A manufactured home is a structure that:

Manufactured homes do not include caravans or tents.

Manufactured homes are found in various types of residential parks:

Residential parks are managed by a park owner or manager.

A converted caravan is a structure that was designed as a caravan, and is no longer a caravan because of a structural addition or alteration.

A converted caravan is not considered a manufactured home, except when:

You're considered a manufactured home owner for the purposes of the Act if:

View a list ofrecorded manufactured home parks by region.

Manufactured homes in residential parks are legislated by theManufactured Homes (Residential Parks) Act 2003.

You can get free legal assistance andinformation aboutmanufactured homesfrom the Queensland Retirement Village and Park Advice Service.

Operators must be aware of their obligations as penalties apply for non-compliance. Read our information for managing manufactured homes in residential parks.

See more here:
What are manufactured homes? | Homes and housing - Queensland

Home Model Showcases How Off-Site Built Housing Offers an Attainable Solution

ELKHART, Ind., Aug. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A Clayton CrossModhome on display at the RV/MH Hall of Fame is now open to visitors. The home represents a modern housing solution for individuals and families amid the ever growing affordable housing crisis. Clayton, a national home builder, offers beautiful, attainable homes, like the one on display, that feature a variety of unique styles and energy-saving home options.

CrossMod represents a modern home solution for individuals and families amid the ever-growing affordable housing crisis.

The Clayton CrossMod home, along with two other off-site built houses, are part of a new 21,000 square foot Manufactured Home Museum expansion. The new wing is dedicated to showcasing the industry's history and the innovations yet to come. It features interactive displays and the opportunity to tour three off-site built homes.

"CrossMod homes are built off-site like manufactured homes and are an affordable, sustainable solution to today's housing crisis and can be built more efficiently than traditional site-built homes," said Kevin Clayton, CEO. "More consumers, lenders, appraisers, and zoning officials are realizing the benefits of building a home indoors and when visitors walk through this CrossMod home they will see just how indistinguishable it is from any other beautiful, modern house."

The CrossMod home on display is the Hawthornefloor plan. CrossMod homes blend off-site construction methods with on-site features and design to produce an affordable home on a permanent foundation that looks and performs like a site-built house. In addition, CrossMod homes can be financed like a site-built home and appraised using site-built comps. These new homes can help expand zoning opportunities, where manufactured housing has not been previously allowed as a housing solution, mostly due to outdated stigmas. They are an example of how the industry continues innovating the building process to help even more individuals and families achieve the dream of homeownership.

Following the grand opening, Tim Williams, President and CEO of 21st Mortgage, a subsidiary of Clayton, was inducted into the 2022 RV/MH Hall of Fame, which recognizes outstanding careers of those in the industry. Williams has served as CEO since the mortgage company opened for business in 1995.

About Clayton

Founded in 1956, Clayton is committed to opening doors to a better life and building happyness through homeownership. As a diverse builder committed to quality and durability, Clayton offers traditional site-built homes and off-site built housing including modular homes, manufactured homes, CrossMod homes, tiny homes, college dormitories, military barracks and apartments. All Clayton Built homes are proudly designed, engineered and assembled in America. In 2021, Clayton built 60,701 homes across the country. Clayton is a Berkshire Hathaway company. For more information, visit claytonhomes.com.

21st Mortgage Corporation, 620 Market Street, Knoxville, TN 37902, 865-523-2120, NMLS #2280,(http://www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/)

*CrossMod is a trademark of the Manufactured Housing Institute.

Media Contact:Caitlyn Crosby[emailprotected]

SOURCE Clayton

Link:
Clayton CrossMod Home Displayed at Museum Highlights Manufactured Housing Innovations Over the Years - PR Newswire

BEDFORD, Texas, Aug. 16, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Legacy Housing Corporation (the "Company or Legacy", NASDAQ: LEGH) is committed to regaining compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1), which requires timely filing of all required periodic financial reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission. As part of that commitment, Legacy provides the following updates:

Duncan Bates, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated: I am excited about the progress our team has made this summer toward regaining NASDAQ compliance and ensuring timely and accurate financial reporting in the future. We have hired several key accounting and internal audit personnel and continue to refine our policies and procedures.

First Half of 2022 Guidance

Legacys team is working diligently to file its Form 10-Q1 and Form 10-Q2 as soon as possible. In the meantime, the Company announces the following unadjusted earnings guidance for the six months ended June 30, 2022:

Curt Hodgson, Executive Chairman of Legacy, added: Despite the accounting distractions, Legacy continues to perform well in a challenging commodity and labor market environment. I look forward to moving past this frustrating chapter and working with Kenny and Duncan to grow the business and create value for our shareholders.

