Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

More than 100 new jobs look set to be created in Hull after off-site construction specialist M-AR secured a new 100,000 sq ft factory.

The Melton-based company has acquired the large premises in Freightliner Road, enabling it to increase and accelerate the delivery of modular housing across the UK.

Production capacity will be tripled for the 13-year-old firm, allowing it to deliver 750 homes a year, ramping up to 1,000 by 2022.

Rob Grimbleby, managing director, said: Expanding our manufacturing operation is a key strategic milestone for us and is testament to our great people and our partners, many of whom have worked alongside us for many years.

Modern methods of construction provide a route to increase the supply of high-quality buildings around the country, and its been great to see recent announcements from the government in support of the off-site sector.

We are proud to be opening our second factory in the UK in delivering much needed, energy efficient housing that assists housing associations, registered providers, local authorities and our developer partners to respond to the current housing shortage.

Indeed, the unique challenges of Covid-19 and the housing crisis will see an acceleration in new forms of delivery, and we are well placed to help customers deliver turnkey projects. Enquiries remain strong across all our market sectors, and we are particularly excited about the housing sector, where we feel we have the right skills and approaches to provide best value to our new and existing customers.

The expansion plans at the former Actavo facility follow a string of key framework appointments and contract wins, including the Central Housing Investment Consortium, a 15 year 573 million housing programme and the 400m Procure Plus off-site housing framework.

M-AR will further invest in development training, providing skills for local people to work on the low carbon homes, made from light gauge steel. They include bungalows and apartments.

It is estimated that one quarter of new homes will be of modular build, with East Yorkshire a strong cluster.

The combination of a strong concentration of trades following the post-war rebuilding of Hull and it being a prime timber import location saw the sector blossom, with caravans and park lodges widening to commercial, industrial and now residential accommodation, with building methods brought on significantly.

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100 new jobs to be created as modular homes building comes to sprawling Hull site - Business Live

As COVID creates urgency around homelessness, frontline workers say the affordable housing solutions fail to address the root causes

Samuel Engelking

The phrase is a favourite for municipal and federal governments alike, but its meaning has become deceptively confusing over the years: affordable housing. The term has been used to describe rental rates for middle-class households, to gesture widely to a crisis plaguing Toronto and to refer to housing supposedly made for the citys most vulnerable communities.

But who is affordable housing really for? Housing advocates say that the term has changed so much that it has become meaningless, vaguely pointing to a level of affordability that is nowhere near accessible for the citys currently unhoused population.

Affordable housing in Toronto could refer to a variety of housing structures, including subsidized, modular, supportive, rent-geared-to-income and social housing. Each has a slightly different purpose and represent different levels of affordable.

A Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives report found that a renter would need to make $27.74 per hour to be able to afford a one-bedroom in Toronto. And a minimum-wage worker would need to work 79 hours per week. When you consider a vacancy rate that, in 2019, hovered around 1.5 per cent (a healthy rental market should have a minimum rate of three per cent), you have all the makings of an affordable housing crisis.

The government defines affordable housing as shelter expenses that represent less than 30 per cent of pre-tax (or gross) income.

Though the crisis is one that hits most income levels, its effects are most vividly seen among the more than 10,000 people currently unhoused in Toronto any given night. And with a chronically low supply of affordable housing options, they have nowhere to go.

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, shelter capacity went down in order to allow for physical distancing, and encampments began to pop up in parks as people experiencing homelessness looked for alternative places to stay.

The city has been reluctant to allow the encampments, citing city bylaws that dont allow people to inhabit parks overnight. But with limited shelter capacity and the pandemic resulting in more unhoused people due to job loss and evictions, options are slim.

In recent weeks, the city has announced initiatives to tackle the shortage of affordable housing options. It plans on building 250 supportive modular homes over the next two years, and has also received funding from the federal government for the Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI), with the goal of creating a minimum of 417 new permanent affordable homes.

However, housing activists say these plans are insignificant and, ultimately, not truly affordable. The demand for affordable housing vastly eclipses the meagre supply being proposed by the city, and activists say that very few of these units are genuinely affordable for the people who need it most.

Since federal and provincial governments pulled out of social housing funding in the 1990s, the rental costs of so-called affordable housing funded by the municipal government have often been much higher. In Toronto, units that start off affordable dont stay that way, meaning that the city is losing its current affordable housing supply while barely adding to the new supply. Activists are calling for a commitment from the city to rent-geared-to-income and supportive housing, coupled with a real effort to control the citys rental market.

The way we think about homelessness needs to change, says Greg Cook, an outreach worker and housing advocate with Sanctuary Toronto.

The term chronic homelessness is problematic, because it individualizes a systemic issue, he says. Its actually a failure by the media and the government to acknowledge that we have a crisis because people cant afford housing.

Cook says government officials are quick to point to mental health and addiction as the complex issues fuelling homelessness, but he says all that does is obfuscate the real economic problem.

Basically, were not willing to, at the very least, regulate a runaway real estate industry thats making tons of money, he says. Meanwhile, people just cannot afford rent on minimum wage or the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) or Ontario Works (OW).

The way we think about and regulate rent prices also needs to change, says Melissa Goldstein, a local housing advocate. She argues that a lack of vacancy control and eviction prevention has turned Torontos rental market into the wild west.

Vacancy control would limit the amount landlords can raise rent in between tenancies. In Ontario, landlords can only raise rent on existing tenants every year by a provincially mandated residential rent increase of 2.2 per cent. But landlords can also raise rent between tenants, and without vacancy control, they can scale up rent prices by 30 or 40 per cent.

If we had vacancy control, I think it would not be nearly as important that we dont have adequate social housing, because we just wouldnt have the rising rents that were seeing, she says. Housing would just be more affordable.

Matias Kunzle, Montgomery Sisam Architects

The citys modular housing project takes shape at 11 Macey Avenue in Scarborough.

David Hulchanski has studied homelessness and housing affordability in Toronto and Canada for over 40 years. Hes tracked how social housing spending has gone down over the past few decades. From 1965 to 1995, the city of Toronto added an average of 3,900 new social housing units per year to the housing market, meaning social housing made up around 12 per cent of the total housing supply.

At the time, the federal government was responsible for funding most social housing initiatives, recognizing that municipalities had nowhere near enough cash to keep up with demand.

Until around the late 1980s, homelessness wasnt really a well-recognized or much-used phrase, Hulchanski says. In the few reports or studies looking at homelessness from the 60s to 80s, the common phrase was homeless and transient men.

What was going on since the Industrial Revolution was there would be some people, mainly men, who werent associated with a family home, who drifted from job to job and lived in poorer areas in the city, he explains.

However, in 1993, the federal government made the decision to cease funding new social housing. By 1996, the feds announced that management and subsidization of social housing would be transferred to provinces. In Ontario in 1998, the provincial government transferred financial responsibility for social housing to municipalities, and passed the Social Housing Reform Act in 2000 to implement the transfer.

Hulchanski says the downloading of social housing is a major factor in the rise of homelessness as a widespread crisis. Because of the lack of social supports and the cutbacks of new social housing, you had everyone and anyone women, men, young and old, families finding themselves unhoused, he explains.

People always talk about how the federal government pulled out of supporting social housing, Goldstein adds. The impact of that has been huge because there hasnt been anything to replace it.

In December 2019, the city released the HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan, a 10-year plan outlining goals for, among other things, building more affordable and supportive housing units. The target is to build 40,000 new affordable housing units over 10 years, with 18,000 of those in supportive housing.

Supportive housing provides a combination of housing assistance and supports, including for mental and physical health.

The problem with that plan is really just the lack of funds to implement the goals, Goldstein says.

To make the plan a reality, the federal and provincial governments must fund each action item. The city is asking Canada and Ontario to provide capital and ongoing operating funding to support the creation and delivery of 18,000 supportive housing homes over the next 10 years, which are anticipated to cost a total of $6.4 billion in capital costs and $300 million in ongoing annual operating costs.

Even if the city does come up with the money, Cook worries it wont be enough. Im frankly concerned it wont even keep up to the level were at now, he says. In the last 10 years, they didnt even get halfway to what they said theyre going to do.

In the citys 2000-2010 action plan, the goal was to create 1,000 affordable housing units annually. Toronto hit that target once in 2012 due to additional provincial and federal economic stimulus funding. In other years, the city barely reached 400 units.

Even then, it was basically making housing somewhat affordable for middle-class people, Cook says. I would argue that that trend has continued, so when they say 40,000 units, most of those units arent accessible to people on ODSP and OW.

Compared to the citys historical social housing supply, Hulchanski says Torontos current plan is totally insignificant. He notes that while their goal averages out to around 4,000 new units a year, those units wont count as true social housing.

I call it fake affordable housing; its market housing to help developers who build rental buildings to market their very expensive rental buildings, he says.

The city has increasingly turned to a public-private partnership model. Developments will often combine not-for-profit, private and public participation on projects, resulting in affordable units being included alongside other units in a new condo or apartment building.

Hulchanski points to Mirvish Village as an example of how Toronto conceives of affordable housing. Its a for-profit development that includes 916 rental units at different affordability levels.

According to a recent report by Goldstein, 85 of the units will rent for 80 per cent of average market rent (AMR) for 25 years, after which point rent can be raised again. Another 281 units will rent at 30 per cent of median before tax total income for households in the area for 10 years.

According to the city of Torontos 2020 affordable housing model, 80 per cent of AMR would equal $1,099 for a one-bedroom apartment.

Goldstein writes that the city funding that went toward this development could have funded 65 units of permanently and deeply affordable public housing. These units would rent at the established deeply affordable rental rate of 30 per cent of individual household income, rather than the median before-tax total income for households in the area.

Goldstein says the city is losing affordable housing at a much faster rate than its being created.

We lose it every time somebody moves out and housing gets more expensive, and we lose it through rent redevelopment, she says. When a unit with rental housing is redeveloped, Goldstein says the redeveloped properties are often rented at a higher rate.

