Our office burned down last Tuesday. The little green and white rented bungalow along Route 99 was filled with art, houseplants, laughter, and sometimes tears. It was a meeting place for Latinx youth to have coffee and organize climate justice events in their community. We built folding desks so we could fill the space with volunteers while campaigning against the fracked gas pipeline a Canadian company is trying to ram through Oregons forests. Now those walls and desks are all rubble, still hot to the touch.

As part of Rogue Climate, a local climate justice organization with an office in Phoenix, Oregon, weve fought for years not just against fossil fuel projects changing our climate but also to demand justice for those in our community most affected by that warming: Latinx essential workers and their families facing hazardous working conditions and Covid-19, low-income rural residents plagued by rolling blackouts, and tribal members watching the salmon runs vital to their diet and culture dwindle in warming rivers.

On Tuesday, the Almeda fire raging through Southern Oregon took out the very base weve used for those fights. Many of our staff and volunteers have been evacuated; some have lost their homes. In the past few days, weve been out on the streets in the thick, gray smoke, getting food, water, cell phone chargers, hand sanitizer, tents, and blankets to people who have lost everything they owned.

Climate change has doubled the number of fires in the West in one generation: Even if the Almeda fire was started by a human, it was fanned by the exceptionally hot, dry, and windy conditions that climate change is producing. Scientists have known about the link for decades. The Environmental Protection Agency warned Congress in 1989 that the incidence of catastrophic wildfires will increase in U.S. forests with higher temperatures.

1989 was 31 years ago, before either of us was born. And yet our government has done almost nothing to stop the pollution warming the world and fueling the fires. The fracking and drilling has continued. The CEO of Pembina, the company that wants to run an explosive fracked gas pipeline through our home to the Jordan Cove LNG export terminal, emitting nearly 40 million tons of carbon dioxide a year, took home $7 million in 2018. In contrast, the median household income in Phoenix is $41,753 a year. In nearby Talent, it is $33,244. The fire ran through both towns along Route 99, torching apartment buildings, mobile and manufactured homes. Thousands are unhoused. Two are dead.

See more here:
We Work in Climate Justice. Our Office Burned Down, Thanks to Climate Change. - The New Republic

Amid a series of established Democratic endorsements, Drake Buckmans voice lifts as he talks about a lesser known group. He landed the support of the Federation of Manufactured Home Owners of Florida.

Its an organization that represents people who live in manufactured homes in the parks , and we have hundreds of them here, he said. They are an integral part of the community.

The Sarasota Democrat hopes that type of endorsement makes a difference as he runs against Republican Fiona McFarland in House District 72.

Hes unrolling endorsements as he fights for attention on what could be one of Floridas tightest House races. Hes lined up many of the usual suspects in Democratic politics: Planned Parenthood, the Sierra Club and the Sarasota County Jewish Caucus. But he still faces a level of skepticism among forecasters and pundits on whether he has the raw resources to defend the seat.

The jurisdiction is one of the places where Democrats find themselves on defense this cycle, though thats not a complete surprise.

Democrat Margaret Good represents the district now, having flipped the seat in a 2018 Special Election and defended it in the last General Election. But that last race came down to fewer than 1,200 votes between her and Republican Ray Pilon. Both her House campaigns cost more than half a million dollars, reportedly one of the reasons she decided this year to run for Congress.

But Buckman believes he can compete for far less.

I dont know why you need a quarter of a million to win this race, he said. I say this as someone who has been in business here. I have met payroll. I have met budgets. I understand this district. I dont know why you need more than $100,000 to win this election.

McFarland, meanwhile, spent more than $200,000 during the Republican primary, and eked a win by just 266 votes out of 17,779 cast. For the moment, she lags Buckman in cash on hand, but shes raised $254,713 in total to Buckmans $82,295.

A strong fundraising period for McFarland post-primary prompted national forecaster CNalysis this weekend to shift the race to tilt Republican instead of tossup when it put the entire state House in the Safe Republican column. Indeed, the district is the only House jurisdiction in the state in which that forecaster predicts a change in party control; several other districts are still marked tossup.

But Buckman still feels confident. Hes been in regular communication with Florida House Victory, he said, and would welcome greater state investment. But mostly he feels confident he has more individual contributors from within the district.

Hes had 728 donors to McFarlands 543, with his average donation at $121 to her $518. Three of the Democrats donations come through political committees while 18 of the Republicans checks are listed from PACs. And 621 of Buckmans donations originate from Florida addresses while just 270 of McFarlands do the same.

He dismisses institutional support shes receiving, including a recent shout out by the Presidents son.

I dont think Donald Trump, Jr. is registered here, he said. To me, thats an endorsement from one New York Republican who doesnt live in the district to another New York Republican who doesnt live in the district.

Notably, McFarland was criticized in the primary for renting an apartment in House District 72 but owning property in neighboring Manatee County, though she stressed at the time shes living in Sarasota.

