While today wraps up the 2020 Hurricane Preparedness Week, and no tropical cyclones threaten the U.S., now is a great time to develop a written plan for what youd do when a storm does threaten in the future. Image: NWS

Hurricane Preparedness Week, which began last Sunday on May 3, is drawing to a close. On this day, government agencies like the National Weather Service and National Hurricane Center are urging people around the country that live in areas that could be impacted by tropical cyclones to have a written plan of what theyd do should a storm materialize in their area this upcoming season. Central Pacific and Atlantic Hurricane Seasons both start on June 1. Tropical cyclones like hurricanes or tropical storms can impact Hawaii, the U.S. Gulf Coast, the entire U.S. East Coast, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands in or even outside of season.

According to the National Weather Service (NWS), The time to prepare for a hurricane is before the season begins, when you have the time and are not under pressure. If you wait until a hurricane is on your doorstep, the odds are that you will be under duress and will make the wrong decisions. To be prepared, the National Weather Service and National Hurricane Center want people in storm-possible areas to take the time now to write downa hurricane plan.

The NWS further advises: Know where you will ride out the storm and get your supplies now. You dont want to be standing in long lines when a hurricane warning is issued. Those supplies that you need will probably be sold out by the time you reach the front of the line. Being prepared, before a hurricane threatens, makes you resilient to the hurricane impacts of wind and water. It will mean the difference between your being a hurricane victim and a hurricane survivor.

With the COVID-19 Pandemic continuing, its also important that people refresh written plans they may have prepared in the past to reflect this new reality. Follow CDC guidance and be sure to protect yourself from the virus before, during, and after a tropical cyclone strikes. This may mean having more masks or perishable supplies on-hand. It may also mean having more disinfectants and sanitizers as part of your storm preparation stock.

Hurricanes arent the only danger from the tropics: while lacking the potent winds that hurricanes have, tropical depressions and tropical storms can be devastating too.The primary hazards from tropical cyclones (which include tropical depressions, tropical storms, and hurricanes) are storm surge flooding, inland flooding from heavy rains, destructive winds, tornadoes, and high surf and rip currents.

Hurricane Matthew stormed through the Caribbean during the 2016 Atlantic Hurricane Season.

Storm surge is the abnormal rise of water generated by a storms winds. This hazard is historically the leading cause of hurricane related deaths in the United States. Storm surge and large battering waves can result in large loss of life and cause massive destruction along the coast. Storm surge can travel several miles inland, especially along bays, rivers, and estuaries. You dont need to live on a beach to fall victim to storm surge flooding, as residents of New Jersey and New York learned in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.

Flooding from heavy rains is the second leading cause of fatalities from landfalling tropical cyclones. Widespread torrential rains associated with these storms often cause flooding hundreds of miles inland. This flooding can persist for several days after a storm has dissipated.

Aerial views of flooding the day after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. Photo: Jocelyn Augustino, FEMA, katrinadestruction.com

Winds from a hurricane can destroy buildings and manufactured homes. Signs, roofing material, and other items left outside can become flying missiles during hurricanes. Depending on local building codes, many homes may be built to only withstand winds of 100mph; major hurricanes have much higher winds than that and could lead to catastrophic destruction of even strong homes.

Tornadoes can accompany landfalling tropical cyclones. These tornadoes typically occur in rain bands well away from the center of the storm. While not as strong as tornadoes that form in supercell complexes, these tornadoes add an additional element of danger to a landfalling tropical cyclone.

Dangerous waves produced by a tropical cyclones strong winds can pose a significant hazard to coastal residents and mariners. These waves can cause deadly rip currents, significant beach erosion, and damage to structures along the coastline, even when the storm is more than a 1,000 miles offshore.

BEFORE

Before a hurricane or tropical cyclone threatens your area, you should be prepared and have a plan.

DURING

When a hurricane threatens your home,be prepared to evacuate if you live in a storm surge risk area. Listen to the guidance of local officials; if winds are strong enough, they may encourage you to evacuate too. Otherwise, they may recommend that you shelter in place if you arent in danger of flooding. Be sure to allow enough time to pack and inform friends and family if you need to leave your home.

AFTER

Many dangers remain once a storm passes through.

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NHC: Put a Storm Plan in Writing - Weatherboy

There has always been an inherent danger in the notion of abandoning fossil fuels, especially proposals by governments and institutions to clear their environmental conscience by divesting from oil and gas. After all, we need fossil fuels for everyday life. Now, as communities worldwide continue to deal with COVID-19, the value of fossil fuels has come into even greater focus.

Most of the public knows that fossil fuels such as natural gas and coal remain important parts of keeping the lights on and the economy running. But often overlooked is the role of fossil fuels in other aspects of everyday life. For example, many dont know that natural gas is also a critical feedstock for producing petrochemicals like isopropyl alcohol and polypropylene. Manufacturers cant make much of the personal protection equipment now in high demand without polypropylene. Isopropyl alcohol, too, is an essential ingredient for hand sanitizer and many disinfectants that are currently in scarce supply. In other words, the world needs products manufactured by the fossil fuel industry to help combat the spread of this virus.

A recent Wall Street Journal editorial detailed how ExxonMobil has been focused on COVID-19 relief and support. Its been a hundred years since scientists with Standard Oil of New Jersey, the predecessor of Exxon, invented isopropyl alcohol. Now, more than a century later, Exxon has ramped up IPA production at its Baton Rouge, Louisiana, facility by 3,000 tons per month, enough to produce 50 million 4-ounce bottles of hand sanitizer. The company is also increasing its polypropylene production by around 1,000 tons per month, enough raw material to produce 200 million medical masks or 20 million gowns. By teaming with Boeing, Exxon is helping manufacture as many as 40,000 masks per hour right here in the U.S., avoiding the foreign supply chain hiccups that have led to shortages.