Her report mentions the Queens Hotel eviction, in which 27 tenants were mass evicted for redevelopment and renovation purposes after the city failed to secure it as affordable housing.

As mentioned earlier, the pandemic spurred the city to announce Torontos first modular supportive housing project, which will see 250 units built over two years.

So how much will they cost to rent?

Ahmed Hussen, the federal minister of families, children and social development and MP for York South-Weston, says the government has different definitions for different affordability levels.

Some mixed housing units incorporate some market rental units, some somewhat affordable units, and then some deeply affordable units, he says. Deeply affordable means 30 per cent of the persons income and somewhat affordable is 80 per cent of AMR in Toronto.

He couldnt specify at what rate the RHI units would rent for, but even if all 417 units are created within a year, along with the 250 modular homes, the city is still falling far behind its yearly 4,000 affordable housing units goal.

Hussen says that while the federal government is happy to provide funding for initiatives like the RHI, the province needs to step in too.

We said we will eliminate chronic homelessness, but were not going to meet those targets or even exceed them if we dont have other levels of government come in, he says.

In response to an interview request, a rep for Parkdale-High Park councillor and city planning and housing committee member Gord Perks said the city has issued the COVID-19 Housing and Homelessness Recovery Response Plan, which is an urgent appeal to the federal and provincial governments to create 3,000 permanent, affordable homes, within the next 24 months, for homeless, vulnerable and marginalized residents.

The 3,000 homes would include 1,000 new permanent modular homes, 1,000 new permanent affordable rental homes created through acquisitions and shovel-ready construction projects and new portable housing benefits that will assist 1,000 people secure housing and pay rent.

A spokesperson from Ontarios ministry of municipal affairs and housing said in a statement the province is providing the city with an additional $217 million through housing and homelessness programs next year and accelerating approval for the two modular housing projects and three developments in West Don Lands. The statement also points to the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit, a joint federal-provincial housing allowance that will invest up to $1.4 billion over nine years.

Matias Kunzle, Montgomery Sisam Architects

The citys housing plan aims to build 40,000 new affordable units over 10 years, with 18,000 of those in supportive housing.

Since last November, Candace, whose name has been altered for privacy, has been living in a shelter hotel with her two children after leaving an abusive home situation. At the time, she was put on a priority list for community housing. But its been a year and she says she hasnt heard anything.

Picture someone who maybe lost her job and fell behind on her bills and ended up getting evicted. She has nowhere to go, she doesnt have friends or family, so she ends up at a shelter. The list that she goes on is the housing list for a person whos homeless, Candace explains.

Thats a forever list. Thats 10 years. Thats not emergency.

A report by Social Planning Toronto found that in 2019 over 110,000 households were on the waitlist for social housing.

It could take years before [someone] can get out of the shelter system and get housing, says Roxie Danielson, a street nurse who works with people in the shelter system. The ODSP rates are just so low, and its just not enough for people to afford market rent, for example.

[The city] announced theyre going to buy some land and put modular housing there, but it was nowhere near enough the amount thats needed for people that actually do need housing, she continues. The city is just not investing enough there.

The lack of supply means people on waitlists end up in housing that doesnt meet their needs.

Candace ideally wants to move to Halton. But shes seen other women at the shelter on the waitlist get housing in neighbourhoods she would never consider.

I chose somewhere out of town, somewhere quiet, somewhere that I can feel safe to raise my kids and my kids can walk to school and be safe, she says.

Diana McNally is a frontline worker who works with the Toronto Drop-in Network, and she sees the lack of housing options as a recurring problem particularly when it comes to supportive housing.

Ive known lots of folks who really dont want to be housed in these kinds of units. Maybe they have animals and they cant have animals. They have a partner, but its a bachelor unit. Oftentimes, in supportive housing, youre not allowed to have guests, she says. Theyre looking for a place that suits them and theres not necessarily a lot of flexibility.

She thinks about the lack of options when people wind up homeless again after being placed in permanent housing.

If you look at folks who are sleeping rough, about 16 per cent of them, once they are housed, return to homelessness within one year, and they return an average of 2.3 times, she says. Any idea that it is permanent housing is patently false.

McNally says part of the solution is to include people experiencing homelessness into conversations around housing needs and housing solutions.

We really need to actually engage people in a much more fulsome way to ask what are the services that they really need to remain housed, and make sure that those are in place over long periods of time, she says.

She also notes that while the government can say that projects such as the modular housing units are geared towards multiple equity-seeking groups, the supply is so low that theres no way for that to match up.

In fact, this kind of housing does not necessarily make sense for a lot of folks, she says. And so I deeply question, how are they going to prioritize who has access? I dont know.

Hulchanski points out that the idea of supportive housing being key to getting people off the streets is not new.

He cites a 1999 report on an action plan for homelessness that highlighted the need for supportive housing; then only a few years later, the federal government pulled out of social housing funding entirely.

A key part of [the 1999 report] was a modest ask for 5,000 additional supportive housing units over a short period of time, and then maybe more depending on if we need more, he says. Again, we know what to do. We just havent been doing it.

@juliamastro

Julia Mastroianni and Melissa Goldstein discuss Torontos affordable-housing crisis in the latest episode of the NOW What podcast, available on Apple PodcastsorSpotifyor playable directly below:

Julia Mastroianni

Julia Mastroiannis first attempt at writing resulted in the first 20 pages of a novel that she promptly abandoned, a year after starting, at age nine, because she couldn't bear to read her own work. Since then, shes completed assignments at various publications, including Post City Magazines and the National Post.

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There's no such thing as affordable housing in Toronto - NOW Toronto

Creating structures and imaginary worlds with Lego building bricks can be fun at every age. An abbreviation of two Danish words, leg and godt, the Lego name is a creation of Danish carpenter Ole Kirk Christiansen that translates to play well. This intention has flourished since the Lego Groups invention of small bricks with interlocking studs in 1958, and the brightly colored bricks inspire kids and adults to do exactly that.

When combined in Lego sets, the bricks and pieces can create a range of specific projects, like a space rocket, townhouse, or construction vehicle. Whether youre looking for a small project for a child or a large project that can take days for an adult to complete, there are a variety of Lego sets available for any age group, price, or interest. Read on to discover some of the best Lego sets by category.

When shopping for a Lego set, there are a number of things to think about, such as project theme, age appropriateness, and number of pieces. Since Lego sets can be used as both toys and collectors items, its helpful to determine the objective of your selection. No matter the set you buy, there is the added flexibility to combine sets, because the traditional Lego brick still fits together with any piece manufactured since 1958.

Children and adults are attracted to Lego sets for different reasons. Younger children tend to play with the bricks in a less structured way, while older kids and adults may focus on building techniques and the accuracy of the finished project.

Adult Lego enthusiasts may buy sets with the intention to collect and display the completed project as a design element in their homes. Some of the best Lego sets can increase in value over time, making them a good investment.

For children and adults, the act of assembling Lego bricks can provide a relaxing experience that may help relieve anxiety and stress. In the United States, behavior therapists and teachers use Lego sets as a tool to calm hyperactive children and promote cooperative learning. When children construct a set with other kids, they strengthen their collaboration abilities and develop more effective communication skills.

Some sets are used for group activities through after-school programs and interactive Lego fan-run communities that include building clubs and informational websites.

While there are kids and adults at every age who look forward to the challenge of constructing intricate Lego sets, the building complexity of each set is evaluated and assigned to a certain age group. The recommended age group is printed on the packaging, so its easy to identify the best Lego set that is age appropriate.

Age recommendations are especially important when selecting Lego sets for toddlers who are too young to play with the small parts that could be a choking hazard. Starting at age 2, children can play with chunkier sets called Duplo that are designed to help toddlers with fine motor skills and imaginative play. The sets with the iconic smaller bricks are recommended for kids who are over 5 years old.

The size of the completed project can be a big factor when shopping for a Lego set. While a Lego project can be built and then taken apart when its done, many Lego enthusiasts plan to display the finished project. Some adults and children combine Lego sets to create little worlds that can include realistic towns from one type of set and imaginative worlds with creatures and vehicles from other various sets.

The chosen size of the completed set and collection of sets can be determined by the amount of space available to devote to the hobby. Its important to look at the completed set size when shopping. Many Lego sets with hundreds of pieces range in size from inches to a little more than a foot in mass. Sets that include thousands of pieces can be as big as 40 inches wide or 27 inches tall. Sets of this size are perfect for the minifigure characters that are just four bricks tall, but it can be more challenging to find space in your home for those larger sizes.

A Lego sets level of difficulty and completion time depends on the number of pieces. Lego sets with more parts can take many hours or days to assemble.

Beginner sets with larger bricks for toddlers have about 16 or more pieces. Standard-size brick sets for beginners typically have about 100 pieces, so it shouldnt take young builders long to put them together. Most Lego sets for older children have a range of 100 to 1,000 bricks. The complexity of sets amps up when the number hits more than 1,000 bricks, and the largest sets exceed 7,000 pieces.

Over the years, the size of Lego sets has continued to grow. The number of bricks in a set has increased by an average of 1.9 percent annually, while the largest sets are increasing an average of 5 percent each year.

Adding to the challenge, the Lego sets that have a lot of pieces include nonbrick pieces. These can include baseplates, wedges, slopes, tiles, windows, doors, wheels, fences, and decorated parts. Good organization is an important component in keeping track of the types of pieces and successfully completing one of the larger projects.

Some Lego sets combine fixed and movable parts. The fixed parts include the standard bricks and accessories like base plates and windows. The movable parts are made up of pieces like axles, gears, and connector pegs.

Adding to the movement features are motorization. There are two types of motors: the pull-back and Powered Up. Some Lego sets offer Powered Up as a tech platform that supports sensors and smart motors to rev up your set for speed, sound, and lights. A wireless Bluetooth connection via a free app allows for remote control operation.