Regardless, Buckman plans in November to prove any cynics wrong.

We are going to win, he said.

Read the original here:
Can Drake Buckman win HD 72 on the cheap? - Florida Politics

Global Manufactured Housing Market Report from AMA Research highlights deep analysis on market characteristics, sizing, estimates and growth by segmentation, regional breakdowns& country along with competitive landscape, players market shares, and strategies that are key in the market. The exploration provides a 360 view and insights, highlighting major outcomes of the industry. These insights help the business decision-makers to formulate better business plans and make informed decisions to improved profitability. In addition, the study helps venture or private players in understanding the companies in more detail to make better informed decisions.

Major Players in This Report Include,

Nobility Homes, Inc. (United States),Cavco Industries, Inc. (United States),Champion Home Builders Inc. (United States),Palm Harbor Homes, Inc. (United States) ,Fleetwood Homes, Inc. (United States) ,Jacobsen Manufacturing Inc. (United States)

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

Definition:

The manufactured housing is commonly known as mobile homes in the United States. It is a type of prefabricated housing that is largely assembled in factories and then transported to sites of use. The affordability of manufactured housing is owing to the e

On 5 Jan 2018, Skyline Corporation and Champion Enterprises Holdings, LLC, the parent company of Champion Home Builders, Inc., have announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement for the two companies to combine their operations.

Market Drivers

Technological advancements in Manufactured Housing

Rising Popularity of House Ownership at Low Cost

Market Trend

Rising Popularity of Energy Efficient Manufactured Housing

Market Restraints:

Lack of Customer Confidence over Manufactured Housing

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

Global Manufactured Housing Market Report offers a detailed overview of this market and discusses the dominant factors affecting the growth of the market. The impact of Porters five armies on the market over the next few years has been discussed for a long time in this study. We will also forecast global market size and market outlook over the next few years.

Types of Products, Applications and Global Manufactured Housing Market Report Geographical Scope taken as the Main Parameter for Market Analysis. This Research Report Conducts an assessment of the industry chain supporting this market. It also provides accurate information on various aspects of this market, such as production capacity, available production capacity utilization, industrial policies affecting the manufacturing chain and market growth.

Enquire for customization in Report @: https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/enquiry-before-buy/5820-global-and-north-america-manufactured-housing-market

In this research study, the prime factors that are impelling the growth of the Global Manufactured Housing market report have been studied thoroughly in a bid to estimate the overall value and the size of this market by the end of the forecast period. The impact of the driving forces, limitations, challenges, and opportunities has been examined extensively. The key trends that manage the interest of the customers have also been interpreted accurately for the benefit of the readers.

The Manufactured Housing market study is being classified by Type, Applications and major geographies with country level break-up that includes South America (Brazil, Argentina, Rest of South America), Asia Pacific (China, Japan, India, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, Rest of Asia-Pacific), Europe (Germany, France, Italy, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Rest of Europe), MEA (Middle East, Africa), North America (United States, Canada, Mexico).

The report concludes with in-depth details on the business operations and financial structure of leading vendors in the Global Manufactured Housing market report, Overview of Key trends in the past and present are in reports that are reported to be beneficial for companies looking for venture businesses in this market. Information about the various marketing channels and well-known distributors in this market was also provided here. This study serves as a rich guide for established players and new players in this market.

Get More Information: https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/reports/5820-global-and-north-america-manufactured-housing-market

Current Scenario Analysis for Decision Framework

Key Strategic Developments in Manufactured Housing Market:

The research includes the key strategic activities such as Research & Development (R&D) initiatives, Merger & Acquisition (M&A) completed, agreements, new launches, collaborations, partnerships & (JV) Joint ventures, and regional growth of the key competitors operating in the market at global and regional scale to overcome current slowdown due to COVID-19.

Key Market Features in Global Manufactured Housing Market

The report highlights Manufactured Housing market features, including revenue size, weighted average regional price, capacity utilization rate, production rate, gross margins, consumption, import & export, demand & supply, cost bench-marking in Manufactured Housing market share and annualized growth rate (Y-o-Y) and Periodic CAGR.

Extracts from Table of Contents

Global Manufactured Housing Market Research Report

Chapter 1 Global Manufactured Housing Market Overview

Chapter 2 Global Economic Impact on Industry

Chapter 3 Global Market Competition by Manufacturers

Chapter 4 Global Revenue (Value, Volume*) by Region

Chapter 5 Global Supplies (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Regions

Chapter 6 Global Revenue (Value, Volume*), Price* Trend by Type

Chapter 7 Global Market Analysis by Application

.continued

This report also analyzes the regulatory framework of the Global Markets Manufactured Housing Market Report to inform stakeholders about the various norms, regulations, this can have an impact. It also collects in-depth information from the detailed primary and secondary research techniques analyzed using the most efficient analysis tools. Based on the statistics gained from this systematic study, market research provides estimates for market participants and readers.