Other fossil fuel companies are pitching in, too. BP has announced it will supply three million gallons of jet fuel to FedEx Express charter flights and Alaska Airlines free of charge to ensure that personal protective equipment and other essential goods get to those who need it most. Chevron-funded Fab Labs has plans to produce more than 20,000 face shields and masks for hospitals, nursing homes and first responders and has donated 100,000 surgical masks to California hospitals. Dow Chemical is collaborating to produce 100,000 face shields in Michigan. Phillips 66, Shell and Marathon have also stepped up in a big way to ease the crisis for communities and help those on the front lines.

Of course, that hasnt stopped some from continuing to bang the divestment drum. In a twist of irony, New York has turned to Exxon to supply isopropyl alcohol, even as New York City Council members introduced a resolution recently to divest the city from banks that invest in fossil fuels. Yet Exxon still intends to provide its hand sanitizer to the Empire State for free.

Fossil fuel companies often make easy targets for those with political agendas, but the reality is that the energy and products they manufacture are part of the solution today for dealing with COVID-19. And they will be part of the solution tomorrow as the American economy begins its steady march to recovery. The oil and gas sector, in particular, has been a bright spot for the American economy in recent years, creating jobs and situating the U.S. as the worlds top producer of these important commodities.

Despite the value of fossil fuels, misguided cries for fossil fuel divestment have only grown louder in recent years. Some universities, pension funds and local governments continue to advocate withdrawing all financial support of fossil fuel companies, a move that helps neither shareholders or the planet. Now, in the middle of this crisis, those voices are more misguided than ever.

Natural gas producers have actually played a leading role in addressing climate change. The Energy Information Administration found that the transition to natural gas for electricity generation has helped reduce carbon emissions by 28 percent between 2005 and 2017. This fuel source should be recognized as a leading climate solution.

Fossil fuel manufacturers arent the enemy; theyre part of the solution by making products consumers want and helping the planet. Theyre also providing vital raw materials for products our nation desperately need right now. We should be embracing companies that are part of the solution, not targeting them.

Paul Griffin is the executive director of Energy Fairness, a nonprofit agency that believes the future of energy must include discussions about the cost of energy choices as well as their benefits. He divides his time between Boulder County, Colorado, and Washington, D.C.

Excerpt from:
Paul Griffin: Fossil fuels are a hidden weapon in COVID-19 fight - The Durango Herald

The massive economic disruption brought by COVID-19 has revealed that for many, economic security is an illusion. And our biggest vulnerability is housing costs - the biggest expense for most households.

This fact is pertinent when we consider the crucial task of how to create a more resilient and sustainable economy after the crisis.

We mustnt forget COVID-19 is actually a crisis within a much bigger and more complex crisis climate change and environmental degradation.

But housing costs make many of us utterly dependent on a return to business-as-usual, despite the catastrophic environmental consequences.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday flagged the first stage in loosened coronavirus restrictions, expected to boost Australias economy by more than A$3 billion a month.

But we believe bouncing back to a path of untrammelled economic growth is no solution at all.

Rich nations such as Australia must permanently reduce and stabilise economic growth and with it, resource and energy demands to maintain a liveable planet.

But here lies the tragic paradox. How can we deliberately orchestrate an economic slowdown, when the COVID-19 experience has caused so much personal pain and left many unable to pay rent and bills?

Read more: Want an economic tonic, Mr Morrison? Use that stimulus money to turbocharge renewables

Treasury forecasts suggest unemployment in Australia will jump from around 700,000 to 1.4 million as a result of COVID-19. Casuals, many of whom are not eligible for the JobKeeper payments, are already at serious risk of becoming homeless.

Governments and banks have taken immediate steps to keep people afloat, such as stimulus spending on unemployment benefits, a six-month freeze on mortgage repayments and a ban on certain rental evictions.

These stopgap measures show the emerging housing crisis is unprecedented and serious but they are merely band-aid solutions to personal economic insecurity.

Whats more, they ignore the obvious environmental devastation wrought by a growing economy. Its clear we must look for other solutions.

We propose that federal and state authorities offer unemployed people the opportunity to access public housing and a participation income.

The voluntary program would first be offered to eligible people either living in public housing, or at the top of the waiting list. If a pilot proved successful, and as public housing investment increased, the program could be offered more widely.

Participants would be paid a modest living wage in exchange for about 15 hours of local community service each week. This work could include growing food, maintaining the neighbourhood, helping to run sharing schemes such as a community tool bank, or even building new homes under expert guidance.

Read more: Why it doesn't make economic sense to ignore climate change in our recovery from the pandemic

The payment and associated activities would replace a persons unemployment benefits and job-seeking obligations.

Such a program would provide a secure home and livelihood to the poorest members of society. It would also provide real-world examples of alternative ways of meeting basic human needs, and governing access to land.

This proposal is built on the basic premise that land (just like air and water) was not created by the market and so should not be a commodity. Access to land for housing should be a human right granted to all, not just to those who can afford it.

A scheme such as ours could show how people are liberated from their reliance on economic growth when land is not commodified.

Urban commons, such as the R-Urban project in Paris, demonstrate how everyday citizens can create an alternative economy. There, several hundred people co-manage land that includes a small farm for collective use, a recycling plant and cooperative eco-housing.

Read more: Using lots of plastic packaging during the coronavirus crisis? You're not alone

This is not a new concept. Local collaboration on common land is humanitys oldest and most widespread mode of economic operation. For First Australians, it underpinned their way of life for tens of thousands of years.

And in Britain, people lived and locally collaborated on common land for many thousands of years before it became privatised.