Lego offers a multitude of themes based on age, purpose, and interest. For kids, the themes include pirates, space, dinosaurs, superheroes, houses, castles, and more. For teens and adults who are interested in constructing collectibles, there are modular houses, cars, buildings, and seasonal sets. There are sets inspired by well-known films and produced because fans have voted for them, themed sets with power functions to make vehicles move, and a series of Lego sets that brings iconic buildings from around the world to life.

Lego Group also produces licensed theme sets such as Batman, Spider-Man, DC Universe, Marvel, Disney, Harry Potter, Jurassic World, Minecraft, Ninjago, and Star Wars.

Lego knows that some builders crave creative freedom instead of following instructions. While some builders may use structured sets to build their own new forms, others prefer to use sets designed for free-form creativity. For these builders, Lego offers sets that let builders decide what creations they want to make. There is a starter set for the youngest builders that comes with a storage case filled with plain bricks, decorated bricks, numbered bricks, a buildable wagon base that has turning wheels, two windows, a dog, and a boy figure.

For builders ages 4 to 99 years old, there is a set with 1,500 pieces that includes bricks in 33 colors. It also includes a green baseplate along with windows, eyes, and wheels for creating structures, figures, and vehicles.

No matter the set used, constructing the plastic bricks into a completed form encourages children to problem solve, think creatively, follow directions, and persevere. The process also aids in developing spatial awareness, fine motor skills, and coordination.

The widespread interest in Lego sets bridges generations, making them fun for every age. Used as an education tool, a make-believe toy, or a serious hobby, Lego sets foster ingenuity in all age groups and are versatile in their use and in their finished forms.

The versatility and durability of Lego sets stands out among other toys, especially since the bricks and accessories can last for decades and are interchangeable from one set to another. With each addition of more bricks and sets, the amount of building opportunities expands, and creativity abounds.

Lego sets can make the perfect gift. When shopping for a Lego set, keep in mind the recipients age, set size, number of pieces, power capability, and the theme to ensure all your requirements are met. Here are some of the best Lego sets available on the market.

Photo: amazon.com

This brick box is a good introduction for first-time builders, and its ideal for supplementing other Lego sets. The plastic storage box is packed with 790 pieces that are compatible with all Lego construction sets. Thats why the Lego Classic Large Creative Brick Box is recommended for ages 4 to 99.

Included in the set are building ideas for a house or scooter, but you are free to unleash your imagination. In the box, youll find 33 different-colored bricks, eight types of windows and doors, two green baseplates, and six tires and wheel rims. One baseplate measures 6 inches by 6 inches, and the other is 4 inches by 2 inches.

Photo: amazon.com

The budget-friendly Lego Creator 3-in-1 Townhouse Toy Store is a lot of value for the money. Kids can choose their adventure with three building options that include a townhouse, toy store, cake shop, and flower shop. Adding to the fun are realistic accessories such as a working rocket ride, cakes, two minifigures, a bird, and flowers.

For hours of fun and pretend play, children ages 8 and up can assemble a townhouse with a street-level toy store and an upstairs apartment. Then they can rebuild it into a cake shop with an outside seating area or reassemble it into a flower shop with a skylight. The largest building in the Lego set is the townhouse toy store, which measures 7 inches by 5 inches by 3 inches.

Photo: amazon.com

Your preschooler can build a steam train while developing communication skills, fine motor skills, and cognitive skills. The push-and-go motor moves the train along the tracks. An optional app has additional activities and allows children to operate the train with a remote control.

The Lego Duplo Steam Train set for ages 2 to 5 has a locomotive driver, squirrel and child figures, refueling can, suitcase, bread, and a spade. To assemble the locomotive, passenger carriage, train station, coal tipper, and tree, the set contains 59 pieces. Among the pieces are 16 individual tracks and five action bricks that make the train sound the horn, turn on the lights, refuel, change direction, or stop. The steam train with attached passenger carriage measures 3 inches by 11 inches by 2 inches, and the train station is 5 inches by 4 inches by 2 inches. Batteries are required, but theyre not included.

Photo: amazon.com

The Lego City Ice-Cream Truck set provides rich details to ignite the imagination of little ones ages 5 to 7. They can build the truck and serve ice cream to customers.

The 200-piece set comes with an ice cream seller, skateboarder, and a dog figure along with accessories such as ice cream cones, skateboard, helmet, and money.

Directions are included for constructing the colorful truck that measures 4 inches by 5 inches by 2 inches. You also can use the Digital Instructions Plus available through the Lego Life app. The digital instructions allow novice builders to zoom in and rotate the model to aid them with assembly.

Photo: amazon.com

Aspiring astronauts will find the building blocks necessary to build their way to a space mission in the Lego City Deep Space Rocket and Launch Control set. With the 837-piece set, they can construct a customizable multistage rocket with a cockpit, booster, and payload storage modules. A monorail system with two cars has access to multiple stops along the track.

The launch control tower is the heart of the space center, where two scientists and a launch director prepare the ground crew technician and two astronauts for liftoff. Additional items include a rover with an articulated grappling arm, telescope with folding solar panels, magnifying glass, and robot figure.

This Lego set is recommended for kids ages 7 to 9. The standing rocket measurements are approximately 16 inches by 4 inches by 2 inches, and the monorail track is about 3 inches by 14 inches by 18 inches.

Photo: amazon.com

Builders ages 12 and up learn about the elements of engineering as they construct the authentic 4,108-piece Lego Technic Liebherr Excavator. The functional, high-tech construction toy is run by three XL motors, four L motors, and two Bluetooth-controlled smart hubs. Its also operated with the Lego Technic Control+ app.

Hours of immersive play are provided with realistic features and motorization. Kids can engage sound effects, rotate the excavator, move the boom and bucket, and drive the machine forward and backward. With a smart device, they can record driving distances and power usage. The impressive excavator model requires batteries (not included) and measures 15 inches by 25 inches by 10 inches.

Photo: amazon.com

This Lego set is an accurate replica of the White House for builders ages 18 and older interested in history, design, and architectureor for those who just want to immerse themselves in a creative project. While assembling the 1,483-piece set, builders re-create the presidents Executive Residence and the colonnades that connect the East and West Wings along with the Rose Garden and Jacqueline Kennedy Garden.

Builders can divide the model into three sections for closer examination. The completed model is 4 inches by 18 inches by 7 inches.

Photo: amazon.com

Over the years, the Lego Star Wars Millennium Falcon has remained a perennial favorite. The model is based on the Corellian freighter from the movie Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

The Lego design allows access inside the freighter and features a cockpit that opens. The interior is filled with details such as a cargo area with two containers, navigation computer with rotating chair, couch, Dejarik hologame table, galley, bunk, hidden smuggling compartment, and a hyperdrive with repair tools. The freighter is ready for battle with rotating top- and bottom-gun turrets, two spring-loaded shooters, and a lowering ramp.

The set includes seven character figures, so kids can act out Star Wars adventures with Finn, Chewbacca, C-3PO, Lando Calrissian, Boolio, R2-D2, and D-O. It is recommended for ages 9 and up and the starship measures 5 inches by 17 inches by 12 inches.

Photo: amazon.com

Builders construct Tony Starks Iron Man Hall of Armor using the 524 pieces in the set. The Lego set has a rotating podium with two posable robotic arms and detachable modules that are designed for combining and stacking in a variety of ways. Some of the modules are the lab, kitchen, and various storage units. The six Marvel Universe minifigures include Iron Man MK 1, Iron Man MK 5, Iron Man MK 41, Iron Man MK 50, and two Outriders.

The Lego Marvel Avengers Iron Man Hall of Armor is recommended for builders ages 7 and up. When the Iron Man Lab is completed with modules in standard formation, it measures more than 5 inches by 13 inches by 6 inches. The Igor Suit is about 3 inches by 1 inch by 3 inches.

The popularity of Lego sets endures because they are a quality product that captivates builders of all ages. Since the Lego Group continues to introduce new sets and institute new technology, you may have more questions. The following popular questions and answers may help.

Lego sets can be expensive because the company manufactures a higher-quality product than its competitors and pays licensing fees for brands such as Disney, Star Wars, and Marvel.

The largest Lego sets include Star Wars UCS Millennium Falcon, Harry Potter Hogwarts Castle, and the Taj Mahal. The Millennium Falcon set has the most pieces at 7,541.

Sometimes Lego sets have extra pieces; this may happen because the pieces arent counted. Instead, the pieces are automatically weighed and packaged. If you need an extra piece for a set, each piece has a unique number to make replacing pieces easier.

Lego pieces are stored in a variety of ways. For example, you can keep them in boxes, cubes, containers, or bins. Some Lego builders keep pieces in carts and chests with drawers.

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The Best Lego Sets for Kids and Adults - BobVila.com

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This report contains the major manufacturers analysis of the global Multifamily Modular Construction industry. By knowing the progress of these manufacturers (sales price, revenue, volume and gross margin from 2020 to 2026), the user can learn the collaborations and strategies that the manufacturers are focusing on competition in the market.

Global Multifamily Modular Construction: Types and End Users analysis

The research report includes specific segments such as applications/end users and product types of Multifamily Modular Construction industry. The report provides market size (sales volume and revenue) for each type and applications/end users from 2020 to 2026. Knowing the benefits of the segment in recognizing the significance of various factors that assist market growth.

Global Multifamily Modular Construction: Regional Analysis

Geographically, this report is segmented into several key countries with market size, growth rate, import and export of Multifamily Modular Construction from 2016 to 2026, which covering United States, Canada, Germany, France, UK, Italy, Russia, Spain, Netherlands, China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Egypt, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia and Rest of the world.

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Key Players In Global Multifamily Modular Construction Market Report Include:

Palomar Modular Buildings, Champion Homes, ASRC Construction, Simplex Modular Homes, USModular Inc., Hayes Modular, Stack Modular, Westchester Modular Homes, Guerdon Modular Buildings

Market Segmentation, By Product Types:

One Floor, Two Floors

Market Segmentation, By Applications/End Users:

Residential, Commercial

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Global Multifamily Modular Construction Outlook 2020-In-Depth Insight Of Sales Analysis, Growth Forecast And Upcoming Trends 2026 - The Think...