About Author:

Advance Market Analytics is Global leaders of Market Research Industry provides the quantified B2B research to Fortune 500 companies on high growth emerging opportunities which will impact more than 80% of worldwide companies revenues.

Our Analyst is tracking high growth study with detailed statistical and in-depth analysis of market trends & dynamics that provide a complete overview of the industry. We follow an extensive research methodology coupled with critical insights related industry factors and market forces to generate the best value for our clients. We Provides reliable primary and secondary data sources, our analysts and consultants derive informative and usable data suited for our clients business needs. The research study enable clients to meet varied market objectives a from global footprint expansion to supply chain optimization and from competitor profiling to M&As.

Contact US:

Craig Francis (PR & Marketing Manager)

AMA Research & Media LLP

Unit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJ

New Jersey USA 08837

Phone: +1 (206) 317 1218

[emailprotected]

Connect with us athttps://www.linkedin.com/company/advance-market-analyticshttps://www.facebook.com/AMA-Research-Media-LLP-344722399585916https://twitter.com/amareport

See original here:
Manufactured Housing Market is set to Experience a Revolutionary growth by 2027 | Current Impact Unlocks new opportunities - The Daily Chronicle

Jannie Ledard was home when police knocked at the door Tuesday morning.

Get out as quickly as possible, they told her.

Outside, dark clouds gathered in the distance. The sky was turning black.

Ledard, 82, rushed out, leaving everything behind.

It came like a huge wave, she said, sitting in front of the charred remains of her home of 10 years.

Within hours, everything Ledard owned was reduced to ash.

The ferocious Almeda fire, fueled by strong winds, sped north from Ashland and within hours decimated the small Jackson County communities of Talent and Phoenix, which lie just a few miles apart along Oregon 99 between Ashland and Medford.

The power remains out in both towns. Drinking water is shut off. They are effectively shut down.

Officials in Phoenix estimate the fire torched 1,000 residences, a mix of mobile or manufactured homes, apartments and homes. To the south in Talent, city leaders figure as many as 600 homes were lost.

In all, leaders say more than 2,000 residents, many of them elderly and low-income, lost their homes this week.

Rich Tyler of the Oregon State Fire Marshals Office confirmed Thursday evening two people had died from the Almeda fire one body was found Wednesday morning and one Wednesday evening. He said both deaths are under investigation.

We have no word on casualties, said Sandra Spelliscy, Talent city manager. We are just starting to get calls about I am worried about my mom, I havent heard from her. I suspect because of the severity of the fire and how quickly it moved that we are going to find that we lost some folks.

Swaths of the two towns, which combined have a population of about 11,000, were burned beyond recognition.

The fire started late Tuesday morning in Ashland and whipped north following Bear Creek. Manufactured home parks along or near the creek were hit particularly hard.

Where whole neighborhoods once stood, only gray ash remains.

It reminds me of the time I spent in Iraq, said Phoenix City Manager Eric Swanson, a U.S. Air Force veteran.

The fire left a haphazard trail of damage. Some streets and neighborhoods sit untouched. Others disintegrated to piles of ash.

Phoenix Mayor Chris Luz said his house remains standing.

The home next to mine is gone, he said. The 22 homes next to that are gone as well and when I say gone, I mean burned to the ground.

Swanson said the extent of the loss is incalculable.

People not only had possessions ... they had memories, life experiences, families, those kinds of things that were attached to these places, he said.

Dozens of businesses, many of them mom-and-pop places, like barber shops and taverns, were destroyed.

On a drive along Oregon 99, the artery that forms the commercial heart of both towns, Luz pulled over in front of Pucks Donuts. The shop was gone, its cheerful pastel-colored sign the only thing left.

This is the best donut shop in the county, Luz said. Its a place where people gather and have coffee and donuts.

Acres of land are now covered in charred remnants of entire neighborhoods. Cars were melted into the streets. Burned frames of stoves and washing machines marked the spots where kitchens and laundry rooms once stood. Lawn ornaments, like small stone Buddhas and frogs, were all that remained of front lawns and backyard gardens.

Peggy Raymond, 67, returned Thursday to Bear Lake Estates, the manufactured home park she called home for two decades.

Its totally leveled, she said, her hands still shaking from the sight.

She was at Harry & David, where she works as a fruit packer, when the fire broke out and couldnt get home in time to save her beloved dogs, Fritz and Cuddles.

She lost everything, she said. Her only possessions left: the clothes she had on when she left for work Tuesday and her car.

A week and a half ago, she canceled her home insurance because she could no longer afford it.

I have absolutely nothing, she said.

Acrid air still hung heavy across the region as wildfires continued to burn in Northern California and in southern Oregon.

Statewide, an unprecedented rash of wildfires has burned nearly 900,000 acres and prompted widespread evacuations.