Our proposal is about creating new futures based on common land, not a return to the past. It would initially involve the unemployed in public housing. But it could be expanded to include others alienated from the market: victims of the automation of jobs, the globalisation of labour such as manufactured goods being increasingly produced in developing nations or the decline in polluting industries such as fossil fuels.

Scaling up new land governance arrangements to the point where they influence the broader economy would require a huge expansion in public housing.

COVID-19 has highlighted Australias public housing shortage. Social welfare advocates, unions and the building industry have recognised the problem.

Reserve Bank governor Phillip Lowe says Australia must exploit low interest rates to invest in infrastructure. The stimulus following the Great Depression and the end of World War II offers a precedent: it led to the golden age of Australian public housing.

We call on governments to be innovative and ambitious. Building a more resilient and sustainable future requires the courage to experiment with new housing and living arrangements. Now is the time to act.

More:
Coronavirus shows housing costs leave many insecure. Tackling that can help solve an even bigger crisis - The Conversation AU

The death toll in the United States from COVID-19, the deadly respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus, rose above 75,000 Thursday.

About 26,000 of those, or just over one third, happened in the state of New York, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. But the death toll is rising in other states as the coronavirus pandemic goes on. New Jersey has reported 8,801 deaths, the second highest number in the nation. Massachusetts and Michigan have each recorded more than 4,000 deaths.

More than 1.2 million people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with COVID-19. Globally, the number of infections has climbed above 3.8 million and more than 267,000 people have died.

Health experts have repeatedly warned that the number of deaths and infections in the U.S. and other countries is likely higher than reported, due to lack of testing, differences in how deaths are recorded and other factors.

United States:

-New Jersey is sending National Guard troops to assist nursing homes hard hit by coronavirus. It wasn't clear what role the troops would play, but Gov. Phil Murphy said on Twitter that they would "assist in our COVID-19 mitigation efforts." The governor added: "We dont take this step lightly, but the crisis in our long-term care facilities requires us to take it." The state will activate 120 National Guard troops, The Associated Press reported. One facility in Andover, New Jersey, became so overwhelmed in April that police found a makeshift morgue on site with 13 dead bodies. Nursing homes nationwide have been wracked by coronavirus infections, and some are under investigation for failing to handle the outbreak appropriately.

-The number of people on ventilators in New Jersey declined and the number of patients in critical or intensive care units dropped to its lowest point since April 4, Murphy said.

-Most of the states that have started to reopen their economies or plan to do so soon do not meet criteriarecommended by the Trump administrationto resume business and social activities, according to a New York Times analysis. The guidelines for Opening Up American Again are presented as what states should consider before reopening, but they are not binding. They suggest states should have a downward trajectory of documented cases or of the percentage of tests that come back positive. In more than half of states easing restrictions, case counts are trending upward, positive test results are on the rise, or both, according to the New York Times.

-A 17-page report by a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention team, titled Guidance for Implementing the Opening Up America Again Framework, was created to give more detailed step-by-step advice to local authorities on how and when to reopen restaurants and other public places, but the report has been shelved by the administration, The Associated Press reported. The Washington Post reported that an anonymous coronavirus task force official said the report was overly specific and the White House had asked for revisions.

-Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine will allow personal services like hair salons, barber shops, day spas, or nail salons to reopen beginning May 15. Outdoor dining will reopen on the same day, and dine-in service will resume May 21.

-Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo announced the state's stay-at-home order will expire Saturday. Social gatherings will remain limited to five people until May 22, Raimondo said. Employees of office-based businesses may go into work on a "very limited basis." Restaurants can now offer beer and wine with their takeout service.

-The NBA said franchises may open their facilities Friday in areas where local restrictions have been eased. On a voluntary basis, up to four individual players may use the facilities.

-The U.S. Labor Department announced another 3.2 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits in the past week. More than 33 million Americans have filed for benefits since the economy was largely shut down.

-Cell phone data shows an additional 62,000 people traveled to Georgia one week after the state allowed many businesses to reopen while they remained closed in nearby states, the Washington Post reports. University of Maryland researchers who analyzed the data said it shows that reopening some state economies ahead of others could potentially worsen and prolong the spread of the novel coronavirus.

-Moderna announced it has Food and Drug Administration permission to begin a phase two study of its coronavirus vaccine candidate with 600 participants soon, CNBC reported. The company, whose vaccine candidate was the first to enter a phase 1 human trial in March, said it is finalizing plans for a phase 3 trial as early as this summer. The first doses of the potential vaccine, which was developed by researchers at Moderna and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, are expected to be manufactured in July.

-Geneticists have determined that as the number of New York City coronavirus cases grew, infected people seeded outbreaks as they traveled to other parts of the country, the New York Times reports. Before officials imposed restrictions, the New York version of the virus helped to fuel outbreaks in Louisiana, Texas, Arizona and as far away as the West Coast.

-Neiman Marcus filed for bankruptcy on Thursday, making it the second major retailer after J. Crew to do so during the coronavirus pandemic.

-President Donald Trump said he will be tested daily for coronavirus after one of his valets tested positive for COVID-19. He said the episode underscored the fallibility of using testing exclusively to determine safety. "What happens in between when you got tested and just a couple of days later?" he asked, saying there were "a number of days missed" between when the valet was last tested and when he discovered he had coronavirus. Trump said he'd had "very little personal contact" with the man, a member of the U.S. Navy, who tested positive. Like the president, who has yet to be seen publicly wearing a face covering, the valets have not been wearing masks in the White House.

Worldwide:

-The Acropolis and other ancient sites in Greece will reopen May 18 and museums will end their lockdown June 15, The Associated Press reported. Visitor limits would be imposed at most of the reopened sites.

-Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon say the coronavirus lockdown restrictions in her country need to be extended to May 28 because any easing now would be very risky indeed. Sturgeon, the first minister, said her preference is that all four nations of the U.K. England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland move at the same pace on easing the lockdown in order to present a consistent message. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to announce some minor easing of the lockdown for England on Sunday.

-Residents of Moscow are now required to wear masks and gloves when using public transit and visiting public spaces now that industrial plants and construction sites in the capital have been allowed to reopen, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said.

For the latest coronavirus information in your county and a full list of important resources to help you make the smartest decisions regarding the disease, check out our dedicated COVID-19 page.

The Weather Companys primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.

Continue reading here:
Coronavirus Updates: US Death Toll Tops 75,000; National Guard Troops Being Sent to Help New Jersey Nursing Homes - The Weather Channel

Last week, the Lancashire Post carried a feelgood yarn about a great British success story. Its plane sailing for BAE Systems with a little help from Carol Vorderman, ran the headline, accompanied by a picture of the smiling former Countdown maths whizz sitting in the cockpit of a plane.

Lancashires biggest private sector employer had designed and built a ventilator to aid treatment in the coronavirus pandemic, and theyd done it with a bit of help from the beloved TV personality, who said that her small private plane had delivered some of the vital components.

You had to read to the end of the article to find out that, in fact, the worlds sixth largest arms-producing company had simply manufactured 2,700 ventilator parts, and that ventilator design did not eventually go forward to full-scale production due to the drop in the need for ventilator technology.

All of which represents another great day at the office for the communications team of a company that made $21bn in sales in 2018 95% of them to military customers and whose Typhoon and Tornado aircraft have been key to devastating Saudi-led attacks on Yemen, which have killed thousands of civilians and contributed to what the UN calls a humanitarian catastrophe.

A key element of coronawashing is, of course, the performance being seen to be supportive in the face of a national and global tragedy

The word coronavirus has entered our vernacular in the space of a few months now its also swiftly become a shortcut to brand self-awareness and vague corporate caring, with many companies quick to jump on board. A Whos Who of polluters, tax dodgers and outsource vultures are urging us to #StaySafe, pumping out soft-focus branded content that makes Forrest Gump look like an episode of Chernobyl.

In a neoliberal society in which private companies need to project an image of public-spirited compassion, a global pandemic means back-to-back strategy Zoom calls for corporate communications teams. The mission objective is: how do we look like legends without impacting our profits?

More than that, these are often businesses that helped create and profit from the weakened public services and diminished standards of living that the outbreak of Covid-19 has served to expose, and which have hampered the UKs response. These feelgood pieces of PR, then, are exercises not just in making it look like corporations are fighting the crisis, but that they also are definitely not culpable in having helped worsen it.

We have become used to sportswashing, greenwashing, pinkwashing and even wokewashing. We are now in the first wave of coronawashing, in which corporations trip over themselves to clap for key workers, before packaging the footage up into moving nuggets of shareable content and promoting them on several social media platforms. In the background, these same companies are asking for government bailouts and taking advantage of a crisis to push for favourable legislation and the slashing of regulations that are more necessary than ever.

And so we have Holly Branson, doing her best Ivanka Trump, tweeting about Virgin ventilator design while her father, Richard, lord of the boomers, moves on from taking legal action against the NHS to pleading for government money.

Then we have HSBC, which, among much else, has been heavily fined in the US for facilitating tax evasion and money laundering and was found to have helped clients dodge millions in tax. The banking giant is now showing its caring side by filling newspaper advertising pages with messages of support in this time of crisis. Yet at the same time it has decided, at Ramadan, to block donations to a Palestinian aid charity.

Meanwhile, on YouTube, in a video entitled Thank You For Not Riding, plaintive piano lines soundtrack footage of ordinary people in their homes during pandemic. Its not until you get to the end of this moving tribute to the common man that you realise it was made by Uber, a company with a litany of questionable work practices, which is now using coronavirus sick-leave measures to argue against giving its drivers employee status.

Examples of coronawashing are everywhere. Amazon, the selfless buddy who does a favour for you behind the scenes and then tells you and all your mutual friends about it, was recently revealed as a mystery 250,000 donor to UK bookshops. Amazons CEO Jeff Bezos makesmore than $8m every single day. His company has been deemed worst for aggressive tax avoidance and has long been widely blamed for the destruction of the very independent bookshops it is now so generously and mysteriously donating to.

A key element of coronawashing is, of course, the performance being seen to be supportive in the face of a national and global tragedy. Primark donated care packs to staff at Londons new Nightingale hospital, established to treat coronavirus, but in Bangladesh it was cancelling production of $273m-worth of goods, leaving already immiserated workers destitute. (In the face of adverse publicity, Primark reversed its position.)

All of which recalls a line from, of all people, Peter Buffett, son of investor billionaire Warren. In an essay entitled The Charitable-Industrial Complex, Buffett described taking over some of his fathers philanthropic work and finding himself sitting around the table with power players searching for answers with their right hand to problems that others in the room have created with their left.

This is a neat description of the coronawashers: these corporations obviously werent responsible for the global pandemic, but they spent decades eviscerating the public sphere, which, in turn, has reduced the states ability to respond to large-scale problems. Now they hope to be patted on the back for throwing out some loose change and clapping the NHS (in an inspiring social media clip that you can like and share).

Oscar Rickett is a journalist and writer

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Coronawashing: for big, bad businesses, it's the new greenwashing - The Guardian

At 6 p.m. on Monday April 6, Salida City Council, joined by the Salida planning commission, did a virtual sit down via GoToMeeting to discuss an update on the Land Use Code. The overall goal of the Land Code Use plan is to make it easier to develop what the Salida community wants. The key theme within the project is to improve user friendliness.