About Legacy Housing Corporation

Legacy builds, sells and finances manufactured homes and "tiny houses" that are distributed through a network of independent retailers and company-owned stores. The Company also sells directly to manufactured housing communities. Legacy is the sixth largest producer of manufactured homes in the United States as ranked by number of homes manufactured based on the information available from the Manufactured Housing Institute. With current operations focused primarily in the southern United States, we offer our customers an array of quality homes ranging in size from approximately 390 to 2,667 square feet consisting of 1 to 5 bedrooms, with 1 to 3 1/2 bathrooms. Our homes range in price, at retail, from approximately $22,000 to $140,000.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. As a result, our actual results or performance may differ materially from anticipated results or performance. Legacy undertakes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements after the date hereof, except as required by law. Investors should not place any reliance on any such forward-looking statements.

Investor Inquiries:Shane Allred, (817) 799-4900investors@legacyhousingcorp.com

or

Investor Inquiries:Duncan Bates, (817) 799-4837duncanbates@legacyhousingcorp.com

Media Inquiries:Kira Hovancik, (817) 799-4905pr@legacyhousingcorp.com

Continued here:
Legacy Housing Corporation Provides Update on Delayed SEC Filings and Guidance for the First Half of 2022 - GlobeNewswire

Why we support Chesa Boudin

EDITOR: A recent study conducted by Amanda Agan of Rutgers University and Anna Harvey of New York University proved that policies like Chesa Boudins, enacted when he was San Francisco District Attorney, actually lower recidivism rates as well as crime rates for the long term. And, the facts show that there was a decrease of 26,000 reported crimes and violent crime was lower during Boudins tenure as DA.

Some of his accomplishments include an end to cash bail, a policy that unfairly penalizes the poor; he brought cases against police officers for abusive behavior and supported laws that eliminated barriers to holding police accountable as well as compensating victims of police brutality; he created worker protection units; dedicated an assistant DA to prosecute hate crimes, and so much more.

The money spent on the recall campaign came from San Francisco billionaires, including William Oberndorf, who donates to extremists like Mitch McConnell and Tom Cotton. They had enough money to fashion the message in a way that would play slight of hand and convince people who should have known better than to vote for the recall. As The Nation magazine article pointed out, at the heart of this reactionary movement is a misdiagnosis of genuine problems. Scapegoating a progressive and effective DA was the perfect target for right-wing operatives and funders. Since they cant win at the ballot box in California, they have embraced the recall process as their strategy. We need to be aware of this larger framework.

Praxis Peace Institute was proud to host Chesa Boudin and to learn more about what he was able to achieve in San Francisco, what powers he was up against, and what a more equitable and empathic district attorneys office could accomplish.

Georgia Kelly of Praxis Peace Institute

Sonoma

EDITOR: I read Marilyn Goodes letter in the Aug 10 edition and was concerned by her attack on Larry Barnett. I attended and spoke at the Design and Historic Review meeting on DeNovas proposal for more single-family housing on Fifth Street West, as well as at both subsequent Planning Commission meetings where they attempted to alter DeNovas development plan to include more low-cost housing, not less.

I wrote letters to the city asking them to clarify the General Plan to avoid these over-priced and over-sized developments. Lots of neighbors showed up at those meetings in support of lower-cost housing.

In fact, what came to surface after months of hand-wringing, letter writing, attorneys fees and an alternative architect paid for by neighbors, was the fact that our city planning staff had failed to prevent this type of development by not altering our General Plan language to state shall instead of should for over three years since the state bill was passed!

I live on the west side of town in an area of both small, single-family, single story homes and apartments, condominium-style communities and manufactured-home parks. We were all seeking lower-priced, smaller homes or apartments for more locals. Almost everyone on the Planning Commission supported that position.

Yet the developer used the new state law to build market-rate housing instead, with the condition he provided a few lower cost units in the plan. It was Larry Barnett who called for an emergency ordinance to the City Council that evening at that last planning meeting to stop further development of this fashion. The attorney actually scoffed at his request, even though City Council members listening in were in support of it.

The two parcels DeNova homes developed for market-rate (over one million dollars) housing were intended for below-market housing, as opportunity sites. But the city couldnt alter DeNovas plans because of the new state law. And, at the last meeting, the Planning Commission even offered DeNova greater density on that corner if they lowered the size and price of each unit. They declined it.

So please, Ms. Goode, unless you have closely followed these local efforts to affect change, its very unkind of you to presume Mr. Barnetts intentions.

Diane Lumiere

Sonoma

Recently, my husband was taken to the ER at Sonoma Valley Hospital by the paramedics. He received excellent care in the emergency room and from there he was taken to a room in the hospital. He stayed there 12 days. The care he received was amazing from the nurses, physical therapists, social worker, the hospitalist Dr. Walther, and all those involved.

Although all those who cared for my husband recommended that he be transferred to a skilled nursing facility, the insurance company denied our request. The help and support we received from the staff to make this happen went above and beyond.

Regardless of their recommendations, my husband was released and sent home. The very next morning, I had to call 911 for an assist to get him up off the floor.

I am so grateful for the professionalism, the kindness and respectful treatment my husband received at SVH.

Nelleke Cooper

Sonoma

Originally posted here:
Letters to the Index-Tribune editor, Aug. 19, 2022 - Sonoma Index-Tribune

Abodu, a company focused on building prefabricated Accessory Dwelling Units, installed its first North Bay unit in unincorporated Sonoma County roughly two weeks ago. The company says more units will be coming to both Sonoma and Napa counties in the coming months.