About 3,000 firefighters are working the blazes, which stretch from southern Oregon to Clackamas County. Tens of thousands of Oregon residents have been forced to flee their homes. The five largest fires are each 5% contained or less.

An arson investigation is underway where human remains were found, the Ashland police chief said Thursday.

Ledard also returned Thursday to the spot where her home once stood. She sat down as her granddaughter, Eavy Barbieux, 23, carefully sifted through the fine ash for traces of her grandmothers belongings.

Her hands gloved, Barbieux reclaimed a single earring, a mug her brother made, two cast-iron skillets and a dish the color of daffodils ordinary household items that now seem like small treasures.

Thats all that was left.

We had five minutes to pack, her grandmother said, looking on, so we didnt pack anything.

Jayati Ramakrishnan of The Oregonian/OregonLive contributed to this report.

Originally posted here:
Southern Oregon wildfires wipe out entire neighborhoods in Phoenix and Talent - Ontario Argus Observer

Global Manufactured Housing Market: Overview

Manufactured housing is a type of readymade housing solution that involves assembly in factories and then transport to sites of use. It is noteworthy here that more and more people are opting for these homes over traditional ones because of lesser manufacturing costs, huge savings on time spent in moving in and easy financing available to these homes as compared to traditional homes.House prices rose by 5% in the Euro area (EA19) and by 5.5% in the first quarter of 2020 compared with the same quarter of the previous year. Since traditional housing options are growing increasingly expensive, innovations such as manufactured housing will stand out in the near future. Transparency Market Research projects a sturdy growth rate for the global manufactured housing market over the period of 2020 to 2030.

Request A Sample Copy Of The Report https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=78430

The manufactured housing market is consolidated on a regional level owing to presence of a small number of manufacturers in mostly developed regions of the world. Top-tier players operating in global manufactured housing market are listed below:

These manufacturers are expected to grow and expand into the current global scenario which is drawing away from traditional, handmade housing and is ready to accept these cheaper and more viable housing options. To tap into these opportunities, players are opting for measures that fall across multiple points of the organic and inorganic continuum.

In North American manufactured housing market, the United States of America holds a lions share, whereas Canada features lower in the demand for readymade housing. Market growth in the country is brought about by presence of many top players, who hold significant positions in the market, both local and global.It is pertinent to note here that Canada has not spent much on housing construction in the recent past; hence the manufactured housing market in the country is expected to struggle for growth. However, a recovery is projected in the future, owing to the relaxed immigration policies of Canada leading to the influx of a large number of foreign migrants looking for cheap homes.

The Asia Pacific region yet projects sluggish growth due to a conservative outlook towards housing and an attachment to old, traditional family residential spaces. Also, since space is at a premium in these regions, high rise apartments are due to find more acceptance than manufactured houses. However, with growing adoption, even if in other countries, would emerge growing trust, leading to growth in the regional market.

This study by TMR is all-encompassing framework of the dynamics of the market. It mainly comprises critical assessment of consumers or customers journeys, current and emerging avenues, and strategic framework to enable CXOs take effective decisions.

Request For Covid19 Impact Analysis https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=covid19&rep_id=78430

Our key underpinning is the 4-Quadrant Framework EIRS that offers detailed visualization of four elements:

The study strives to evaluate the current and future growth prospects, untapped avenues, factors shaping their revenue potential, and demand and consumption patterns in the global market by breaking it into region-wise assessment.

The following regional segments are covered comprehensively:

The EIRS quadrant framework in the report sums up our wide spectrum of data-driven research and advisory for CXOs to help them make better decisions for their businesses and stay as leaders.

Below is a snapshot of these quadrants.

1. Customer Experience Map

The study offers an in-depth assessment of various customers journeys pertinent to the market and its segments. It offers various customer impressions about the products and service use. The analysis takes a closer look at their pain points and fears across various customer touchpoints. The consultation and business intelligence solutions will help interested stakeholders, including CXOs, define customer experience maps tailored to their needs. This will help them aim at boosting customer engagement with their brands.

2. Insights and Tools

The various insights in the study are based on elaborate cycles of primary and secondary research the analysts engage with during the course of research. The analysts and expert advisors at TMR adopt industry-wide, quantitative customer insights tools and market projection methodologies to arrive at results, which makes them reliable. The study not just offers estimations and projections, but also an uncluttered evaluation of these figures on the market dynamics. These insights merge data-driven research framework with qualitative consultations for business owners, CXOs, policy makers, and investors. The insights will also help their customers overcome their fears.

3. Actionable Results

The findings presented in this study by TMR are an indispensable guide for meeting all business priorities, including mission-critical ones. The results when implemented have shown tangible benefits to business stakeholders and industry entities to boost their performance. The results are tailored to fit the individual strategic framework. The study also illustrates some of the recent case studies on solving various problems by companies they faced in their consolidation journey.