City Council, coupled with the Salida Planning Commission, discussed the intricacies of the new Land Use Code (LUC).

A wide variety of housing opportunities for affordable housing was presented. The team hopes to further explore Co-housing, live-work units, dormitory-style, and boarding house buildings, options that would lend themselves to the seasonal nature of workforce housing within Salida. These options would increase flexibility and coincide with the communitys concerns. There is no quick solution for affordable and workforce housing, however a more flexible use of the new code is the first step to improving the shortage.

An architectural rendering shows the view of the proposed Salida Crossings condominium development as seen by west-bound traffic on U.S. Highway 50 (courtesy image).

Parking standards were also a main point of discussion, specifically making sure standards dont prevent desirable growth. The team says that it hopes to implement parking that is sufficient without being overly restrictive. This might be achieved by looking at maximum number of parking spaces and limiting huge parking lots that would affect aesthetics and walk-ability of the community. The goal is to not create too much parking that sits empty much of the time.

By updating the zoning districts, the LUC will streamline existing zoning and could create new districts for agriculture, parks and open space and community facilities. The changes made to the new code will allow manufactured homes within certain locations, the example given was R3 and R4 zones. A question was raised if the community would consider allowing manufactured housing in an manufactured housing park. Manufactured housing is a possible solution for affordable housing. Distinctions were also made for modular housing, making definitions and semantics important for each.

The meeting went in depth on the LUC Assessment report, which is the second step in the project scope and timeline. The assessment report documents whats working well, what regulations need to be improved, potential solutions and options, an outline to organize the new land use code, and identifying future additional implementation issues. It is organized by six key recommendations:

There are many ways to make the new code a clear, more user-friendly document. By improving the code, it will make it easier for the public, creating standard procedures. The overall goal is to simplify the process. By reorganizing the use regulations, it will become the standard, therefore streamlining the process, saving time for staff, developers and the Planning Commission. Expanding the household dwelling types (specifically housing with multiple units scattered throughout the community) is perceived as a key outcome.

For next steps, the first draft of the code will be done in late April. The public draft is expected to follow in June. For more information follow the link to the Land Use Code Rewrite packet. To contact the team email:

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Opportunity for Public Opinion: The Salida work Session on Land Use Code Explores New Affordable Housing Opportunities and Parking Regulations. - by...

The manufactured housing is commonly known as mobile homes in the United States. It is a type of prefabricated housing that is largely assembled in factories and then transported to sites of use. The affordability of manufactured housing is owing to the efficiencies of the factory-building process. These homes are constructed with standard building materials and are built almost entirely off-site in a factory. The controlled assembly line techniques and construction environment eliminate many of the problems faced during traditional home construction including theft, weather, vandalism, damage to building products & materials, and unskilled labor.

This intelligence report provides a comprehensive analysis of the Global Manufactured Housing Market. This includes Investigation of past progress, ongoing market scenarios, and future prospects. Data True to market on the products, strategies and market share of leading companies of this particular market are mentioned. Its a 360-degree overview of the global markets competitive landscape. The report further predicts the size and valuation of the global market during the forecast period.

Free Sample Report + All Related Graphs & Charts @: https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/sample-report/5820-global-and-north-america-manufactured-housing-market

Major Players in this Report Include,

Nobility Homes, Inc. (United States),Cavco Industries, Inc. (United States),Champion Home Builders Inc. (United States),Palm Harbor Homes, Inc. (United States) ,Fleetwood Homes, Inc. (United States) ,Jacobsen Manufacturing Inc. (United States),Excel Homes LLC (United States),Woodland Homes of Huntsville, Inc. (United States),Dutch Housing, Inc. (United States),BonnaVilla (United States)

Market Trends: Rising Popularity of Energy Efficient Manufactured Housing

Restraints: Lack of Customer Confidence over Manufactured Housing

Availability of Affordable and Attractive Home Loans for Site-Built Homes

Market Drivers: Technological advancements in Manufactured Housing

Rising Popularity of House Ownership at Low Cost

Each segment and sub-segment is analyzed in the research report. The competitive landscape of the market has been elaborated by studying a number of factors such as the best manufacturers, prices and revenues. Global Manufactured Housing Market is accessible to readers in a logical, wise format. Driving and restraining factors are listed in this study report to help you understand the positive and negative aspects in front of your business.

This study mainly helps understand which market segments or Region or Country they should focus in coming years to channelize their efforts and investments to maximize growth and profitability. The report presents the market competitive landscape and a consistent in depth analysis of the major vendor/key players in the market.Furthermore, the years considered for the study are as follows:Historical year 2013-2017Base year 2018Forecast period** 2019 to 2025 [** unless otherwise stated]

**Moreover, it will also include the opportunities available in micro markets for stakeholders to invest, detailed analysis of competitive landscape and product services of key players.The Global Manufactured Housing segments and Market Data Break Down are illuminated below:by Type (Manufactured Homes, Modular Homes, Panelized Homes)

Application (Residential, Commercial)

Construction Type (Single section, Multi-section)

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Enquire for customization in Report @ https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/enquiry-before-buy/5820-global-and-north-america-manufactured-housing-market Region Included are: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Oceania, South America, Middle East & Africa

Country Level Break-Up: United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, South Africa, Nigeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Germany, United Kingdom (UK), the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Austria, Turkey, Russia, France, Poland, Israel, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, China, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, India, Australia and New Zealand etc.

Keep yourself up-to-date with latest market trends and maintain a competitive edge by sizing up with available business opportunity in Manufactured Housing Market various segments and emerging territory.