Sudhan Thomas, former president of the Jersey City Board of Education and former Acting Executive Director of the Jersey City Employment and Training Program (JCETP), along with Ocean County attorney Paul Appel, were indicted for embezzlement, money laundering, and fraud in connection with multiple criminal schemes, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced on Nov. 2.

Thomas, 45, was charged in a 26-count indictment with embezzling funds from the JCETP, wire fraud, and money laundering in connection with the alleged JCETP theft.

Thomas was charged with wire fraud for allegedly embezzling money from his 2016 school board campaign, wire fraud for allegedly embezzling money from his 2019 school board campaign, bank fraud for allegedly stealing checks issued by and to another school board candidates campaign in 2018, and mail and wire fraud for allegedly defrauding two Florida-based companies.

In January Thomas was charged by criminal complaint with embezzling funds from JCETP. He pleaded not guilty and was released on a $75,000 unsecured bond.

Paul Appel, 78, of Point Pleasant, is charged as Thomass alleged accomplice in several of the schemes, including the alleged embezzlement of funds from the JCETP, alleged money laundering in connection to the JCETP theft, the alleged embezzlement of money from Thomass 2016 school board campaign, and the alleged fraud against the two Florida companies.

Alleged theft of federally funded nonprofit

Thomas served as the JCETPs acting executive director from January 2019 until his resignation in July 2019.

The JCETP is a nonprofit organization that receives federal funding from grants to help residents prepare for and enter the workforce.

From March 2019 through July 2019, Thomas allegedly embezzled more than $45,000 from the JCETP.

During his brief time as the acting executive director, he allegedly caused checks to be drawn from JCETP accounts made payable to other people but which he allegedly received or used to pay his debts and expenses.

Thomas caused certain checks to be issued to Appel who then redirected the funds back to Thomas, including by issuing checks made payable to Next Glocal; Thomas was a director of Next Glocal.

Thomas allegedly embezzled JCETP funds by issuing JCETP checks made out to cash that he either cashed himself or used to obtain bank checks made payable to Next Glocal, which were then deposited into a bank account for Thomass personal use.

Thomas then allegedly used these JCETP funds deposited to Next Glocals bank account to pay for his personal expenses, including payments to his landlord and airfare and hotel expenses for a trip to Hawaii.

In August 2019, former JCETP employee Nuria Sierra filed a whistle-blower lawsuit against Thomas and the JCETP when she lost her job in July after alerting JCETP board members and state officials to several financial improprieties at the agency. She noted that Thomas had allegedly made three checks payable to cash and provided no receipts.

Candidate schemes

In 2016 Thomas was elected to the school board, serving as vice president and then president of the board.

Appel served as treasurer for Thomass 2016 campaign.

From September 2016 to November 2016, Thomas and Appel collected campaign contributions and deposited them into a bank account opened for the 2016 campaign that they both controlled.

Under the guise of collecting repayments for loans to the campaign or reimbursement for other campaign-related expenses, Thomas and Appel allegedly embezzled more than $8,000 from Thomass 2016 campaign for their own personal use.

Thomas ran for re-election to the school board in 2019.

From June 2018 to August 2019, Thomas collected campaign contributions and deposited them into two bank accounts opened for the 2019 campaign.

Under the same guise of collecting repayments for loans to the campaign, Thomas allegedly embezzled approximately $6,000 from the 2019 campaign by causing checks to be issued from the campaign bank accounts made payable to Thomas. He then allegedly cashed those checks or deposited them into a bank account for his personal use.

In November 2018, Thomas was an informal advisor for a candidate in the 2018 school board election. During that time he allegedly claimed that he required $100 checks to pay eight individuals who worked on the unnamed candidates campaign. When the campaign provided Thomas with the requested checks, Thomas allegedly fraudulently endorsed the checks and deposited them into a bank account for his personal use.

Thomas also got a $1,000 contribution check made payable to the candidates 2018 campaign committee which he allegedly fraudulently endorsed and deposited into a bank account for his personal use.

Floridia companies allegedly defrauded

In 2016, Thomas and Appel entered into an agreement with a Florida-based technology company to expand the companys business through a debit card program.

Between May 2016 and October 2016, Thomas and Appel allegedly made false representations regarding work they were undertaking as part of the agreement and induced the technology company to wire them a total of $48,500.

Thomas and Appel allegedly diverted the companys funds to their own bank accounts and used them to pay personal expenses, including payments to Thomass landlord, tuition for Thomass relative, and payments for Appels credit and debit card expenses.

According to the charges, the duo didnt provide any meaningful services or generate any business as required under the agreement with the Florida company, or spend any substantial parts of the funds provided by the company toward fulfilling the agreement.

That same year, Thomas and Appel entered into an agreement with a Florida-based housing company in connection with the sale of modular homes to veterans and the homeless.

Between October 2016 and April 2017, Thomas and Appel allegedly made false representations regarding work they would undertake pursuant to the agreement in order to collect monthly $2,000 payments from the housing company.

The housing company made five $2,000 payments to Thomas and Appel between November 2016 and March 2017.

Thomas and Appel allegedly misappropriated the funds without providing any meaningful services or generating any business as required under the agreement, or spending any substantial part of the funds toward the fulfillment of the agreement.

Facing prison time

Thomas and Appel face a maximum of up to 100 years in prison and up to $2.25 million in fines.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents with the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr., and special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, New York Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael C. Mikulka with the investigation leading to the charges.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tazneen Shahabuddin of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark represents the government in this case.

The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Thomas and Appel are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

For updates on this and other stories checkwww.hudsonreporter.comand follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Marilyn Baer can be reached atMarilynb@hudsonreporter.com.

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Former Jersey City elected official indicted - The Hudson Reporter

So here it is our list of 32 entrepreneurs, innovators and disruptors who are shaking up the UK residential sector.

Whats so trailblazing? After spending 17 years working for some of the UKs biggest residential and PBSA developers, Canning launched her own sales and marketing consultancy this year. The knowledge she has accumulated over her career puts her in the perfect position to support real-estate businesses looking to develop new innovations. Canning also offers strategy, training, recruitment, data analysis and research support. Her strategic approach to marketing combined with her exposure to operations means she has an innate understanding of the industry.

Mantra: Challenge the status quo.

Whats so trailblazing? Clarke launched

the boutique estate agency Mr and MrsClarke after feeling distinctly underwhelmed by the experience of selling his home in London and buying a family home in the country.Clarke and his wife Alexandra have created an estate agency that believes buying and selling can be done better through a focus on creating beautiful advertising and offering high levels of customer service. Clarke has quickly grown the business across the UK through the use of licensing agreements, and Mr and Mrs Clarke has won a number of awards for the stylish service it provides.

Mantra: Work hard and be nice to people.

Whats so trailblazing? In addition to Dawideks work in the living capital markets team, she played an integral role in the creation of Real Estate Balances NextGen committee, which she co-chairs, and she also sits on JLLs gender balance committee.Dawidek is particularly interested in gender equality having written a dissertation on how gender pay gap reporting could be an effective tool for improving diversity and inclusion (D&I) in real estate. However, she believes it is fundamental that D&I is approached in a holistic way in which all forms of inequality in real estate are addressed to achieve the shared goal of creating an inclusive environment where anyone can succeed.

Mantra: Work hard and be kind to everyone.

Whats so trailblazing? Click Abovecreates new homes on top of existingbuildings, utilising offsite construction methods. This allows the highest standards of quality control, safety, design and energy-efficiency to be delivered, while minimising onsite disruption.Through his extensive planning expertise, Emmett spearheads Click Aboves airspace development strategy. Working with both private freeholders and local boroughs, Click Above delivers new homes through MMC and innovative design and has recently completed an airspace development above an existing residential block in Nine Elms.Click Above currently has 103 new homes in the development pipeline.

Mantra: Innovate and be a solution.

Whats so trailblazing? Former journalist and marketing consultant Fulford set up nHouse to improve the quality of houses built in the UK.I didnt and dont like the majority of new homes built in the UK, he says. From their poor construction quality to the lack of imaginative designs, the customer experience is mostly rubbish and it felt like an industry in need of some disruption. And so I thought I might be able to stir things up a bit.Fulford co-founded nHouse in 2016. He raised money via crowdfunding and launched a design-led modular housing company that combines advanced manufacturing methods with high-quality natural materials. The company offers nine residential unit typesand supplies private buyers and developers. More than 50 nHouses are now makingtheir way through the planning process.Fulford is also co-founder of the Offsite Alliance, a new association designed to help MMC residential builders work together to promote the sector.

Mantra: No one really knows anything. All assumptions cause cock-ups. Keep buggering on as perseverance pays.

Whats so trailblazing? Godwin is a trained economist and entrepreneur with a passion for design and experience.He is the managing director of Lamington Group, an established group of companies investing and developing real estate in the residential and commercial sectors.Godwin is also the founder and chief executive of award-winning room2 Hometels, an innovative and creative hospitality brand and operating business that bridges the gap between Airbnb and hotels.Room2 currently has two open sites with five in the pipeline and has ambitious rollout plans that Godwin hopes will see it operating 5,000 rooms by 2030.For 10 years, Godwin represented Great Britain at the highest international level in sailing a fiercely competitive, performance-orientated environment. He brings these skills to business, actively targeting market shares of the hotel giants with a more relevant business model built for the future.

Mantra: I am driven to add value to peopleslives and experiences for places they work,live and visit.

Whats so trailblazing? Hammond is the founding director of Eutopia Homes, which was established in September 2017. Eutopia has secured a pipeline of 1,500 homes across the housing spectrum in key regional cities Birmingham, Exeter and Manchester.Having secured planning permission for one of Exeters largest BTR schemes, Hammond has been instrumental in forming a discounted market rental offer as part of the S106 agreement. Through masterplanning complex urban sites, Hammond has led Eutopia Homes into emerging relationships with institutional investors, later-living providers and housing for sale partnerships.