4. Strategic Frameworks

The study equips businesses and anyone interested in the market to frame broad strategic frameworks. This has become more important than ever, given the current uncertainty due to COVID-19. The study deliberates on consultations to overcome various such past disruptions and foresees new ones to boost the preparedness. The frameworks help businesses plan their strategic alignments for recovery from such disruptive trends. Further, analysts at TMR helps you break down the complex scenario and bring resiliency in uncertain times.

Related Reports Press-Release https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sake-brewery-industry-to-play-a-positive-role-in-cubitainers-market-growth-from-2020-to-2028-transparency-market-research-301104740.html

Related Reports Press-Release https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/penetration-of-advanced-technologies-to-bring-a-paradigm-shift-in-growth-of-warranty-management-system-market-north-america-to-add-numerous-feathers-of-growth-opines-tmr-301110185.html

The report sheds light on various aspects and answers pertinent questions on the market. Some of the important ones are:

1. What can be the best investment choices for venturing into new product and service lines?

2. What value propositions should businesses aim at while making new research and development funding?

3. Which regulations will be most helpful for stakeholders to boost their supply chain network?

4. Which regions might see the demand maturing in certain segments in near future?

5. What are the some of the best cost optimization strategies with vendors that some well-entrenched players have gained success with?

6. Which are the key perspectives that the C-suite are leveraging to move businesses to new growth trajectory?

7. Which government regulations might challenge the status of key regional markets?

8. How will the emerging political and economic scenario affect opportunities in key growth areas?

9. What are some of the value-grab opportunities in various segments?

10. What will be the barrier to entry for new players in the market?

Go here to see the original:
Manufactured Housing Market 2027 Industry Trend and Demands Research Report By Industry Expert - thedailychronicle.in

Residents in the Twin Cities east metro area enduring toxic forever chemicals polluting their water could eventually get access to municipal water supplies, high-tech filters or even new water treatment plants.

These solutions are part of a new $700 million drinking water protection plan Minnesota officials unveiled Thursday aimed at providing longer-term relief in an area where bottled water is a way of life for some residents.

The plan offers three options for removing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from the water coming out of faucets in Washington County. They involve hooking homes up to municipal water supplies, digging new wells, building treatment plants and installing granular activated carbon filters.

The plan still isnt final its open for a 45-day comment period but its a major milestone in the $850 million settlement Minnesota reached with 3M Co. in 2018 over the man-made chemicals.

3M manufactured the original PFAS chemicals at its plant in Cottage Grove for years, and dumped PFAS-laced waste in four landfills around the county. Thats the main source of a growing plume of contaminated groundwater covering a 150-square-mile area. The pollutants dont break down in the environment and have affected the drinking water supplies for nearly 200,000 residents.

Some types of PFAS have been linked to serious diseases and reproductive problems.

Cottage Grove resident Myron Bailey issued a statement saying the city finally has a long-term solution.

Today is a day for our city to celebrate, he said.

Bailey said city leaders strongly support Option 2, but also support Option 1. In both options, groundwater, as opposed to surface waters such as the Mississippi River or St. Croix River, remains the drinking water source.

Option 1 is the preferred choice of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the state agencies that produced the plan and who control the settlement money.

That option focuses on treating water to a threshold that is more protective than the states safety threshold for PFAS, a health index of 1 based on the concentration of the substances in the water. Water readings above that trigger a health advisory. Option 1 would lower the PFAS in affected drinking water to a health index of 0.5.

Wells with readings below that threshold wouldnt be eligible for treatment or a replacement hookup to a municipal supply. In those cases, the cost for any treatment would fall on the homeowner.

Option 1 funds the operation and maintenance of public water systems in the contaminated zone for about 40 years, funds granular activated carbon filters for 236 private wells for 100 years, and provides 2,062 homes with new connections to municipal water supplies.

Option 2 would treat for PFAS to an even more protective level of 0.3 meaning more water would be eligible for treatment but would have to cut back on other things, such as the number of years public water systems could be funded.

Its trade-offs, said MPCA Assistant Commissioner Kirk Koudelka.

State health officials have long maintained that they havent seen a pattern of health effects from the PFAS in the east metro drinking water. In a media presentation Thursday, Jim Kelly, manager of the environmental health division at the Minnesota Department of Health, reiterated that.

We dont see anything unusual that we can tie definitely to exposure to these chemicals, Kelly said.

Kelly noted that the study of PFAS is relatively new.

Option 1 also sets aside $38 million for future contingencies, the most of the three options. Those include the plume of contaminated groundwater shifting, or deciding that more types of PFAS in the water require a health safety limit and controls.

The extra security is one reason that Cottage Grove resident Dave Schulenberg backs Option 1.

We dont know what the full outcome of this PFAS contamination is going to be, Schulenberg said in an interview. There needs to be some money set aside for that what-if in 20, 30, 40 years.

Schulenberg, executive director of the Minnesota Water Well Association, worked on the Citizen and Business Group, one of three work groups that met monthly for two years helping shape the plan.