ADUs are small, self-contained living units that can be attached or detached to single family homes, within the single family lot. A statewide boom in ADU approvals started up roughly five years ago, when California legislators required local municipalities to relax their regulations on ADUs approvals. Further legislation, particularly in 2020, has made building such units even easier.

Legislators have framed opening up the approval process for ADUs as one part of an effort to take on Californias housing crisis. Though getting ADU plans approved by local governments has become swifter and easier, thats only one part of the process. The time and financial burden of building such units falls on homeowners who typically have no experience with construction, said John Geary, CEO of Abodu.

People are also reading

Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register.

Thats a problem because even if a homeowner has sufficient money and interest to build such a structure in their backyard perhaps because doing so could give them needed rental income, because theyd like to move a family member in there or a variety of other reasons they might see the time commitment and uncertainty of trying to learn how to navigate the process as too much of a burden.

Abodu designed its business around taking stress out of the process by handling most of it themselves, Geary said.Rene Schomp, director of the Napa Sonoma ADU Center nonprofit, said that similar options are offered by a several other prefab ADU companies.

Construction is tough. Its dirty. Its expensive. Its confusing. And when the average homeowner is building an ADU, theyre essentially building a home in their backyard, Geary said. What we saw is most homeowners arent equipped to do that well. Its a scary endeavor; theres a lot of opacity in the industry. And so our goal was, how do we make this as simple as buying a car or a product; how do we make it easy as possible for folks?

Cindy Loughridge and Seth Restaino, owners of the ADU in Sonoma, said that when they bought their home roughly a year ago, there was already an old, run down ADU on the property. The homeowner at the time was working with another company to replace that with a new ADU, which Loughridge said was a selling point for the house.

The state of the old ADU was almost a deal-breaker, Restaino recalled. It was an eyesore, and it had to either come down or be reworked.

But the company that wouldve built the ADU ended up busy for at least a year, perhaps because of supply chain delays, Loughridge said. Loughridge then discovered Abodu as a replacement option that would get the new ADU installed there relatively quickly. Restaino said the unit the most expensive model out of three possible Abodu choices, a two-bedroom unit with some upgrades cost roughly $425,000 in total.

Loughridge said they began talking with Abodu in August 2021 and signed a contract for the ADU in October. Abodu started building the unit at a factory in November, Restaino said, and it took three months for the custom build to be finished. Owing to various permitting and code compliance delays, the unit was installed in late May, and it will be ready to serve as a residence for the bride and groom during a wedding June 25.

We knew we were the guinea pigs, Restaino said. Im just also a realist about permitting and stuff going to take a little while.

Restaino said the main point of the ADU for now is that it will serve as a guest house to the two-bedroom main house. He added that its possible they might move their parents into the unit when they get older, or it could serve as a long-term rental should they decide to sell the property.

The speed of building such prefab units depends on whether homeowners buy in-production units or wish to design various aspects of the unit. Geary said the organization has installed more than 100 units in California over the past two years, and has several hundred in production behind that.

Schomp said she sees prefab ADUs as one important way to fill California's extreme need for housing. (Though ADU approvals have been picking up in Napa County and across the state in recent years, the number of total ADU approvals is still minuscule compared to the state's housing need.)

Schomp added there's essentially three categories of prefab unit: manufactured, factory built and panelized.

Manufactured housing is certified and regulated on the federal level through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. That means building requirements are less onerous than factory built, or modular, housing which is what Abodu builds because it's certified at the state level and must be built to state building code standards. As a result, manufactured ADUs tend to be cheaper than factory-built, Schomp said.

Panelized ADUs allow a greater level of customization because only the outer shell of the house is prefabricated, and it's delivered in flat panels that then have to be assembled.

All prefab ADUs have the advantage of generally being built more quickly than traditionally constructed units and taking a much shorter time to be installed on the property, Schomp said.

"What we do is we manage the ADU process from start to finish, the home is built entirely off site," Geary said. "So there's no months and months and months of construction in a homeowner's backyard. We're talking about two weeks before delivery, one day of delivery and then about two weeks after delivery, and that's all the homeowner sees of us in that backyard."

But, Schomp added, it's important to recognize that other ADU options traditional "stick-built" ADUs, junior ADUs that convert areas inside an existing home into housing, multifamily affordable housing have upsides as well.

And there are also a few limitations to prefab units to consider, she said. Having a flat lot and enough access to the site that a truck can drive in there with the unit, or so a crane can place it, is essentially a requirement.

The ADU center recently launched a Standard Plans Program which features a gallery of plans that at least some of 16 Napa and Sonoma county jurisdictions have pre-approved. That allows for a diversity of options for interested buyers, and helps the center pursue a goal of saving homeowners and cities time and money on the design and permitting process for ADUs, Schomp emphasized.