Objectives of the Study

Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @ https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/reports/5820-global-and-north-america-manufactured-housing-market

Strategic Points Covered in Table of Content of Global Manufactured Housing Market:

Chapter 1: Introduction, market driving force product Objective of Study and Research Scope the Manufactured Housing market

Chapter 2: Exclusive Summary the basic information of the Manufactured Housing Market.

Chapter 3: Displaying the Market Dynamics- Drivers, Trends and Challenges of the Manufactured Housing

Chapter 4: Presenting the Manufactured Housing Market Factor Analysis Porters Five Forces, Supply/Value Chain, PESTEL analysis, Market Entropy, Patent/Trademark Analysis.

Chapter 5: Displaying the by Type, End User and Region 2013-2018

Chapter 6: Evaluating the leading manufacturers of the Manufactured Housing market which consists of its Competitive Landscape, Peer Group Analysis, BCG Matrix & Company Profile

Chapter 7: To evaluate the market by segments, by countries and by manufacturers with revenue share and sales by key countries in these various regions.

Chapter 8 & 9: Displaying the Appendix, Methodology and Data SourceKey questions answered

Definitively, this report will give you an unmistakable perspective on every single reality of the market without a need to allude to some other research report or an information source. Our report will give all of you the realities about the past, present, and eventual fate of the concerned Market.

Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.

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Manufactured Housing Market to Eyewitness Massive Growth by 2025 | Nobility Homes, Cavco Industries, Fleetwood Homes - Curious Desk

In this article, I am going to discuss one of my favorite REITs. And when I say favorite, I don't just mean another REIT that pays a good yield but a company with tremendous long-term potential that finally can be bought at a discount. Equity LifeStyle Properties (NYSE:ELS) is one of the biggest residential REITs in the United States with a focus on manufactured housing and recreational vehicle communities. The company is operating in a stable and predictable environment and is massively outperforming its peers with regard to dividend hikes and stock price performance during bull and bear markets and is offering investors a strong business model with satisfying debt levels.

Source: Equity LifeStyle Properties

I have been a contributor to this website since 2015. And I have to say that the current crisis is by far the worst (unsurprisingly). Especially REITs are getting hit hard as companies are unable to pay rents while retail foot traffic is pretty much nonexistent. While I have been at home for more than four weeks, I have thought long and hard about the best places to invest in the long-term. Sure, real estate, in general, is always a good place to be. However, with some big guys like the Simon Property Group (NYSE:SPG) dropping to 2010 levels, I think it would be a waste of everyone's time and money to just start buying high-yielding REITs. That's why I am starting my 'own' bucket of REITs that I hope will easily outperform the iShares US Real Estate (NYSEARCA:IYR). Therefore, in this article, I am going to show you why I believe that ELS is a great addition to that bucket.

Before I start telling you anything about ELS, let me remind you that my other two high-conviction REITs are Extra Space Storage (NYSE:EXR) and Sun Communities (NYSE:SUI).

Just like Sun Communities, ELS is a residential REIT focused on manufactured housing (MH) and recreational vehicles (RV). The company has a market cap of currently $9.7 billion and is not a member of the S&P 500. This Chicago, IL-based REIT has been in business for more than 50 years and owns 413 properties across 33 states and British Columbia containing more than 150,000 sites. As you can see below, the company's assets are mainly located at the West and East Coast. To give you a number, more than 120 out of 413 properties are within 10 miles of coastal United States. More than 90 properties have lake, river, or ocean frontage.

Source: Equity LifeStyle Properties Investor Presentation (February 2020)

One reason why I like manufactured housing, in general, is because it is a good alternative for many people who are looking for affordable housing. Especially the increase in manufactured housing quality has allowed this segment to become a feared competitor for 'traditional' housing. On top of that, there is a second reason why I like this segment, and that's the threat of the coronavirus. Most major cities have 'stay at home' orders in place, and consumers are often reluctant to leave their homes. While this is bad news for the entire economy as it hits almost everyone, it hits retail REITs the hardest as stores are facing tenants who are either unwilling or unable to pay rents. While the same applies to some residential tenants as well, one has to acknowledge that refusing to pay rent is one of the last things someone does. Way after all discretionary expenses have been cut. In addition to that, the $1,200 coronavirus stimulus payments will be used to buy food and pay rents, making this segment even safer as massive domestic tenant eviction would be a worst-case scenario.

With that said, ELS has more benefits as it focuses on an older demographic. The average age of MH residents is 59. For RV communities, the average age is a bit lower at 55. Between 2020 and 2035, the population of people age 55 and older is expected to grow by 18% with 10,000 people turning 65 every day until 2030 according to ELS. So far, a favorable demographic and strategic site locations have benefited ELS's occupancy rate. As of 1/31/20, the company has a 95.1% occupancy rate among manufactured home communities.

As a result, the company is offering significantly higher same-store net operating income growth than its peers and the industry average, as you can see below. Even the prior two recessions were unable to hurt ELS's business.

Source: Equity LifeStyle Properties Investor Presentation (February 2020)

The graph below shows the long-term trend of total sales and operating income. Both have a compounded annual growth rate of 8.0% since 2004 without pullbacks during the Great Financial Crisis. On a side note, this does not mean that a company is immune to recessions. ELS's stock price is currently down more than 20% year-to-date as it is a risk asset and subject to selling in times when liquidity is needed. Investors also adjust their growth expectations - hence, a lower P/E ratio and stock price. The 'fact' that the company continues to grow in a recession makes it a tremendous buy during tough times as comebacks are often rapid and profitable for (new) investors.

Source: TIKR.com

As a result of the company's rapid expansion, the company has raised its dividend every single year - even during the recession of 2008. Mathematically speaking, dividend payments per share have risen by 35% per year since 2004. However, as dividend payments were almost zero in 2004, one needs to take this growth rate with a grain of salt. Since 2012, when the US housing market started to accelerate, the company has increased its dividend by 13.7% per year on average. It's much lower than 35%, but still a good growth rate.

