The National Communities Council held its Annual Meeting in Tucson, AZ on October 31 and discussed several pressing issues and elected new leadership. A considerable amount of time was spent on the recent court decision in the NCC’s lawsuit against EPA over its submetering policy for consecutive water systems. While the court agreed with many of the NCC’s arguments, ultimately it deferred to EPA and its role as protector of the nation’s drinking water and ruled against the industry. As a result, the NCC is using the decision to seek a permanent legislative fix to the problem. Many of the industry’s supporters on Capitol Hill have been waiting for a court decision to be issued before introducing legislation. Now that a decision has been made, the industry can move forward with its legislative fix.

At the same time, the NCC will again be strongly supporting reform of the FHA Title I chattel financing reform legislation in the next session of Congress. Expanding financing opportunities in communities remains a top priority for the council. In addition, the NCC had discussions on implementation of the Manufactured Housing Improvement Act, disposition of FEMA homes, GSE reform, meth lab legislation, immigration reform, property rights legislation and reform of the FHA 207m program for financing new communities and rehabilitating old ones.

Rick Rand of Great Value Homes updated the council on plans for the NCC’s 2007 Sales and Marketing Forum which will take place the day before the Congress in Vegas in April. The program agenda was reviewed and Rand said the planning committee would now be focusing on selecting speakers.

The NCC also discussed the long-standing issue of division status for the NCC, which we would require changes to the Fed States bylaws. This issue has been looked at in past years and the NCC believes now is a good time to revisit the issue. The NCC approved a motion that the Federated States Division consider a review of the bylaws in order to allow the National Communities Council to achieve full division status within MHI.

In the annual NCC elections, the following people were elected to the NCC Board of Governors: Steve Adler, Murex Properties; Ellen Kelleher, Equity Lifestyle Properties; Nathan Smith, SSK Communities; Mel Fath, New Durham Estates; Fran Hirsch, Brandenberg, Staedler and Moore; Christine Lindsey, UMH Properties; Dan Rolfes, Holiday Parks; and Kim Trounce, Edison Micro Utilities.

Christine Lindsey of UMH Properties was elected 2007 NCC Chair and Chris Parrish of Parrish Manor was elected 2007 Vice Chair. Nathan Smith of SSK Communities and Kris Jensen of Jensen’s, Inc. were elected to seats on the MHI Board.