Mantra: Challenge convention at every stage quality knows no bounds.

Whats so trailblazing? Thirty-three-year-old former developer Harrington launched Glenhawk in 2018 to disrupt the oft-maligned short-term lending market. The company took only 18 months to become profitable, with more than 2.1bn of enquiries generated and 150m of loans provided to date.Ground-breaking initiatives, including offering free valuations and paying borrower legal fees, reinforced its reputation for fairness and transparency. March saw a 200m funding line secured with JP Morgan, marking its UK entry into this market.Covid-19 has not slowed Harrington down. August and September saw nearly 350m of new loan enquiries and the last six months saw a 20% loan-book increase.

Mantra: You never win or lose; you winand learn.

Whats so trailblazing? Hayford founded The Land Collective in her third year of university. The career development and commercial awareness platform, which started of as a blog to rant about local property issues and built environment matters, has grown into an international online publication, showcasing the sector to interested and curious students and young professionals.Hayford is now also the managing director of Sqft Digital, a student marketing agency aiming to transform early career programmes and firms engagement with students throughout the academic year. Sqft Digital was born out of frustration with the property industrys low visibility among students and the slow progress of diversity in the sector.

Mantra: Run your own race and dance your own dance.

Whats so trailblazing? Hawthorn has worked in the resi sector since the age of 16. He started Landmark in 2000, aged 19, with no capital and is on course to own 150m of assets by the end of 2020.His newest and most exciting project is LDS Next Generation Development Finance, which offers sales guarantees for resi developers and their lenders. During lockdown, LDS used proptech to launch an online sales guarantee engine, which produces reliable proposals in under two minutes.

Mantra: Work smarter and harder; refuse to choose between quantity and quality as both can be achieved.

Whats so trailblazing? Heatley andHiggins are co-founders of Capital & Centric,a social-impact developer spending 2m a week on regeneration.

They are also co-founders of the non-profit Regeneration Brainery, which works throughout the UK to mentor more than 100 young adults from diverse backgrounds into the real estate sector, and co-founders of the Embassy Bus, which is a non-profit shelter for people experiencing homelessness.The duo are working up plans to evolve this into a village of 40 homes in central Manchester. Heatley is also co-founder and chair of the Greater Manchester Mayors Charity, which has raised 3m since being founded two years ago, to support the regions most vulnerable and disadvantaged people.

Mantra: Dont follow the crowd.

Whats so trailblazing? Iannucci-Dawson trained as an architect and quickly worked his way up the corporate ladder at the worlds largest design firm. After moving into housebuilding, he became familiar with the new-homes sales process and it was here that he saw how painful the buying and selling process was for all parties involved.Iannucci-Dawson gave up his corporate salary and struck out alone to start Yourkeys, which three years later represents around 10% of all new homes sales in the UK. He says this is just the start.

Mantra: Sheer grit and determination wins over raw talent every day of the week.

Whats so trailblazing? Jezeph believes thought leadership and best practice are powerful routes to enhancing the quality of our built environment; shaping communities and improving the life chances of individuals. She champions this through her involvement in the Urban Land Institute.After working for 10 years in the private sector at JLL, she moved to TfL, where she is leading the delivery of circa 1,600 homes, creating new communities and transport facilities for the next generation of Londoners.

Mantra: Perseverance: if you dont keep trying, youll never know what might be possible.

Whats so trailblazing? Kannan is a co-founder of Native Finance, the first tech platform in Europe for real estate finance.Since its launch in 2018, the platform has priced more than 800m and completed around 100m in development and investment transactions. Backers include fintech VC Passion Capital and leading angel investors.Kannan is also a housing fellow with the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, researching co-living globally. He was previously portfolio manager at the Elton John AIDS Foundation, where he launched one of the worlds first social-impact bonds. He started his career on the London trading floor at Goldman Sachs.

Mantra: Stay hungry, stay foolish.

Whats so trailblazing? House by Urban Splash is a pioneering joint venture with Japans biggest housebuilder, Sekisui House, backed by Homes England. Its mission is to build beautiful modern homes in characterful new neighbourhoods using innovative design, MMC and the latest technology.Outside this non-executive role, Kober is managing director, homes at Pinnacle Group, overseeing the companys housing, estatesand property management contracts and working in partnership with a range of clientsin the local government, institutional investment and development sectors. Priorto joining Pinnacle in 2018, Kober spent a decade in local government as leader of Haringey Council.

Mantra: People are at the heart of everything I do; excellent outcomes come from strong relationships with all sorts of people sometimes the best partnerships are themost unexpected.

Whats so trailblazing? Twenty-nine-year-old Lenehan is associate director of House by Urban Splash the modern housebuilder revolutionising the sector through the creation of customisable homes using MMC. Lenehan took on his senior role in spring 2019, having been with Urban Splash for two years. He was the project lead on the companys 90m transaction with one of the worlds biggest housebuilders, Sekisui House, and Homes England, and retains responsibility for strategy and shareholder relations.Lenehan is a non-executive director of one of the UKs largest social media creators, Komi Group. He is also a trustee of learning disabilities charity Leeds Mencap.

Mantra: Be obsessed with the customer.

Whats so trailblazing? Lerche-Lerchenborg is overseeing the strategic roll-out of Lavanda RESIDENTIAL and Lavanda LPM products, legitimising short-term lets and boosting yields for real estate partners and the multi-family housing and PRS industry.Prior to working at Lavanda, he worked in fund management and investment banking for 10 years. These roles included helping to build and manage more than 3bn in global equity income as part of a two-person team at Artemis Investment Management.

Mantra: Find something that you love to do and treat everyone you meet with kindness and respect; the rest will sort itself out.

Whats so trailblazing? McCourt started Court nine years ago in a Starbucks coffeeshop alone with his laptop. Today, Court is one of Birminghams most active and acquisitive residential development companies. Four years ago, McCourt received the backing of billionaire Sir Tony Gallagher and together they are delivering a further 5,000 units, including Birminghams first 51-storey skyscraper and some of the biggest residential schemes in the city, such as the 1,000-unit scheme Stoneyard in Digbeth.

Mantra: Property isnt about bricks-and-mortar; its about people.

Whats so trailblazing? As a director at Inspired Villages, an award-winning operator and developer of retirement villages, McNamara is responsible for fosteringlong-term partnerships with housebuilders, universities and landed estates to helpcreate later-living communities in the UK.McNamara started his career at DTZ in Auckland, New Zealand, before moving to the London office where he worked in the investment and corporate finance teams.Since then, his career has taken him toBarings Real Estate Advisers, BGC Partnersand also to co-found Indirex, a secure information exchange.

Mantra: Strive to make a positive difference to peoples lives.

Whats so trailblazing? In the sometimes grey world of planning, Murray and his team at Urbana like to work a little differently. They have a passion for the built environment and the way cities work.The Urbana mission is to provide exceptional, design-led planning expertise. The company has enjoyed a number of successes in strategic land planning and grand city projects, which demonstrate its ability to deliver a clients brief with a flair rarely seen in the planning world.

Mantra: If you love what you do, the results show.

Whats so trailblazing? Porter founded Urbane London with business partner Duncan Wilson. Urbane is a development company which delivers socially permeable, high-quality housing for London utilising MMC. Due to the flexible, factory-made nature of their homes, Urbane has an agile business model, which operates effectively on challenging London sites from micro (single plot) to macro (300-plus units).Prior to Urbane, Porter founded award-winning MMC practice Surface to Air Architects. She also founded Chicks with Bricks: a network dedicated to celebrating diversity in the property industry.

Mantra: Standardise the invisible, customise the visible.

Whats so trailblazing? Puddle began his career at London estate agency Hamptons International and five years later moved to Strutt & Parker where he spent a further six years working within the companys residential development team, with a specialist focus on consultancy and overseas project marketing.In 2017, Puddle spotted an opportunity in the market and relocated with his family to Singapore, where he founded One Global Property Services, a boutique real estate agency business that specialises in international project marketing.

Mantra: Live everyday like its your last. Never ever give up and always treat everyone that you come across in life in the same way that you would like to be treated yourself.

Whats so trailblazing? Rajah and Dipino run a multi-award-winning residential-led development company. Its live well manifesto puts the wellbeing of stakeholders at the forefront of all decision making.It is B-Corp-certified and one of fewer than 100 worldwide organisations to sign up tothe WGBC net-zero building commitment.With a 1.1bn multisector pipeline of high-quality, highly sustainable, low-toxic property, Joseph Homes aims to raise the bar for the industry by building better homes for a better world.

Mantra: If its funny, youre not in trouble.

Whats so trailblazing? Reid is founder of MATTER . SPACE . SOUL, an innovative architecture and research lab shaping places for wellbeing.Starting from the social, psychological and emotional impacts of the built environment, the consultancy aims to create joyful, meaningful, enriching places and experiences and act as a catalyst for step-change in the industry. Reid is a passionate advocate for the power of design to create impact that matters, and regularly presents on socially conscious approaches to design.

Mantra: Making change that matters with empathy, experimentation and curiosity for what could be possible.

Whats so trailblazing? Salmons passion for innovating with technology spans 30 years and includes the first offset mortgages, the worlds largest parking app and the launch of contactless cards. He has held executive roles at NatWest, Barclays and Capital One, as well as an advisory board role at Roche.With Coadjute, Salmons is aiming to connect every business in the UK property market, enabling them to share data and documents instantly and securely from within their existing software platforms, doubling the speed of transactions. The Coadjute network will go live in early 2021.

Mantra: Creativity is thinking up newthings. Innovation is doing new things Theodore Levitt.

Whats so trailblazing? Sanham is one of Londons most creative developers, combining 16 years experience of delivering mixed-tenure schemes with a drive to make a meaningful impact on Londons complex housing crisis.An engineer by education, Sanham began his development career at Urban Splash, before leading the delivery of Argents first affordable housing at Kings Cross and most recently becoming managing director of HUB.Slated to formally launch in November 2020, with two large, complex London sites already acquired, Sanhams new business is backed by alternative investment specialists Mitheridge Capital Management.