And though organizations like Abodu also work with local governments to have their ADU options essentially be pre-approved to cut down on delivery time and hassle, the ADU Center's program attempts to solve another potential flaw of prefab ADUs: the relative lack of options most prefab companies offer on their own. Those looking for ADUs can see options from a variety of companies: Abodu, Villa, Connect Homes, Inspired ADUs, Homes for Sonoma and more.

What I have seen time and time again in the housing space is theres no single silver bullet solution, Schomp said. You cannot say prefab is the answer; its one of the tools in the toolkit. And were going to be the most successful to meet our housing crisis if we approach with a diversity of housing options.

Schomp added that she initially skeptical of prefab ADU companies given that many of them started up, backed by venture capital, after the state's 2020 housing laws that made local permitting processes for ADUs more uniform came into effect. Those processes still aren't entirely uniform, she said, which means that in order for the companies to be successful, they need two teams of employees that work closely with every jurisdiction they're building ADUs in.

Schomp said she didn't anticipate that she'd feel the prefab companies have proven themselves this quickly, but she now feels confident referring people to them. And she believes prefab ADUs are a vital part of solving California's current housing puzzle.

Im pleasantly surprised by how successful these companies have been so far, and Im seeing homeowners significantly shifting from wanting to do traditional construction to wanting to do prefab, Schomp said.

You can reach Edward Booth at 707-256-2213.

Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter.

View original post here:
Prefab Accessory Dwelling Units are coming to the North Bay - Napa Valley Register

June 9, 2022

By Ethan Weinstein, VTDigger

RANDOLPH Gov. Phil Scott signed two key pieces of legislation Tuesday meant to address the states housing crisis.

The press conference and bill signing for S.210 and S.226, held at an in-process housing development at Salisbury Square in Randolph, highlighted legislation that will collectively invest over $45 million.

Building more housing to address our critical shortage has been a top priority, Scott said. In the aggregate, this will amount to the largest state investment in housing weve ever seen.

According to Sen. Alison Clarkson, D-Windsor, who also spoke at the event, the Legislature passed about $300 million in housing-related funds in the recently concluded biennium.

S.210 includes $20 million for the Vermont Housing Improvement Program, which seeks to bring houses and apartments in disrepair back into the market.

Having run up against the governors veto of a statewide rental registry, the Legislature passed S.210, which provides funding for the state Division of Fire Safety to enforce health and housing codes in rental units. In most towns, housing code inspections currently fall to the local health officer, often a volunteer.

S.226 will fund middle-income housing and eliminates the need for developers to get water and sewer permits from both a municipality and the state. It raises the cap on units allowed in projects in densely populated areas from 25 to 50. And it prohibits municipalities from imposing parking requirements of more than one space per bedroom on accessory dwelling units.

The legislation also will offer subsidies to contractors building homes that cost more to construct than their market value. It provides $1 million to assist first-generation home buyers and includes $4 million in grants to make upgrades to mobile homes and mobile home parks.

I know its usually the areas of disagreement that get the most attention, Scott said. Here is a great example of how people of different parties can agree on a fundamental problem, put differences aside and work together to find solutions that will benefit our state for decades to come.

The governor pointed to Springfield and his hometown of Barre as examples of communities that, having lost population, will benefit from the new funding to update vacant properties.

Money for the two new laws comes from both state and federal sources.

In a press release, Senate President Pro Tempore Becca Balint, D-Windham, celebrated the bills as an example of a hard-earned compromise.

Im proud of the work weve done to meet housing needs at every level, from affordable housing to middle-income homeownership, and that includes critical updates to rental units and manufactured homes, she said.

Weve also updated policy to make it easier to build housing where we want it, in our downtowns and village centers, and to better ensure that no Vermonter lives in substandard housing.

Phase I of the project involved developing 14 pedestrian-friendly apartments and one permitted home.

The second phase, now underway, seeks to create 19 solar-powered, net-zero units at the site of the former Ethan Allen furniture plant.

Julie Iffland, the groups executive director, highlighted the effort in Randolph to create mixed-income housing within walking distance of downtown. The units, powered by solar panels, will be connected by a microgrid, sharing power and even allowing the storage of solar energy, Iffland said. The project, she said, works toward the common-sense desire to make our communities livable.

During his remarks at the bill signing the first of its kind since the pandemic began Scott praised the Randolph initiative as a community-supported way to help ease Vermonts housing crisis.

The crowd, which numbered about 100, tells a lot about support you have in Vermont and for housing, he said.

Follow this link:
New laws will invest $45M into housing - Addison County Independent

BEDFORD, Texas, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Legacy Housing Corporation (the "Company," NASDAQ: LEGH) today announced thatDuncan Bates, a member of the Companys Board of Directors and Senior Vice President, Mergers & Acquisitions of Arcosa, Inc. (NYSE: ACA), has been appointed President and Chief Executive Officer, effectiveJune 7, 2022.

Curt Hodgson, Executive Chairman of Legacy, stated: I am thrilled to name Duncan as the President and CEO of Legacy. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in corporate finance and capital allocation that will assist us in operating as a public company and strategically growing our business. Duncan has a proven track record of leadership and is an important step in Legacys succession plan.