Source: TIKR.com

Of course, this is only possible because of a healthy cash flow.

Just like its peer Sun Communities, ELS is rapidly expanding its business. In 2019, the total money spent on the acquisition of real estate assets was $443 million. This is up from $415 million in 2018 and one of the highest numbers in history as only 2011, with acquisition volumes of $713 million, is able to come in higher. In both 2019 and 2018, the company managed to fund 100% of acquisitions with cash from operations (100% coverage). Regardless, management has issued new stock worth more than $60 million every single year since 2016. This has allowed the company to remain financially flexible as total debt has failed to outperform total assets, while free cash flow has managed to stay fairly close to zero in every single year. Currently, total liabilities are valued at 69% of total assets. This is one of the lowest levels in company history.

Source: TIKR.com

Unfortunately, so far, the focus has not been on dividends. The current payout rate is 51.7%. The trend is increasing, but cash is currently used to fund the company's acquisitions. Note that the trend below is down instead of up. This is only because the total dividend paid is a negative value on the cash flow statement. Hence, a falling trend is an improvement in terms of cash spent on dividends.

Data by YCharts

Adding to that, the company's dividend yield is currently at 2.4%. This is 110 basis points below the iShares US Real Estate ETF yield of 3.5% and one of the highest levels in years.

Data by YCharts

From a personal point of view, it does not bother me that the company is issuing shares and is paying a below-average yield. Money is well spent on the company expansion, and even a slight reduction in investments will make room to rapidly increase dividend payments. Besides that, dividend growth of roughly 10% on a long-term basis with average free cash flow growth of 15% will still reward investors who are just now buying a below-average yield. Moreover, the current valuation of 21.8x cash from operations is not cheap. However, I believe this is justified as the company's business model is simply better than a lot of its REIT peers right now, and with bond yields near-record levels, it makes sense to pay a slight premium for 2.4% yield and long-term growth potential.

What I mean when I say paying for premium can be seen below. Portfolio 1, in this case, displays the performance of ELS. Both assets show the total return including dividends since 2001.

Source: Portfolio Visualizer

While the graph above leaves no room for doubt with regard to which stock is superior. However, the stats as seen below shows the true power of ELS.

The company has a historical CAGR roughly twice as high as IYR and a lower standard deviation. Adding to that, the worst year outperformed the ETF by more than 20 percentage points, while the best year was more than 10 full points stronger. Adding to that, the correlation to the US stock market is lower.

Source: Portfolio Visualizer

Of course, this is BACK testing. Unfortunately, forward testing does not exist yet. However, I still believe that the company's business model and the current economic situation warrants a long-term entry as I am convinced that ELS will outperform the US Real Estate ETF and deliver long-term capital gains on top of rapidly rising dividend payments.

With all of this being said, make sure to start buying a small position if you are not invested yet. Market volatility is high, and the market could technically drop another 10% to 15% if the virus accelerates further. Regardless, I believe current prices are a good entry point for investors with a long-term horizon who prefer dividend growth over a high dividend yield right now.

Be safe, and thank you for reading!

Thank you very much for reading my article. Feel free to click on the "Like" button and don't forget to share your opinion in the comment section down below! My long-term investments are stated in my Seeking Alpha biography.

Disclosure: I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, but may initiate a long position in ELS over the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Additional disclosure: This article serves the sole purpose of adding value to the research process. Always take care of your own risk management and asset allocation.

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Here's Why Equity LifeStyle Properties Is A Long-Term Dividend Beauty - Seeking Alpha

Every June 1st, Florida home insurance companies ask their policyholders if theyre prepared for hurricane season. This year, American Integrity Insurance Company (AIIC) became the only Florida domiciled insurance company to issue a catastrophe bond, Integrity Re II Pte. Ltd., as part of its overall financial portfolio.

"Despite current market volatility, investors recognized AIICs status as the most consistent cat bond sponsor among Florida insurers since 2017 with the successful closing of its Integrity Re II Pte. Ltd. Series 2020-1 Notes, completed in March 2020, which was the third 144A cat bond to utilize a Singapore-domiciled special purpose reinsurance vehicle," said Cory Anger, Managing Director, GC Securities. "GC Securities has been honored to support AIIC since 2017 in expanding its capital resiliency from the effects of natural perils that can affect its policies through the efficient and flexible usage of catastrophe bonds in concert with its traditional reinsurance program."

The current issuance is a great indicator of the Companys readiness for storm season and further protects its financial strength in the wake of catastrophic events, such as a hurricane. The fact that American Integrity is the only domestic carrier to issue a bond in 2020 speaks to the Companys solid financial footing despite Floridas dynamic and challenging property insurance market.

"The successful completion of American Integritys catastrophe bond transaction demonstrates our ongoing commitment to claims-paying capacity, surplus protection, and development a comprehensive risk management strategy to protect our company and policyholders against unforeseen events," says Ryan Hodges, American Integritys Vice President of Risk Management.

American Integritys $150 million catastrophe bond, with Hannover Rck SE acting as the ceding reinsurer, provides the Tampa-based insurance company and its policyholders with a multi-year source of financial protection against named storms that cause major damage in the state of Florida.

A catastrophe bond acts as another layer of reinsurance. Reinsurance, in essence, is insurance for insurance companies. In 2004, Florida was hit by four hurricanes in one season. It is imperative that insurance companies have enough coverage to handle multiple events to be able to pay claims, and continue to run and grow their business. American Integritys reinsurance program has consistently earned it an "A" Exceptional Financial Stability Rating from Demotech, Inc. As a liquid financial instrument, the new catastrophe bond adds to American Integritys already robust reinsurance program and will quickly and easily convert into cash for rapid claims-paying after a catastrophic storm.