Mantra: Work honestly. Be clever. Be kind.

Whats so trailblazing? Shearer trained at Cushman & Wakefield before setting up his own retail investment firm, Sandford Capital. Alongside his property work, he co-founded Semble, an activation agency that delivers community campaigns for companies wanting to deliver on their purpose. Clients include major fast-moving consumer goods brands and a number of leading property firms.Sembles latest project is a corporate funding platform that allows companies to meet community initiatives. The ambition is to transform neighbourhoods from the grassroots up, fuelled with corporate backing.

Mantra: Its important to do the right thing.

Whats so trailblazing? With a strong personal motivation for our everyday heroes to be better served by the housing market, Tsiagbe is the founder of QIQO, a developer and operator of intermediate rented homes for single key workers. QIQOs mission is to ensure that Londons essential workers are able to live within the communities they care for, protect and serve. While QIQOs current geographic focus is on inner London, the need for affordable key worker housing is a common theme in major cities all over the world.

Mantra: A business with a genuine purpose will always strive to meet a genuine need.

Whats so trailblazing? While co-directing Jo Cowen Architects, Wilkinson undertakes a lead role in the concept and technical development of all major projects, with a key interest in MMC and innovative, sustainable technologies. Wilkinson maintains a close relationship with clients and consultants throughout the design process and takes pride in upholding key project concepts from start to finish.He is constantly looking for new and alternative perspectives on development sites, with a focus on providing efficient and commercially viable proposals that achieve the high design standards of the practice.

Mantra: Never stop setting the pace and always deliver the best possible product.

Whats so trailblazing? Wyman took up the strategic director of growth and development role at Manchester City Council in June 2020. She oversees investment and development and has responsibility for planning, housing strategy, work and skills and inclusive growth.Previously, Wyman led the design and inclusive growth agenda at West Midlands Combined Authority and, as director of strategy and engagement at Homes England, was part of the team that established the governments housing agency.Wyman led US and European urban renewal projects and was a member of the London Legacy Development Corporation planning committee with responsibility for developing Londons 2012 Olympic Park.

Mantra: Im passionate about creating healthy, green and inclusive cities.

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Meet the RESI Trailblazers | Insight - Property Week

PARADISE Two years out from tragedy, the reality of obstacles to rebuilding after wildfire is all too clear driving through the town of Paradise.

Where surviving homes still stand, lot after empty lot surrounds them. Where new homes rise again, with hammers and saws heard through the trees, just down the street stands a trailer with few belongings in sight. Inequality that dogged Paradise before the fire is stark bare to the eye as a second winter after the fire closes in.

A countywide report which finally arrived the first week of September pulled no punches scrutinizing the gap in housing for all in Butte County, and the work needed if the town is serious about addressing the overwhelming need for cheaper housing.

There is certainly significant activity for bringing back traditional single family homes. Disaster Recovery Director Katie Simmons said for single family homes, 1,306 permits have been received, and 859 are to be built traditionally, with over 400 manufactured homes. There are 1,168 applications issued with 426 homes either rebuilt or on the way with certificates of occupancy issued.

The towns staff have also been quick to point out multiple outside offers of interest in buying up lots to rebuild and see. Community Development Director Susan Hartman said Thursday its common for companies to buy parcels of between 50 to 100 lots with the plan to build a new home and sell it. And the town does not keep track of how many contracts are for owner occupancy (often a former resident rebuild) or for this future development and sale by an outside company.

Residents who feel pushed out have said they know why the interest is so high. Land is cheap, and money can be made from those who have it and can afford the insurance.

But for those who lost everything and cant get it back, or still cannot make enough to have a hope to stay, the lack of less expensive housing is leading to desperation. Particularly as the economy reels from the pandemics losses, many cannot see room for growth towards a home of their own on the ridge. Those in trailers still tend to be low-income, previous renters or they may be the elderly with health issues, according to Chico State Passages Connections Program Director Shannon Simmons.

We need to be prioritizing low income housing in Chico specifically, she said, to address the increased vulnerability of people with low and fixed income like seniors.

For people on fixed income who have Social Security or disability or minimal retirement, it is literally impossible to even rent in this area, Simmons said. She added for the elderly poor, it can be a choice between living in a permanent home or paying for medication and food. These are some of the towns population still living in trailers, without the funds to recreate the home they had.

The real gap is in affordable multifamily housing or any new multifamily housing at all. There were 265 applications received as of Tuesday, with 216 multifamily unit permits issued and 70 units rebuilt with occupancy. These include the Community Housing Improvement Programs Paradise Community Village, and those rebuilds proposed by a number of other developers totaling 200 units in multifamily projects.

But Hartman said she hasnt had any meetings in the last six months with developers for new multifamily projects.

There are some mobile home parks under reconstruction, most of which were at capacity before the fire, Hartman said. At least half a dozen are working on septic and other underground utility repairs. This could bring some more options to those living in trailers needing a place to stay, but no long term solutions for those needing permanent housing.

The town points to coming grant funding as possible aid for those who cant afford to rebuild or may be forced to move. Simmons said in 2021, the town is receiving grant funds to help improve the building of affordable units. A total of $55 million is to be allocated to the town for use getting multifamily unit projects moving, prioritizing smaller density projects of up to four units.

A six-year pool for owner occupied reconstruction totaling $205 million opens in 2021 for those impacted by federally declared disaster. Permits given to those who are in temporary living situations or most heavily, for those rebuilding a single home with low to middle income below 80% of area median income, who could receive up to $200,000.

Its really for funding unmet needs, looking at those who might have a gap in reconstruction and permanent housing, Simmons said. They identified 60% (of survivors) were uninsured.

We know that most folks living in temporary housing are very interested in rebuilding but many are experiencing financial or time barriers.

The town does currently administer owner occupied reconstruction grant funds, at $25 million total for those who owned property prior to the Camp Fire. There are 88 applicants already with just under 100 interested who havent applied. The pool can assist up to 150 households.

And there are other grants available, like the Rebuild Paradise Foundation using septic grants available to offset permit fees for those who need to pay for their septic restoration to rebuild.

But, Until we start seeing PG&E payouts, we just dont really know how much those are going to amount to, Simmons said, which makes it hard for residents to decide whether funds from those claims will be enough to rebuild.

Hartman said the main next move for community development will not take place until the end of 2021, when the hope is to update the General Plan. using the sewer and traffic circulation studies going on throughout the first half of the year. This update will be vital to even know where to place new housing developments, she said.

Whats the reason why higher density, more affordable housing models cannot move forward more quickly?

Public Works Director Mark Mattox said the towns sewer infrastructure must come first. Development of multifamily housing in particular will not start in earnest until decisions are made on the sewer.

Mattox estimates that once the town commits to a long term option for managing its water, if environmental review of the proposed sewer can begin in December it will take 18 months. So the soonest pipes could be in the ground, allowing for higher density projects like multifamily housing, would be three to five years.

We may not hear from these developers for another year until we have a completed environmental impact report and funding for construction, which would be over $100 million, Mattox added.

Due to the need for this infrastructure to come first, There will continue to be uncertainty in the towns ability to create robust multifamily housing solutions, he added. These are not new issues to the town since before the fire, the lack of a sewer also impeded the ability to create higher density, cheaper housing options.

While the grants are there for multifamily housing, the infrastructure to support it is necessary, Mattox said. The need for a sewer is our reality.

A major town meeting will take place Tuesday to consider the fork in the road decision whether to look at creating a local waste water plant or using a regional extension to the Chico water plant, Mattox said. The town will then have another meeting Dec. 8 to discuss how to move forward on the sewer once everyone has more time to look at all information presented.

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Housing disparity on the ridge persists, future outlook is positive - Chico Enterprise-Record

Short of a few more final battleground state vote counts to drop and a victory speech, it looks like we can start calling Joe Biden the president-elect. The good news is Biden has a great plan for federal action on housing. Enacting Biden-Harris housing policy priorities would improve security for millions of Americans and help reverse the crippling shortage of homes afflicting communities throughout the US.

The bad news is a Republican-controlled Senate will block most, if not all of it.

The Senatean institution inherently designed to allow minority rulehas a long history of obstruction. Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell blockaded almost all of President Barack Obamas agenda when given the chance. The Senate under his leadership rendered hundreds of House proposals DOA, including numerous housing measures. Not to mention stalling pandemic stimulus that would keep Americans securely in their homes as the economic and health crisis deepens.

With the Senate in Republican hands, unless McConnell unexpectedly stops being McConnell and allows bipartisan compromise, Bidens most ambitious housing proposals look destined for demise.

Georgias two Senate runoff elections in January offer an opportunity for Democrats to take back the Senate, but chances are slim. In all likelihood, Senate-driven gridlock will stymie federal progressnot only on housing policy, but also on other paramount issues such as climate changeat least until Democrats get their next shot at the Senate in 2022. Elections matter.

As for near-term action on housing, emergency rental assistance is still a possibility. Contradicting his pre-election position, McConnell now says hell prioritize a COVID stimulus package that includes aid to states when Congress reconvenes next week. No guarantees rental assistance will end up in the bill, but its been a consistent priority for Democrats.

Also, two modest bills that would require cities to account for their needless restrictions on homebuildingthe YIMBY Act and the Build More Housing Near Transit Actstill have a shot at passing (see my take on those proposals).

For at least a decade now, Americans have been grappling with a worsening housing crisis. In some places, stagnant incomes are to blame. In other places awash in high-paying jobs but hamstrung with restrictions on new housing, competition prices out even middle class families.

The federal government has unmatched potential to take on these two core problems. The solution rests on two policy pillars: (1) expand financial support for those who cant afford housing, and (2) impel cities to loosen their rules and allow more homes. Joe Bidens housing plan incorporates both, synthesizing many proposals put forth by his more left-leaning presidential primary challengers. Its a really good plan!