Mr.BatesreplacesKenny Shipley, who, as part of the management reorganization, will remain with Legacy as Founder and Executive Vice President. Mr. Shipley will also remain a member of the Companys Board of Directors (the Board). Mr. Bates resigned from the Companys Board effective June 7, 2022. Effective June 7, 2022, Francisco Coll was appointed to the Companys Board as an Independent Director and will also serve on the Audit Committee.

Mr. Hodgson added, We are excited that Kenny remains a key part of our team, and I look forward to the new roles both Duncan and Francisco will play in the leadership of Legacy.

Duncan Bates Bio

Duncan (34) most recently served as Senior Vice President, Mergers & Acquisitions of Arcosa Inc., a publicly traded infrastructure products company, since August 2018. Under his leadership, Arcosa executed 16 acquisitions and 2 divestitures in a 3.5-year period to reposition its portfolio around growth-oriented, high-margin products. Previously, he served as a Vice President in the Industrials Investment Banking Group at Stephens Inc. from June 2015 to August 2018. From February 2012 to June 2015, he worked in the Energy Investment Banking Group at Seaport Global Securities, LLC. Mr. Bates began his career in New York at Willis Re Inc. in July 2010. Duncan received his B.S. Management degree with a double major in Finance and Legal Studies from Tulane University.

Francisco Coll Bio

Francisco (37) was appointed to our Board of Directors on June 7, 2022. He has served as the President of Universal Air Conditioner, Inc., a wholesale distributor of aftermarket auto parts, since March 2015. Previously, he was the US Head of Sales for BTG Pactual, a Brazilian investment bank and asset manager that operates throughout Latin America, from March 2011 until March 2015. Mr. Coll began his career at UBS Investment Bank in the sales & trading and wealth management rotational program in July 2007. Francisco received his B.S. degree in East Asian Studies with a minor in Financial Economics from Vanderbilt University.

About Legacy Housing Corporation

Legacy Housing Corporation builds, sells and finances manufactured homes and "tiny houses" that are distributed through a network of independent retailers and company-owned stores. The Company also sells directly to manufactured housing communities. Legacy is the sixth largest producer of manufactured homes in the United States as ranked by number of homes manufactured based on the information available from the Manufactured Housing Institute. With current operations focused primarily in the southern United States, we offer our customers an array of quality homes ranging in size from approximately 390 to 2,667 square feet consisting of 1 to 5 bedrooms, with 1 to 3 1/2 bathrooms. Our homes range in price, at retail, from approximately $22,000 to $140,000.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. As a result, our actual results or performance may differ materially from anticipated results or performance. Legacy Housing undertakes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements after the date hereof, except as required by law. Investors should not place any reliance on any such forward-looking statements.

Investor Inquiries:Shane Allred, (817) 799-4900investors@legacyhousingcorp.com

or

Duncan Bates, (817) 799-4837duncanbates@legacyhousingcorp.com

Media Inquiries:Kira Hovancik, (817) 799-4905pr@legacyhousingcorp.com

Go here to see the original:
Legacy Housing Corporation Announces Appointment of Duncan Bates as President and Chief Executive Officer - GlobeNewswire

Within hours after a tornado wreaked destruction on Gaylord, the Otsego Community Foundation sprung into action, launching a relief fund to help victims of the disaster.

The non-profit organization, which manages charitable funds to support local causes, is spearheading the Tornado Response Fund, raising money to help hundreds of residents as well as businesses impacted by the May 20 tornado that swirled along a two-mile-stretch of the city.

The foundation hopes to raise $1 million, a goal not too far off after just three weeks. To date, nearly $800,000 has been raised through individual donors from across the country as well as a host of businesses in Gaylord, the surrounding region and Michigan. The money will be used for immediate relief, short-term recovery and long-term rebuilding efforts.

The response has been incredible. Its so heartwarming, says Dana Bensinger, executive director of the Otsego Community Foundation. I think as a nation weve been pretty divided the last couple of years, but this has been absolutely uniting.

Even her 14-year-old son, who has helped with clean up efforts, remarked about how it was really cool to see all different kinds of different people working together.

Gaylord, a city of about 4,000 off Interstate 75 in Otsego County, is a year-round tourist destination and highway stopover, welcoming outdoor enthusiasts to the surrounding state parks, forests and rivers, as well as ski areas and golf courses.

The help from outside Gaylord has been amazing, including a lot of letters and notes with Bible verses, offering hope, Bensinger said. They come with checks of all sizes.

According to the National Weather Service, the tornado first touched down in eastern Antrim County and strengthened as the funnel moved west across Otsego County. The tornado was deemed an EF-3 -- a severe rating -- with winds of up to 150 mph in and around Gaylord.

Two people were killed and 44 people were injured as the tornado swept through Gaylord that Friday afternoon, according to news reports. The tornado damaged numerous homes -- tearing through a manufactured home community and businesses, mostly along Route 32, west of downtown Gaylord. Trees were knocked down and cars were flipped.

