DEI In Federal Govt—States And Corporations Are Next
> How Republicans Should Follow Through on Tough Talk on Immigration
> NPR=87 Registered Democrats in Editorial Positions and No Republicans
> President Donald J. Trump’s Official 'America First Priorities'
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> Rubio Senate Replacement Ashley Moody (FL-R) Gets Key Assignments
> Trump Plan: Make America Safe, Affordable, Restore U.S. Values for All
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> Official Manufactured Housing Production from 1995-2023-Why it Matters
> Anna Paulina Luna (FL-R) and Barry Loudermilk (GA-R) MERIT Act Insight
> Executive Orders on Investigating Biden Censorship & Weaponization
> Floridian Dr István Dobozi Strikes at Trump Again in Magyar Article (Another critical analysis - fact check).
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> Why do Liars Lie? Why do those Engaged in Paltering and Spin Palter?
> Controversy-Manufactured Housing Institute-Lesli Gooch-Mark Bowersox
> ‘Mobile Home Values Rising Faster Than Single-Family’ House-Wow Fact$
> Realtor-What Is a Manufactured Home? The Next Step Beyond Mobile Homes
> Orlando RE Agent Smith-Younger Adults Will Need $8500 Monthly for Rent
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> Rob Romano-Time To Declassify Everything, Or Another RussiaGate Ahead
> Contemporary Tips from Legend Paul Harvey-Surprising Rest of the Story
> Alert: Is Affordable Housing Linked Scandal at Champion Homes Brewing?
> Report: Biden-Harris Federal Agencies Spent Millions Torturing Cats
> Lesli Gooch Ph.D.-Award, Coverup, Headfake, Scandal? Rest of the Story (Manufactured Housing Institute linked)
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> ALG Unpacks Trump Pitch to Cut Drug Costs by Cutting PBM Middleman
> Is there Evidence that God Exists? Evolution vs. Intelligent Design
> Democratic Voters-Closer Look at Biden’s Acts Before Biden-Harris Exit
> Christian Leaders-Signs of 4th 'Great Awakening' Millions go to Jesus
> Attorney John Morgan - Democrat Megadonor on Kamala Harris Campaign
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> USA Today - David Plouffe and Dem Advisers on Kamala Harris Revelation
> Majority OK Trump Transition-Mass Deportations-Tariffs- Is it Hopeful?
> Niskanen Center Praises Manufactured Home ‘Cost Savings’ and ‘Quality’
> Alice Carter-The Northern Forum-Deporting Immigrants & Housing Crisis
> Cartoons-Kamala Day 1, DOGE the Swamp, Brainwashing, & Out In the Cold
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> The Creepy Line-Peter Schweizer-Dr. Jordan Peterson-Dr. Robert Epstein
> Secret State Miniseries - Fictional TV Series Shed Light on Reality
> Trump Transition Team Asked to Prioritize Affordable Housing Issues
> Top 10 States for Homelessness & Top Cities for Crime=Shocking Lessons
> WashPost-American Dream Fades But Assoc CEO Mark Weiss Shows Solution
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> Blankley-Goodbye American Dream? Only 10% Polled Can Buy a House; But
> Frank Rolfe-Special Interests ‘Don’t Want to Solve Affordable Housing'
> TARK-‘I’m a Teen and Know the Solution to Affordable Housing Crisis’
---> Renting? Rent too High? Odds Are DOJ Suit vs RealPage Matters to You
> New-Certified “Half Price Homes” - Affordable Housing Solution Redux
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> Solution: “Would-Be Homebuyers Need 80% More Income Than 4 Years Ago”
L. A. “Tony” Kovach is a publisher who has earned multiple awards in history. He and his family live in a manufactured home on private property in Winter Haven, FL. He is the co-founder of Manufactured Home Living News.com (MHLivingNews.com) and Manufactured Home Pro News.com (MHProNews.com), trade publications serving segments of the manufactured home industry. Having worked in several segments of the manufactured home industry for over 3 decades, Kovach is a widely acknowledged and often praised expert on manufactured housing. ###
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