American Integritys catastrophe bond becomes effective on June 1, the beginning of the 2020 hurricane season. "Entering the catastrophe bond market offers added stability for our Company, our policyholders and their homes," says American Integrity President and CEO, Bob Ritchie. "A hurricane is the ultimate test of our ability to fulfill our financial commitment to quickly pay claims to impacted customers, while continuing to conduct and grow our business. Our catastrophe bond provides us with an extra source of financial backing to do just that."

For more information, please visit the Company's website at http://www.aiiflorida.com, or call 866-968-8390.

About American Integrity Insurance Group (American Integrity)

American Integrity Insurance, the fifth largest Florida domiciled residential property insurer, has in excess of 300,000 customers and is represented by more than 1,000 independent agents. The Tampa-based company offers sound and comprehensive property insurance solutions, including traditional home insurance and coverage for vacant homes, condominiums, manufactured homes, dwelling fire, umbrella, golf cart, X-Wind policies, cyber coverage, and small boat coverage.

For more information, please visit the company's website at http://www.aiiflorida.com, call 866-968-8390, or connect with the company on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200326005522/en/

Contacts

Toni Logan TLogan@aiiflorida.com 813-512-6672

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American Integrity Insurance Becomes the Only Florida Domestic Carrier to Issue a Catastrophe Bond in Preparation for the 2020 Hurricane Season -...

The second week of March, Phoenix announced that as part of its response to the new coronavirus crisis, it would not cut off water to people's homes, even if they couldn't pay their bills.

For the homes whose water service had already been cut off for delinquency, the city would restore "low-flow" water service, it promised, starting March 12.

But the Water Services Department, which has more than 1.5millioncustomers, so far has not been applying that edict equally across all homes, because it hasn't had the right parts, known as restrictor plates, to fit certain sizes of water meters, according to an employee of the Water Services Department.

Houses with water meters that are three-quarters or five-eighths of an inch in diameter have had their water curtailed with the installation of a small, fibrous disk punched with a hole the size of a pinhead, that employee said, but to date, those with one-inch meters have not.

A restrictor plate, next to a nickel.

New Times source

Families who get the low flow barely have enough water to shower, he said.

The employee, who requested anonymity out of fear of retaliation, contacted Phoenix New Times because "there is no civil, moral, ethical reason for this practice to be implemented at this time."

He added,At a time when being sanitary is such a need, were going to restrict their water flow?

Other major utilities, including Arizona Public Service, Salt River Project, and Tucson Electric Power, have halted all shutoffs for nonpayment for as long as the COVID-19 crisis lasts.

Another person, who has close knowledge of the restrictions and requested anonymity for fear of retaliation, confirmed both of the worker's claims.

For people in homes with smaller water meters, "you're getting a trickle of water from the city," that person said, but for the people in homes with larger water meters, the flow has stayed the same.

"How is that fair?" the person asked. "Just leave everybody on until this is over. Please!"

Both sources said that the city should not be curtailing people's water during an unprecedented health crisis, when both hygiene and compassion are more important than ever.

The Water Services Department disputed that it discriminates as it restricts the flow of water to people's homes. It also says it has enough parts to restrict water meters of all sizes.

"Your information is incorrect. We do have 1-inch low-flow devices," spokesperson Stephanie Bracken told New Times.

After being shown an email, obtained by New Times, from a Water Services Department supervisor from March 17 that explicitly said,"1[-inch] and greater restrictor plates are not available," Bracken said that on that day, the city did not have those specific restrictor plates.

She also said that when the pandemic first hit, the city's priority was to restore service to customers who had been cut off, and that "we did not at that time have enough low-flow devices on hand for all customers that were delinquent."

But in the weeks since, she said, "We have been able to regroup and get the plates in stock," adding that those larger plates had come in "recently" and were "manufactured in-house by staff."

However, the Water Services Department employee said Thursday that those plates were still not available, although he knew the city was "working on them"; Bracken said that the parts might not yet have reached all workers.

According to the department employee and the person with close knowledge of the matter,since the city announced its new policy, ithas returned water service (albeit a restricted flow) to 900 homes whose water had been cut for unpaid bills.

Bracken said that the city is still installing restrictor plates on delinquent accounts and "expect[s] to be caught up in about two weeks."

She disputed the claim that the restricted water supply, which she said flows at a rate of nearly a half-gallon per minute, isn't enough for people to live on.

Water flowing out of a faucet at a half-gallon per minute.

Elizabeth Whitman

"The amount of water customers receive on low-flow service is more than adequate for cooking, cleaning, and sanitation," she said. "Although low-flow water service for residential customers requires adjustment, revenue collection is necessary to avoid an even greater community disaster in which there is not enough money to continue to operate and maintain the public drinking water system."

She added, "Our focus is on helping customers that are in difficult financial circumstances by offering payment arrangements ... and by continuing to provide water service in lieu of disconnections through our low-flow program."

The department employee said that the actual rate of water flow can vary, depending on water pressure and other factors. He estimated the flow to be about half of what Bracken said about a quart per minute and said that if the tiny hole in the disk gets clogged, it becomes even slower or might stop entirely.

He also said the city's policy puts workers in a difficult position, forcing them to go to people's homes and telling families their water will be severely curtailed during a time of incredible anxiety. Employees don't want to do it, he said.

"Theres been people crying," he said. "Some people are pretty desperate right now."

Elizabeth Whitman is a staff writer for Phoenix New Times.

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'Just Leave Everybody's Water on Until This Is Over. Please!' - Phoenix New Times