Initially, with those that were impacted, they were devastated. There was a lot of shock, said Erin Mann, executive director of Otsego County United Way, which is partnering with the Otsego Community Foundation in relief efforts and organizing volunteers. Other community organizations and churches are helping as well.

The community rallied together quickly, she added. We jumped into action. There is a lot of support and a sense of connection, people wanting to help one another. There is hope but we have a long road ahead of us.

Mann noted that about 1,000 people from across the state initially volunteered to help in the aftermath. Hundreds of volunteers have helped with cleanup, sorting and organizing supplies and distributing food.

Local officials cannot recall Gaylord sustaining a weather-related disaster of this magnitude. In all, the tornado damaged 210 homes, about half of them were completely destroyed. Thirty percent had 50 percent damage. Nearly 40 commercial properties sustained damage, and dozens of cars were damaged or destroyed.

We are only 20 days in and while hopeful, we have a long road ahead, Bensinger said. Recovery is not only about the restoration of structures, systems and services although they are critical. It is also about addressing sources of inequitable and unjust outcomes, and individuals and families being able to rebound from their losses and sustain their physical, social, economic, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being.

The Tornado Response Fund is aimed at providing relief on three different levels.Immediate relief has targeted providing the basic needs of the victims. Those needs include shelter and food. The fund was able to get money out right away to the Refuge, a nonprofit focusing on emergency shelter. To date, the Refuge has served 32 families, placing them in hotels and rentals. Other basic needs included helping people repair damaged cars so they can get to work.

To keep people out of the poverty cycle, we have to keep them working, Bensinger said.

Short-term recovery, she said, moves beyond immediate relief to help with longer-term issues such as housing. A lot of families in hotels are going to have to stay there awhile -- they have nowhere to go, she said. In addition, the fund was recently awarded a grant to hire two case workers to help victims navigate through the assistance system.

Were spending a lot of time in discussions to figure out what long-term building looks like, she said. We dont know what we are going to need as a community yet. We are not far enough in the process yet. We do anticipate that we will need a large chunk of money -- $500,000 -- for long-term building effort, leveraging federal, state or private grants to help out with the communitys needs.

While short-term housing is a huge need right now, affordable housing for those who have lost their homes will be an issue down the road. And there are a host of other concerns, including the mental health of those impacted by the tornado.

There are so many other aspects. Were still learning. This is all really new to us, Bensinger said.

The Oil and Gas Industry Friends of Otsego County made up of 11 producers quickly joined forces to put up a $180,000 match to the community, which was not only filled in less than 72 hours but really created momentum for the fund.

Donations have come from corporate and fraternal foundations, including Consumers Energy Foundation, $25,000, the Michigan Elks Association Charitable Organization Fund, $10,000, as well as other community foundations and businesses, including Meyer Ace Hardware, a hardware chain in northern Michigan. The family-owned business donated $15,000, matching donations contributed by customers.

We were very fortunate our store in Gaylord was not damaged and none of our employees were directly affected, said Jonathan Meyer, whose family owns and operates the stores in Petoskey, Harbor Springs and St. Ignace. Each store participated in the fund drive.

Meyer said customer response was overwhelming.

Meyer Ace Hardware presents check to the Tornado Response Fund.I think we really had an excellent response. We had more than 3,000 customers contribute, he said. Customers were asked to donate $1, $3 or $5 during checkout -- the average donation was $3.80. There were a lot of people contributing $5 or more.

Meyer, whose hardware has been in Gaylord 12 years, praised the Otsego Community Foundation for its efforts.

Dana (Bensinger) and her team are doing a tremendous job, rallying the troops and collecting money for the fund, he said. Im amazed what that team is doing for the community.

Its not the first time the Otsego Community Foundation has sprung into action because of a community-wide emergency. The organization raised money for its COVID19 Response Fund during the pandemic. The fund provided more than $100,000 to organizations, nonprofits and small businesses.

Ironically, that fund closed in mid May we spent that down, just in time to start the fund for the tornado response, Bensinger said.

To donate, go to the Tornado Response Fund.

Read the rest here:
Gaylord: A community comes together - Second Wave Media

Each home is different, but knowing where to shelter can keep you safe during a tornado warning.

TOLEDO, Ohio Home is where we feel safe and protected. Though we feel comfortable, when severe weather rolls in, do you know where your safe spot is? Whether you live in an apartment, manufactured home or have a basement, there are different ways to stay safe from the storm.

When sheltering from severe weather, Erik Konecki from the Wood County Emergency Management Agency said, there are two rules to remember. First rule is to get as low as you possibly can. Second, put as much space as possible between you and the outside world.

Many know that if your home has a basement that you need to shelter there, away from any windows or glass. The best spot to shelter in the basement is under the stairwell in the most interior part. Not everyone has a basement as a shelter option, so make sure you are on the ground floor, the lowest you can possibly reach, and the most interior that you can be.