Bob Fossum, a watershed district project manager who lives in Lake Elmo and who also worked on the Citizen and Business Group, said he hasnt yet decided which option is best. He called it an insanely complicated issue.

Its been a long process with a lot of complicated analysis and evaluation of the various trade-offs, Fossum said. Its the one shot we have at getting this problem dealt with. Theres not going to be another $750 million after this is gone.

The MPCA and DNR will be holding four virtual public information meetings on the plan scheduled for Sept. 22 and Sept. 23. from 3-5 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. each day. More information can be found at: 3msettlement.state.mn.us/DrinkingWaterSupply.

Read the original:
$700 million plan unveiled to deal with 'forever chemicals' in east metro drinking water - Minneapolis Star Tribune

Manufactured Homes and Mobile Homes Market: Overview

The drive for Manufactured Homes and Mobile Homes market stems from the traction that affordable homes have gathered in worldwide populations. The growing popularity of prefabricated homes is a key trend that has bolstered the expansion of the Manufactured Homes and Mobile Homes market. Manufactured, modular, and mobile homes all are different terms, technically. The key differentiating parameters are design and construction; body and frame requirements; thermal protection; plumbing and electrical fire safety; and energy efficiency.

The contours of the global manufactured homes, modular homes, and mobile market has witnessed the rise of site-built homes that are made to comply to regional, local, and national regulations and building codes. One such code is Federal Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act in the U.S. Key application areas are commercial and residential sectors.

The drive for affordable housing for people who need to move frequently has propelled the demand of manufactured and mobile homes. The increasing trend of making modular and manufactured homes customized has spurred growth in the Manufactured Homes and Mobile Homes market. Modular homes are especially attractive due to the fact that they produce less waste since they are made in climate controlled home building facilities. The key advantages underpinning the popularity are energy savings, shorter build times, and robust build.

Advances being made in safety standards are boosting the growth potential for businesses in the Manufactured Homes and Mobile Homes market. These homes also reduce weather-related delays.

Are you a start-up willing to make it big in business?Grab an exclusive PDF Brochure for this report

Companies in the Manufactured Homes and Mobile Homes market are aiming to offer home buyers a mix of site-built and off-site homes. Most players are expected to gain a foothold by adopting state-of-the-art design and home building technologies. Several players are fervently meeting the needs of strength and durability of manufactured homes by using quality materials. Top players are cautious of meeting all local and regional housing building codes. They are employing trained craftsmen also.

Several players in the Manufactured Homes and Mobile Homes market are attracting prospective dwellers with cost-efficient solutions. They are keen on ensuring that all stages of offs-site building process is closely monitored. Top players are leveraging their technical expertise to customize the homes to meet the changing demands of consumers, particularly in relation to flooring, cabinetry, and exterior finish.

Read the rest here:
Impact Of Covid-19 Outbreak On Manufactured Homes and Mobile Homes Market - Bulletin Line

Is it unrealistic, in the shortening days of a divisive election year, to expect the two parties to take time out of their packed schedules to address the affordable housing crisis? Perhaps, but there has already been progress toward action on housing in 2020.

For example, the Yes In My Backyard (YIMBY) Act (H.R. 4351), introduced by Reps. Denny HeckDennis (Denny) Lynn HeckExclusive: Guccifer 2.0 hacked memos expand on Pennsylvania House races Heck enjoys second political wind Incoming lawmaker feeling a bit overwhelmed MORE (D-Wash.) and Trey HollingsworthJoseph (Trey) Albert HollingsworthWill Congress make a significant move on housing affordability? Overnight Health Care: Trump pressure on health agencies risks undermining public trust | Top FDA spokeswoman ousted after 11 days OVERNIGHT ENERGY: 21 states sue White House over rollback of bedrock environmental law | Administration faces rough week in court | Trump hits Biden on climate at convention MORE (R-Ind.), passed the House by a voice vote in March. Senate consideration of the bill, or a serious effort by that chamber to constructively address artificially high housing costs, would send a message of unified congressional support for urgently needed investment in Americas housing stock.

There is a growing left-right consensus on housing affordability: Overregulation is the chief barrier to affordable, unsubsidized housing within reach of working families. Protecting the right to build on ones own land is the solution, and could help get us to the point where direct government assistance is only needed by families with little or no income.

Congress, of course, has neither the desire nor the authority to take over local zoning powers. But Washington has long influenced housing market regulation in many ways, through innovation, vocal leadership and financial incentives. The Department of Commercepromoted restrictive zoningaround the country in 1924. Theearly Federal Housing Administration subsidized low-density regulationsthat favored expensive suburban-style planning (not to mention imposing strict racial segregation).

Today, Congress should take leadership to promote more worthy ideals and elevate best practices from around the country. Local leaders should see clearly that their national representatives are on the side of inclusive, market-led housing construction. Such an effort will require more two-way communication with federally-funded cities, which must use federal grants responsibly. Given the central role of zoning in local policy, communities receiving Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funds must at least take stock of their regulatory apparatus (as the YIMBY Act would require).