In stark contrast, Trump never had any kind of coherent housing strategy, and spent the final months of his campaign tweeting that low-income housing would destroy suburbiaa dog whistle aimed at undermining both policy pillars.

Here are the five essential elements of Bidens housing plan:

The $20 billion program currently provides vouchers for two million low-income households to help them pay rent, but funding only covers about a fourth of those that qualify. Biden calls for fully funding Section 8 so that everyone eligible gets the assistance they need to pay their rent for a safe home.

(Trump proposed cutting Section 8 funding by 20 percent, raising the tenants rent payment portion from 30 to 35 percent, and adding work requirements for recipients.)

Bidens plan includes renter tax credit similar to the one proposed in Vice President-elect Kamala Harris 2018 Rent Relief Act. With a price tag of $5 billion, its designed to reduce rent and utilities to 30 percent of income for low-income individuals and families who may make too much money to qualify for a Section 8 voucher but still struggle to pay their rent.

The Biden plan would:

(Trumps 2021 budget request proposed to slash HUDs budget by 15 percent, cut public housing operation funds by 21 percent, and eliminate both the Housing Trust Fund and CDBGs.)

Bidens plan commits to:

Modeling on Senator Cory Bookers HOME Act of 2019, the Biden plan would make CDBGs and Transportation Block Grants contingent on cities adopting strategies to get rid of exclusionary zoning laws that stymie construction of new homes. It would also add such reforms as a condition for other funding programs where possible, and offer local planning grants to support the necessary policy changes.

The plan explicitly calls out how overly restrictive zoning laws keep people of color and low-income families out of certain communities, limit affordable housing options, and contribute to urban sprawl and climate pollution.

(In 2019, Trump signed an executive order establishing a council to eliminate federal, state and local barriers that are holding back affordable housing development. But his subsequent tweets and speeches blatantly contradict that intent.)

The spending required for the first three plan actions described above all but rules out passage by a Republican-controlled Senate. And Republican ideology would likely preclude votes for the fourth.

As demonstrated by bipartisan support for the YIMBY Act, some Republicans are working to pass action on housing similar to the fifth element of Bidens plan noted above. However, members on both sides of the aisle are likely to lose their stomach for bills that push too far on federal control over local governments. All told, the most impactful elements of Bidens housing plan are pretty much dead in the water without Democrats in control of the Senate (and House).

If and when Democrats do take back the Senate, another big hurdle remains. The filibuster ensures that most, if not all, of Bidens major housing proposals would need 60 voteshighly improbable under the likely scenario of a slim Democrat majority. To escape that dysfunction, a Democratic majority could end minority rule and eliminate the filibuster once and for all.

New multi-family homes. Photo: Lawcain, Dreamstime.com

With the filibuster still in place, there is a workaround that could enable passage of parts of Bidens plan: budget reconciliation. Increased funding for existing programs can be passed as part of a budget reconciliation bill thats immune to filibuster and therefore only requires a simple majority vote. One of Bidens key proposalsthe plan to quadruple Section 8 fundingis fair game through reconciliation, and likewise boosting the Housing Trust Fund.

To finish my thought experiment, lets assume that after the 2022 election Democrats control the Senate and abolish the filibuster. That would open the door to taking Bidens good ideas for federal action on housing reform even further, on both policy pillars(1) funds for subsidy and (2) leverage for local zoning reform.

On the first pillar, Bidens intention to expand Section 8 vouchers is a good start but falls short because it doesnt make Section 8 a true, permanent entitlement. That means Congress must appropriate new funding every budget cycle, repeatedly putting the program at political risk.

More importantly, it also means that everyone who needs aid isnt necessarily coveredthe massive unemployment caused by the pandemic is a good example of how that could happen. As my colleague Michael Andersen has written, a critical fix for Section 8 is to make benefits an entitlement, like food stamps, automatically available to anyone whose income drops below a set level.

Another problem with Section 8 is most landlords dont accept the vouchers. That makes approved rentals hard to find, plus newly qualifying tenants have to move if their current landlord refuses Section 8. The obvious (but also politically fraught) fix is a federal mandate for universal acceptance of vouchers. Alternatively, a better long-term solution is a complete revamp to a program that gives struggling renters the flexibility and freedom of straight up cash instead of vouchers.

For the second pillar, Bidens embrace of the HOME Act is a solid first step. But its only a small one, because the HOME Act has no prescriptive teeth: cities dont have to loosen restrictions on housing to remain eligible for federal funds, they only have to demonstrate their intentions to do so someday.

To have a meaningful impact, federal laws must have the kind of teeth that spurs widespread local law changes to allow more homes. In a previous article I described the key elements, including funding types, carrots and sticks, and regulatory versus outcome-based compliance.

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortezs A Place to Prosper Act shows one way a prescriptive policy could work. It would deny federal road funding for projects located in a city that mandates off-street parking, requires lot sizes larger than one half acre, or bans multi-unit homes or manufactured homes.

In September, the Urban Institute published a report on how the federal government can help eliminate exclusionary zoning. The authors make an important point to focus on conditioning funds that go to states, because most of the federal dollars received by local jurisdictions flow through states first.

Voters took the first necessary step for federal action on housing policy by ousting Trump. Unfortunately, as long as the Senate remains under Republican control, progress on the bold ideas in Joe Bidens housing plan are unlikely to ever see the light of day.

Any ambitious federal action is now a longer term game.

One option would be for Republicans and Democrats to find some way to compromise across party lines. Yes, the possibility seems remote today. But thats exactly what happened last year with Oregons state-wide legalization of duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes and Californias legalization of up to two cottages on any lot. Republicans, especially in rural areas, crossed party lines to support Democratic pro-housing bills because they felt someone should be allowed to add a home to their property if they want to.

The other option for action on housing is purely partisan. First, Democrats must take back the Senate under a pro-housing president like Biden. Then they must abolish the filibuster.

Congress can then pass the kind of bold legislation the country needs on two fronts: cash assistance for people who need help to pay the rent, and federal guidance to ensure that citiesallow enough homes of all shapes and sizes for us all, no matter our race, income, or where we live.

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Biden-Harris Win Opens Path to Federal Action on Housing - Sightline Institute

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Bryan Miller with ARC Construction frames up what will be a base for a steel column as construction of a new 10,000-square-foot aircraft hanger is underway at the Henderson City-County Airport Thursday, November 5, 2020.(Photo: MIKE LAWRENCE / THE GLEANER)

The start of construction on a 10,000-square-foot hangar at the Henderson City-County Airport was the biggest new building project here in October.

The county codes office issued a permit valued at $667,000 for a 100-by-100-foot hangar that will replace a nearly 60-year-old hangar of the same size.

Airport manager Allen Bennett said a structural engineer had conducted a detailed analysis of the old hangar and determined that it was at or near the end of its useful life.

That left everybody pretty uncomfortable, including the airports insurance company and tenants who rented hangar space, Bennett said.

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The airport secured a $350,000 state grant that is paying for about half of the hangar project. Low bidder ARC Construction Co. of Evansville is the general contractor for the project. Completion is expected in about two months, weather permitting.

The hangar, which will be capable of storing roughly 15 to 20 aircraft, depending on their size, will be one of four large hangars owned by the airport in addition to several privately owned corporate hangars, Bennett said.

The old hangar was disassembled in the spring and will be reassembled at the county Road Department by the recycling center for storing recyclables so that the shed currently being used for that purpose can once again be used for parking Road Department heavy equipment, County Engineer Bill Hubiak said. It will be the latest in a series of projects overseen by Hubiak in which structures judged obsolete for other use have been repurposed for new uses by the county.

In other activity, the county codes office issued permits in October for three new single-family residences outside the city limits with an average construction value of $282,317 (not counting real estate and certain other expenses). The city issued no permits for single-family homes last month.

However, the city codes office issued a $260,000 permit to III C of Kentucky LLC for a multi-family residence at 516 S. Main St. the second of three that are planned there as part of the redevelopment of a former commercial laundry property.

So far this year, the city has issued permits for 14 new single-family homes (with an average construction value of $128,293) while the county has issued permits for 24 new homes (averaging $278,759).

That brings the total number of housing starts so far this year to 38, up from 29 during the same period last year.

The construction value of building permits issued last month by the city totaled $666,423 while county permits totaled $1.6 million for a monthly total of $2.3 million, compared with $3.2 million in October 2019.

The overall value of construction activity authorized by city and county building permits has totaled $42.0 million so far this year, up from $38.8 million during the same period last year.

Two projects account for more than half of all construction value here so far this year: the $18 million permit for construction of the new Jefferson Elementary School behind South Middle School and a $5.3 million permit for the first phase of construction of the Homeplace of Henderson assisted living complex along Green River Road.

Here are the building permits issued here last month:

Demolition, single-family residence: Habitat for Humanity, 715 N. Adams St., $4,000.

Multi-family new construction: III C of Kentucky LLC, 516 S. Main St., $260,000.

Single-family accessory structure: Demetris Marigny, 1412 Washington St., $1,373; Eric Fulkerson, 226 N. Kerry Lane, $45,000; Michael P. Shaw, 10 Center Circle, $6,000; Johnna and Nathan A. Herron, 933 Frontier Dr., $5,000; Barry Sheffer, 716 Mill St., $1,400; and Tony R. II and Tredia S. Cagle, 204 Hallway, $23,500.

Single-family additions: Beth McCormack, 208 Hancock St., $150,000; Judith Matheney, 969 Oakcrest Dr., $13,000; and Baxter E. and Sharon S. Stanton, 1128 N. Main St., $100,000.

Signs: Everybody Fitness, 1321 Second St., $2,500; Americas Car Mart, 2214 U.S. 41-North, $5,000; Tikay Caribbean, 802 Second St., $650; Universal Hospitality LLC, 2820 U.S. 41-North, $15,000; and Ohio Valley National Bank, 1720 Second St., $34,000.

City total: $666,423.