These same ideas are also true for those living in an apartment. However, each apartment is different. If you live on an upper floor and cannot get to lower ground, seek shelter in the interior portion of the apartment, away from as many things that could break. Sheltering in a bathroom is a good place and gives you the option to pull the shower curtain to help protect from flying debris. If you have time, covering with a mattress overtop adds a layer of protection, along with closing the door. If the apartment has a lot of windows, sliding couches or furniture in front of the windows can help protect and put more between you and the outside. Konecki encourages renters to make friends living on the ground level and ask your landlord about shelter options.

If you live in a mobile home, it is especially important that you monitor weather news. Those living in manufactured homes are encouraged to have an emergency plan to follow in case of severe storms. If there is a watch or whisperings of severe weather in the area later that day, plan and reach out to neighbors and friends to shelter in their safe spots. If you must shelter in a mobile home, head to the center, and cover your head and body.

When sheltering from a tornado or derecho, it is important to get as low as you can, and to distance yourself away from the outside world. There is a popular myth to open a window before the storm because of pressure changes when the storm approaches. This is not true as it wastes time and it violates one of the top sheltering rules.

Finally, when sheltering in your safe spot, dress in long pants, coats, and close-toe shoes. Also, take the time to freshen your emergency kit as severe weather season gets underway.

The rest is here:
At home, do you know where your safe spot is? | Severe Weather Awareness Week - WTOL

Christi Watkins is grateful for her parents and their basement.

After losing my business in Las Vegas to COVID I had to move back home to Michigan, said Watkins, who is a government employee and a Wayne State University grad student working to complete her masters degree in psychology.

Her rent there was $1,800 but it was a three bedroom home near the strip and it had a pool and spa.

I moved home to find squatters in the house I had rented in Hazel Park, Watkins said.

So, she ventured out into the storm of Michigan residents, individuals and families, searching for homes to buy or houses, apartments, studio flats, and rooms to rent during a shortage of inventory and high costs.

Rents have exploded across the country, causing many to dig deep into their savings, downsize to subpar units or fall behind on payments and risk eviction now that a federal moratorium has ended. Rental costs rose a half percent in January from December, according to the United States Labor Department.

That may seem small, but its the biggest monthly jump in 20 years, and will likely accelerate.

Plus, many of the landlords are not only asking for security fees and first and last months rent but pet fees, and a complete credit check. Watkins earns a fair wage with her government job and also brings in extra money driving for Shipt but due to her student loans does not have the best credit score.

I looked at over 200 apartments, Watkins said, and while she did find a studio flat with a rent she could afford she could not justify the $7,000 in fees they were asking for an apartment that had no bedroom.

I gave up, Watkins said. I moved in with my parents and gave them the money I would have paid for rent, which helped them with their mortgage.

According to data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), a two-bedroom rental unit averages $877 per month in Michigan. Thats a nearly 10% increase from 2018.

In some places the rent has skyrocketed.

Before I moved to Las Vegas I was paying $700 for a two bedroom house in Ferndale, Watkins said. That same house is now renting for $1,900.

At the same time, Michigans affordable housing stock, rental units that rent for less than $800 per month, have been dropping significantly year-over-year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau data. Between 2015-2019, the number of affordable housing units statewide has decreased by 18% from 541,677 units in 2015 to 443,079 in 2019, the most recent data available.

In Macomb County, affordable housing stock dropped by 27% during that time period while that same number dropped in Oakland County by 37% and 12% in Wayne County.

Ashlee Campbell and her four children were homeless for a while because she was unable to find anything she could afford.

Parents burdened by costs as child care providers struggle to survive

I was working, Campbell said. In fact, shes been working for the past seven years as a medical biller for Binsons Medical Equipment and Supplies in Center Line. But I wasnt able to afford much.

She and her boyfriend were renting a home together but after they broke up she and the children had to move into a one bedroom apartment, which cost her $800 a month.

She once thought about becoming a partner with Habitat for Humanity, but the requirements have changed and she is no longer eligible for the program.

After a long search, Campbell gave up on the idea of renting and instead found a manufactured home, which she was able to finance on her own with the help of Macomb Charitable Foundation (MCF), a nonprofit organization that helps county families with a variety of needs.

Leah McCall, executive director of the Alliance for Housing-Oakland County, said due to limited resources, the amount of subsidized housing is not making up for the shortfall in non-subsidized housing.

Without appropriate government subsidies to make up the difference, there is a shortage of affordable housing and an increase in rent, she said.

All of southeast Michigan has seen significant increases in median rent prices over the past four years, including government-set fair market rent, which are used primarily to help determine assistance amounts for individuals living in Section 8 housing and flat rent for public housing.

Due to the rapid rise in rent, McCall said that the amount of rental housing across metro Detroit that meet fair market price standards is decreasing. Fair market rents vary by metro area and by county.

This means that even when income-eligible households are able to secure rental assistance or housing vouchers, they are unable to use them, she said.

This combination of increased rent and scarce affordable housing options has put Michigans 1.4 million renters, especially the nearly 700,000 renters making less than $35,000 per year, in a bind as the economy continues its recovery from the height of the pandemic and inflation drives up prices for basic daily necessities.