Each party now appears to recognize a vital ideal more commonly associated with the other side. For Democrats, this means affirming the leading role of markets in delivering housing affordability. They can draw inspiration from the Austin suburbs, where legal scholarRobert Ellickson foundthat the majority of developable tracts are zoned to allow small-lot single family houses or multifamily homes. Those local choices open opportunities to Texans of diverse income levels and facilitate integration as the Austin economy booms.

Republicans, for their part, have too often ignored housing policy altogether. They are beginning to take a symbolic stand on the content of local decisions and let locally elected Republicans know that there are some things that blue cities get right. Buffalo, New York, for example,facilitated reinvestmentin its time-worn downtown byremoving parking minimumsand making it simpler to repurpose old buildings. That policy innovation wouldbe applicableto commercial spaces left vacant by the current recession.

The YIMBY Act does go beyond expressing the sense of Congress that inclusive, market-led housing investment is good for America. The language of the bill requires each HUD grantee which includes all cities of at least 50,000 people, plus some counties and smaller cities to report on whether or not they have adopted each of 22 policies, such as allowing manufactured housing and reducing parking minimums. The new requirement is likely to be grafted into anexisting online portal. Municipalities can also report that they plan to adopt a policy or that it is inapplicable.

It is fair to criticize the YIMBY Act for failing to address the real problems with HUDs grants. For example, the funding formula for Community Development Block Grants isout of syncwith the programs priorities and has been untouched since 1977. A more ambitious reform would update funding formulae and withdraw HUDs support from communities that do not share its goals.

Instead, Congress is following the business adage, You get what you measure. Decades of interaction with HUD have attuned local officials to some concerns. Many existing reporting requirements for HUD funding are on activities, such as on environmental protections and neighborhood input,known to discourage investment. By contrast, HUD has no existing requirement that communities consider or accommodate potential future residents, the vibrancy of the local economy or local fiscal sustainability, all of which are considerations that lean toward reinvestment. The YIMBY Act puts a little of HUDs weight but perhaps not enough on the pro-investment side of the scales.

Congress is taking seriously HUDs role as a source of information and ideas for local governments. Adding reporting on property rights protections for housing construction is likely, at the margin, to encourage grantees to give greater consideration to the ways they can enable reinvestment by expanding and protecting property rights.

Salim Furthis a senior research fellow and director of the Urbanity Project with theMercatusCenter at George Mason University.

Here is the original post:
Will Congress make a significant move on housing affordability? - The Hill

1. Why Manufactured Housing Is the New Affordable Housing (Commercial Property Executive) - August 24"Despite the zoning challenges, manufactured housing offers the only affordable detached housing option in the U.S."

2. Many Companies Planned to Reopen Offices After Labor Day. With Coronavirus Still Around, Theyre Rethinking That. (WSJ) - August 23"Companies had hoped to bring homebound workforces back in September, but employee outcry and fears over outbreaks have led bosses to change course."

3. Economic Data Points to Pause in Recovery as Aid Programs Expire (New York Times) - August 21"The economys rebound showed signs of stagnating. Then enhanced unemployment benefits and a small-business loan program expired."

4. Hotel Occupancy Likely To Dip By 29% Over Next Year (Globe St) - August 21"A new study from Magid and Howarth HTL estimates the losses to the hospitality industry from the coronavirus pandemic at $75 billion."

5. An Unprecedented Effort to Stop the Coronavirus in Nursing Homes (New York Times) - August 20"Researchers are testing an experimental drug to halt sudden outbreaks. The trial may bring a new type of treatment for the virus."

6. From Illicit To Essential: Pandemic Helping Cannabis Industry Gain Firmer Footing (Bisnow) - August 19"When the economy went into a steep decline last spring, many cannabis retailers and growers said their industry was at risk. The federal prohibition on cannabis already made it difficult to raise needed capital, and with millions of jobs evaporating, legal sales could also crater, leading risk-averse investors to back off even further."

7. Survey: More Than 70% Of CRE Firms Have Seen Their Revenues Drop Significantly During The Pandemic (Bisnow) - August 17"In early March, Bisnow surveyed hundreds of commercial real estate professionals to find out how the industry was responding to the coronavirus pandemic. At that time, 44% of survey respondents said the effects of the pandemic would be short-term, and that the market would rebound quickly, and only 37% of respondents told Bisnow the pandemic had directly affected their business."

Read more here:
7 must reads for the AEC industry today: August 28, 2020 - Building Design + Construction

(Note: A good long video explaining the system can be seen via this Treehugger article)

Judging from my decades of life experience there is an iron-clad rule about every room in every house ever built: The electric outlets are in the wrong place.