New residences: Michael Rhea, 9395 U.S. 60-East, $262,400; Casey and Traci Thomas, 3503 A.C. Walker Road, $358,550; and Tim and Angie Jackson, 12753 U.S. 41-Alternate, $226,000.

Room additions: Donna Nation, 6304 Cairo-Dixie Road, $42,000; Tim Nunn Sr., 1845 Busby Station Road, $40,000; and Douglas Sword, 10569 U.S. 416, $6,700.

Commercial: Henderson City-County Airport, 2154 Kentucky 136-West, $667,000.

Manufactured homes: Jessica Watson, 5515 Kentucky 416, $18,000; and David Wicker, 3378 Corydon D Fellows Road, $152,000.

Garages/utility buildings: Erin McKee, 9288 Martin-Martin Road, $4,000; Brad Greenwell, 21906 Kentucky 811, $15,000; Greg Fridy, 14171 U.S. 41-South, $15,000; Matt Willhite, 15059 Cheatham-Toy Road, $49,200; and Gary Robinson, 6285 Doubletree Dr., $28,000.

County total: $1,621,450

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New hangar at airport tops new construction in Henderson County - The Gleaner

FREEHOLD, NJ, Nov. 04, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UMH Properties, Inc. (NYSE:UMH) reported Total Income for the quarter ended September 30, 2020 of $43.1 million as compared to $37.3 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2019, representing an increase of 16%. Net Loss Attributable to Common Shareholders amounted to $12.8 million or $0.31 per diluted share for the quarter ended September 30, 2020 as compared to Net Income of $5.6 million or $0.14 per diluted share for the quarter ended September 30, 2019. This decrease was due to the change in fair value of our marketable securities. During the quarter, the securities portfolio experienced an unrealized loss of $6.7 million as compared to an unrealized gain of $9.2 million in the prior year period. In addition, the Company called for redemption of all 3.8 million issued and outstanding shares of its 8.0% Series B Preferred Stock and recognized a preferred share redemption charge of $2.9 million related to the original issuance costs.

Funds from Operations Attributable to Common Shareholders (FFO), was $4.5 million or $0.11 per diluted share for the quarter ended September 30, 2020 as compared to $5.8 million or $0.14 per diluted share for the quarter ended September 30, 2019. This decrease in FFO is due to the redemption charge of $2.9 million on the Series B Preferred Stock. Normalized Funds from Operations Attributable to Common Shareholders (Normalized FFO), was $7.4 million or $0.18 per diluted share for the quarter ended September 30, 2020, as compared to $6.0 million or $0.15 per diluted share for the quarter ended September 30, 2019.

A summary of significant financial information for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019 is as follows (in thousands except per share amounts):

$

(0.31

)

$

0.14

$

(1.10

)

$

0.15

A summary of significant balance sheet information as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019 is as follows (in thousands):

Samuel A. Landy, President and CEO, commented on the results of the third quarter of 2020.

We are pleased to announce another solid quarter of operating results. During the quarter, we:

Mr. Landy further stated, UMH continues to achieve excellent results despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Normalized FFO for the quarter increased to $0.18 per share representing an increase of 20% over the prior year period.

This FFO growth was driven by solid fundamental performance in our core business. Same property occupancy increased 320 basis points to 86.9%. Year over year, we added almost 700 rental homes to our same property portfolio, increasing rental home occupancy to 95.4%. Our improved occupancy paired with reduced expenses resulted in same property NOI growth of 13%. This is the fourth quarter in a row that we have reported double digit same property NOI growth.

Our sales results also contributed to our FFO growth. Sales for the quarter were up 54% generating a net profit of $640,000 for the quarter. We continue to experience pent up sales demand.

UMH also had a busy quarter on the acquisition front. During the quarter, we closed on the acquisition of two communities containing 310 homesites, with a weighted average occupancy rate of 64%, for approximately $7.8 million. These communities are located in markets where we have experienced excellent demand for both sales and rental units. We anticipate strong returns at these value-add communities as we are able to execute on our long-term business plan.

Most importantly, we pioneered two loan products which will allow us to reduce our cost of capital going forward. We closed on the financing of some of our free and clear communities generating proceeds of $106 million at an interest rate of 2.62%. These communities did not previously qualify for GSE financing because of their rental home percentages. The access to low cost debt on properties with significant percentages of rental homes solidifies our business plan. Subsequent to quarter end, we used a portion of this capital to redeem our $95 million of Series B 8% Preferred stock. This redemption will generate over $5 million, or approximately $0.12 per share, of additional FFO annually.

We also entered into a line of credit utilizing our rental homes and the income derived from them as collateral. The rate on this line is WSJ prime + 25 basis points. Access to low cost debt on rental homes previously did not exist.

UMH continues to make strides in all aspects of our business plan. We are pleased that we covered our $0.18 dividend purely on our current operations. The successes that we have had on the financing front will further improve our FFO metrics in 2021.

UMH Properties, Inc. will host its Third Quarter 2020 Financial Results Webcast and Conference Callon Thursday, November 5, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time.Senior management will discuss the results, current market conditions and future outlook on the call.

The Companys 2020 third quarter financial results being released herein will be available on the Companys website at http://www.umh.reit in the Financial Information and Filings section.

To participate in thewebcast,select the microphone icon found on the homepagewww.umh.reitto access the call.Interested parties can also participate via conference callby calling toll free 877-513-1898 (domestically) or 412-902-4147 (internationally).

The replay of the conference call will be available at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, November 5, 2020. It will be available until February 1, 2021 and can be accessed by dialing toll free 877-344-7529 (domestically) and 412-317-0088 (internationally) and entering the passcode 10147928. A transcript of the call and the webcast replay will be available at the Company's website,www.umh.reit.

UMH Properties, Inc., which was organized in 1968, is a public equity REIT that owns and operates 124 manufactured home communities containing approximately 23,400 developed homesites. These communities are located in New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Indiana, Michigan and Maryland. In addition, the Company owns a portfolio of REIT securities.

Certain statements included in this press release which are not historical facts may be deemed forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any such forward-looking statements are based on the Companys current expectations and involve various risks and uncertainties. Although the Company believes the expectations reflected in any forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, the Company can provide no assurance those expectations will be achieved. The risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from expectations are contained in the Companys annual report on Form 10-K and described from time to time in the Companys other filings with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Note:

(1) Non-GAAP Information: We assess and measure our overall operating results based upon an industry performance measure referred to as Funds from Operations Attributable to Common Shareholders (FFO), which management believes is a useful indicator of our operating performance. FFO is used by industry analysts and investors as a supplemental operating performance measure of a REIT. FFO, as defined by The National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT), represents net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders, as defined by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP), excluding extraordinary items, as defined under U.S. GAAP, gains or losses from sales of previously depreciated real estate assets, impairment charges related to depreciable real estate assets, and the change in the fair value of marketable securities plus certain non-cash items such as real estate asset depreciation and amortization. Included in the NAREIT FFO White Paper - 2018 Restatement, is an option pertaining to assets incidental to our main business in the calculation of NAREIT FFO to make an election to include or exclude gains and losses on the sale of these assets, such as marketable equity securities and include or exclude mark-to-market changes in the value recognized on these marketable equity securities.In conjunction with the adoption of the FFO White Paper - 2018 Restatement, for all periods presented, we have elected to exclude the change in the fair value of marketable securities from our FFO calculation.Prior to the adoption of the FFO White Paper 2018 Restatement, we utilized Core Funds from Operations (Core FFO), which we defined as FFO, excluding the change in the fair value of marketable securities. NAREIT created FFO as a non-U.S. GAAP supplemental measure of REIT operating performance. We define Normalized Funds from Operations Attributable to Common Shareholders (Normalized FFO), as FFO, excluding gains and losses realized on marketable securities investments and certain one-time charges. FFO and Normalized FFO should be considered as supplemental measures of operating performance used by REITs. FFO and Normalized FFO exclude historical cost depreciation as an expense and may facilitate the comparison of REITs which have a different cost basis. However, other REITs may use different methodologies to calculate FFO and Normalized FFO and, accordingly, our FFO and Normalized FFO may not be comparable to all other REITs. The items excluded from FFO and Normalized FFO are significant components in understanding the Companys financial performance.

FFO and Normalized FFO (i) do not represent Cash Flow from Operations as defined by U.S. GAAP; (ii) should not be considered as alternatives to net income (loss) as a measure of operating performance or to cash flows from operating, investing and financing activities; and (iii) are not alternatives to cash flow as a measure of liquidity.

The reconciliation of the Companys U.S. GAAP net loss to the Companys FFO and Normalized FFO for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019 are calculated as follows (in thousands except footnotes):

The diluted weighted shares outstanding used in the calculation of FFO per Diluted Common Share and Normalized FFO per Diluted Common Share were 41.8 million and 41.6 million shares for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, respectively, and 40.8 million and 39.8 million shares for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively. Common stock equivalents resulting from stock options in the amount of 426,000 and 348,000 shares for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, respectively, and 240,000 and 238,000 shares for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively, are included in the diluted weighted shares outstanding. Common stock equivalents for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 were excluded from the computation of the Diluted Net Income (Loss) per Share as their effect would be anti-dilutive.

The following are the cash flows provided (used) by operating, investing and financing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019 (in thousands):

(2) Represents change in unrealized gain (loss) in marketable securities which is included in the Consolidated Statements of Income (Loss). (Increase) Decrease in Fair Value of Marketable Securities, if any, were previously recorded in Core FFO.

(3) Consists of utility billing dispute over a prior 10-year period ($376,000), emergency windstorm tree removal expenses in two adjacent communities ($126,000) and costs associated with acquisitions not completed ($80,00) in 2019.

# # # #

Contact: Nelli Madden732-577-9997UMH PROPERTIES, INC.Juniper Business Plaza3499 Route 9 North, Suite 3-CFreehold, NJ 07728(732) 577-9997Fax: (732) 577-9980

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UMH PROPERTIES, INC. REPORTS RESULTS FOR THE THIRD QUARTER ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 - GlobeNewswire