In February, around 218,000 Michigan renters were not confident at all that they would be able to pay their March rent while over 283,000 renters said they were not caught up on their rent, of which around 26,000 said eviction was likely by the end of April, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. These numbers represent 15% to 20% of Michigans 18 and older renter population.

David Allen, chief market analyst at the Michigan State Housing Development Administration (MSHDA), said there seems to be a number of factors at play pushing median rent prices upward.

One is the fact that the supply of rental units is low relative to the demand for it, he said. This reflects the fact that housing production in the state is way below pre-Great Recession levels.

Allen said another primary factor pushing rent costs higher and higher is the lack of for-sale homes, which is driving some who would otherwise be buyers into renting.

This tends to increase the prices on the rental units being sought in the market, he said.

According to federal data, nearly 30% of rental units in Michigan are priced between $1,000 and $1,500 per month. And 38% of Michigan renters report their rent is at least 35% of their household income.

In Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne counties, between 15% and 38% of all rental units are priced between $1,000 to $1,500 per month with 35% to 47% of renters reporting that their rent costs total at least 35% of their household income.

Households that spend more than 30% of their income on rent are referred to as cost burdened, according to HUD. In 2019, 37.1 million households, or 30.2% of all U.S. households, fit this category.

Loved ones of Macomb, Oakland suicide victims stress proactive approach

Although the situation has worsened since the pandemic, Allen said half of the states renters pre-pandemic were paying more than 30% of their incomes on housing costs.

He added the pandemic has exacerbated these affordability issues for renters.

The effects of this are most felt among lower-income workers and racial/ethnic minorities, he said. These are the very households that were already having a hard time making ends meet.

The financial burden of the increasing cost of rent falls hardest on the half of workers in the U.S. who earn less than $35,000 each year.

New home construction booming in Macomb County

Even if they find housing they can rent, after paying rent along with security deposits and other fees, about 80% of renter households with incomes under $30,000 have between $360 and $490 left to cover all other expenses, including food, health care, transportation and child care.

Weve helped 40 families in the last year with first months rent or security deposits, who exhausted all other resources available to them, said Shelly Penzien, founder and CEO of Macomb Charitable Foundation, which has also helped families such as Campbells with food and other basic needs.

Penzien said shes noticed that since the pandemic landlords are asking for a lot more in terms of security deposits and added fees.

Ernest Cawvey, director of Macomb Community Action, believes the housing market overall has added to the pressures of finding affordable housing but there is help for residents.

Even though the federal moratorium protecting renters against eviction for non-payment of rent expired last August, a Michigan Supreme Court order continues to require district courts to temporarily halt the eviction process for renters applying for financial assistance through the Michigan COVID Emergency Rental Assistance (CERA) Program.

The CERA program has made over $700 million in federal dollars available to renters needing help paying their rent or utility bills. Michigan renters have received, on average, $4,470 in assistance while the average household has received $5,727.

Its important for everyone to know that we are here to help, Cawvey said.

Over $533 million has been spent on rent assistance while another $86 million has been spent to help renters pay their utility bills.

Over 138,000 Michigan renters have received assistance including over 9,000 in Macomb County, totaling $49 million, 12,000 in Oakland County totaling $70 million and a total of $193 million in Wayne County.

There is still over $100 million in assistance available through the Michigan CERA program with many renters having been approved for financial aid multiple times.

Currently, there is no state law that caps or restricts rent charges, but MSHDA does have some ability to impact the percentage of rent increase that can be charged at properties that have a state or federal housing subsidy or housing choice voucher attached to it.

The Housing Choice Voucher Program, which serves 28,000 Michiganders, allows renters to lease a unit of their choice provided that it meets federal quality standards. The owners requested rent is then determined reasonable based on HUD and MSHDA requirements.

If the rent is determined not to be reasonable, based on specified standards, MSHDA must deny the request and the owner must either lower the rent to conform with the requirements or the family must select another unit, said Katie Bach, a spokesperson for MSHDA.

Generally, landlords are being encouraged to charge rent based on the percentage of the homes market value. Typically, the rents that landlords charge fall between 0.8% and 1.1% of the homes value.

Landlords are also recommended to consider what others are charging for similar rentals in their area.

Having found a place to buy Campbell she said she will never go back to renting.

I might upgrade to a bigger place, she said, noting that once she raises her credit score she might even look at upgrading to a bigger place. Right now, Im confident where Im at. The house has new carpeting, a new stove, new paint. Its a home and I live in a cul de sac, so I dont have to worry about the kids playing outside with cars going by. Im very content.

As is Watkins who has one tip for renters and that is to remain diligent and dont be afraid to try sources you might not otherwise consider.

I looked every month to find a place and finally tried something I would normally not do, I looked on Craigslist, Watkins said.

As it turns out, a family thought outside the box as well and posted a listing on the classified advertisement for a mother-in-law suite for rent.

The family built this for their mother and she passed, Watkins said.

It came furnished and look at the view I have, Watkins said, from the kitchen in her one bedroom suite in St. Clair Shores.

View post:
Rentals at a premium in Macomb County and metro area - The Macomb Daily