Outlets are always, and I do mean always, blocked by furniture or too far from the floor lamp or get overloaded because its the only one I can find. Invariably I end up shifting everything around or living with more extension cords than Medusa had snakes on her head.

Heres an idea: Instead of moving lamps and furniture to suit the outlet, why cant we move the outlet to suit the room?

Thats one aspect of a system called Open-Built that New Hampshires Bensonwood Homes has been developing for years and incorporating into homes, including some built with components made in its Keene factory. The idea is to creates houses that last longer and perform better by designing them to be functionally flexible so they can change as the needs of inhabitants change (kids are born, people get old, family moves out, etc.) and as technology alters.

Its very much a niche idea in the U.S., although not in parts of Europe or Japan. Improvements in computer-aided design and CNC machinery are making it more feasible.

The Keene factory, company founder Tedd Benson says, can produce material for 300 buildings a year on an 8-hour day although he adds, were not up there yet.

Benson got his start with timber-frame construction and with Bensonwood Homes and subsidiary Unity Homes is well versed in sustainable and passive-house construction and design. The Open-Built concept is an extension of those ideas.

Outlets, under this program, can be easily moved because theyre built into a small section of non-weight-bearing walls along the floor that is covered with panels, sort of a vertical version of a dropped ceiling in an office. Open the panels and the wiring is accessible without messing with wallboard or insulation.

If the system was built with plug-and-play circuits that Benson is also developing, moving the outlet wont be much harder than setting up your new computer.

Being able to move outlets is a cool feature, but bigger disentanglements are more important, Benson said.

The inelegant term disentanglement refers to the idea that the structure of the house the shell shouldnt be tangled up with the things that make it work the infill because they exist in different timelines. A house frame and foundation can last a century or two but the design and technology of the pipes and wires and insulation and other components change much more quickly.

If those pipes and wires and insulation are all tangled with each other and with the shell, stuck around studs and joists and behind wallboard or siding, upgrading them is so expensive and complicated that it rarely happens.

Case in point: My house. Weve been there 30 years yet my wife and I have installed exactly one new set of switches and light sockets, resigning ourselves to all the others even when theyre not quite what wed like. And that installation happened only because our bedroom adjoins the attic so it was easy to run wires without ripping up the ceiling.

Then theres the Ethernet cable running down one hallway to a makeshift office because hiding it would be an enormous pain. As for changing the plumbing layout or increasing the insulation in the walls or running fiber-optic cables if that becomes the norm forget it.

Bensons approach is to avoid such locked-in layout from the start with computer-aided design and modular construction. He emphasizes that the idea is not original with him, pointing to well-known advocates like Stewart Brand and John Habraken, but it remains rare in the U.S.

Were rethinking the process and product of buildings so they can last longer and be more adaptable to peoples lives, said Benson. He talked about making a simple wiring upgrade himself, without having to hire people in other building trades: If theyre entangled, it would take five trades to accomplish the same thing.

Along with flexibility, he says, comes better performance, more efficient use of energy and more comfort for people living inside.

We know how to do it its actually not that hard. Residential buildings are really simple; they sit on the earth, dont go anywhere, dont make anything its actually pretty easy to build to a higher-performing standard, he said.

A key part of Open-Built is the construction of walls and other components in a factory to be assembled on site. This idea has been touted for as long as I can remember as a way to make better and cheaper homes but is relegated to the much-scorned category of low-end manufactured homes for reasons I dont quite understand.

Real houses, the thinking still goes, are stick-built meaning that almost everything, including all the framing, is cut and attached and constructed on location out in the rain and sun and wind, on workbenches or scaffolding or ladders, using portable power and staffing that can come from different places for different jobs.

Pushing against that inertia is part of the obstacles Benson faces.

Benson said Bensonwood and Unity together have about 115 employees, including the factory in Keene and two production departments in Walpole, one of which involves high-tech construction with manufactured timber, a topic Ive written about before.

Another obstacle Benson faces is a shortage of standards. You cant plug-and-play components if they dont fit together.

Benson says his firm is in a partnership with Saint-Gobain, a global materials company, to develop software to bring basis to standardization.

Weve got 40 different companies making parts for quote-unquote electrical systems and were still twisting with thumb and forefinger, splicing wires because they dont coordinate design.

The hoped-for result, he said, includes dimensional coordination so that when were making things that are parts of buildings there are some rules about where they go and how they fit. Things like stairs, bathrooms, windows, showerheads and, yes, outlets.

Theyre testing what is essentially a 2-foot grid for the building shell and a 3-inch grid for infill components, he says. Myriad designs can be built around these but, important, not an infinite number.

Instead of everything having to be cut and shaped on building sites by individuals with handheld tools, they can be assembled together, he said.

At a time when the need for housing is greater than ever before, a big rethink of how we construct our homes might be in order. If it means I can get rid of some extension cords at the same time, Im a fan.

Continued here:
An Ethernet cable runs down my hallway but it's not my fault - it's the house's fault! - Concord Monitor