As we head into spring, I am hopeful that our industry will begin to blossom once again. The MHI-NCC has been diligently working to enhance our business and provide us with opportunities during these challenging times. I believe that we must keep moving forward together in a positive manner if we are able to achieve our goals both in the short and long term.

The two most important items that we have been working on are the SAFE Act regulations and financing alternatives for both our communities and our consumers.

Most everyone is familiar with at least some parts of the SAFE Act, but I would encourage you to learn as much as you can about the Act and how it will impact you. Each state will have different regulations to meet their interpretation of the Act, therefore, it will be necessary for you to research the laws in each state you do business. The MHI-NCC together has responded to HUD during the public comment period on the proposed rule as we continue to educate the regulators on how we do business and try to facilitate real world application of the Act. In addition, the MHI-NCC is pursuing federal legislation to amend the SAFE Act to exempt retailers and community sales persons from licensing provisions in the SAFE Act.

If you need more information on the SAFE Act or its impact on your business, please contact your state association or MHI-NCC.

Financing is another arena that the MHI-NCC is on top of with laser-focus. Several large community owners have contracted through MHI-NCC a firm to start the dialogue with FHA on creating a program to increase the liquidity of the seller financed home loans that most community owners now possess. We support these efforts and believe that if successful, they will benefit all community owners as a process is created to lessen the burden of holding all home loans in a community. We appreciate the leadership these owners/operators have taken on behalf of the industry.

Community financing is another area we are seeing some hopeful news. We are in early discussions with Freddie Mac about the possible creation of manufactured home community finance program that would compete with the current Fannie Mae program. Alternatives and competition will bring new life to an area of the business that has been in turmoil since the credit crisis began.

We have also taken a fresh examination of our current NCC 5-year plan. There has been an extreme amount of hard work put into plan’s creation and execution and we have refocused our efforts to complete plan objectives. The plan is divided into five main groups: Advocacy; Finance; Preservation and Promotion of Communities; Property Management; and Membership. If you are not familiar with the plan, please contact Thayer Long at tlong@mfghome.org for a copy.

If you see a particular area you want to be involved with, please contact me or Thayer.

Last but not least, I am looking forward to an excellent 2010 Joint NCC-ULI Communities Forum in Las Vegas on April 13th in conjunction with the 20th Anniversary of the MHI Congress & Expo. We have a great line-up for this event - thanks to the NCC Planning Group of Steve Adler, George Allen, Bill Cramer, David Lentz, Kenny Lipschutz, Steve Schaub, and Richard Winkelman- with an extra special thanks to Greg O’Berry for being this year’s Forum Planning Chair. A complete schedule can be viewed at www.congressandexpo.com/2010/ULI_and_NCC.pdf and you can register online at www.signup4.net/Public/ap.aspx?EID=MHI210E.

We are expecting an excellent turnout and we hope to see you there.

As always, I welcome comments, suggestions, or anything that is on your mind relative to the MHI-NCC and the land-lease community asset class. You can email me at
chris@parrishmanor.com.