When I was a much younger man, a close friend became obsessed with astrology. This former high-school valedictorian and regional science fair winner went all in on the stars, using them to analyze everything and everybody, from U.S. presidents to parents to my marriage prospects with a new girlfriend. He talked about moon phases, this star aligning with that galaxy, and how a particular planetary conjunction explained the stock markets rise or a baseball teams fall. Listening to him made my head spin like Jupiters moons.

But one of his astrology terms stuck with me and applies to perhaps the greatest change well ever witness in home building: the Great Convergence.

There was an earlier convergencenot of the stars but of business and culturein a different industry (automotive) that eventually had a profound impact on home building. It began with the Japanese quality movement of the 1950s, from which the tools and techniques of quality, productivity, and Lean process spread from Japan to Korea and later to at least some European automakers.

By 1980, U.S. automakers had fallen so far behind that many experts predicted there would be no American-built vehicles by the year 2000. And, after decades complaining about predatory pricing and unfair trade practices, the Detroit gang finally woke up and accepted the source of the problem was overseas competition becoming much more efficient, with far better quality than domestic producers.

In fact, foreign competitors didnt steal American market share, as the politicians decried; rather, they earned it by providing superior value. Higher quality, better gas mileage, and lower cost offered a potent combination many consumers couldnt overlook.

It took considerable time and tremendous investment, but U.S. automakers slowly caught up, to the point where American quality and productivity began to rival the best foreign competition in the early 2000s. Today, U.S.-built cars dont just meet the quality and value of overseas product, they often exceed it.

That convergence of technology and culture in automobile production helped wake up our own building industry during the 1990s. Back then, I was the sole building industry member of the Detroit Deming Study Group, which met with the late Dr. W. Edwards Deming, the venerable quality guru, during his monthly trips to Detroit to help turn around American carmakers40 years after he had done the same for Japan!

I felt a bit lonely sitting with 40 to 50 automotive quality and production experts, and their attitude toward me was, What are you doing here? They were reacting to the legacy of post-war tract housing in this countrynot one to be especially proud of. You may not have been around to build them, but many of you lived in those poorly built homes.

The change in home building began, just as in automotive, with a focus on back-end inspect it in quality through massive rework, described as brute-force quality. Gradually, we began to understand the need to move upstream to a prevention model and, as a result, product improvedthough weve yet to reach the automotive industrys levels of quality, efficiency, and build it right the first time mentality and practices. Many builders still havent gotten the message. On the whole though, homes now are much better than those of the previous era.

Yetand this is a critical pointhome building productivity lags behind virtually every other industry. What are we doing about it?

Now comes the new great convergence in home building: the manufacturing and technology revolution that will change our industry forever. Im talking about a pervasive shift to off-site construction methods.

Im in my fourth decade in home building, and this is the Fourth Wave Ive experienced pushing the claim that off-site (factory-built, industrialized, building systemscall it what you want) production will enter housings mainstream, none of the past waves having lived up to the hype or expectations. In a previous column, I described how the late Bill Pulte told his three-day training class for new management recruits how the manufacturing revolution in home building was only this farholding his thumb and forefinger about an inch apartfrom happening in the 44 years since the end of World War II. That was in 1989.

Nearly 30 years after that class, and not long before his passing, I asked Bill for an update on home buildings manufacturing transformation. With a wry smile, he held up his thumb and forefinger again, this time less than half an inch apart, and declared, Today about THIS far. He then added, It will happen though. Maybe not in my lifetime, but certainly in yours.

Thats how far wed come in the nearly 75 years since the mid-1940s. But its worse than that. Look back at Sears Roebuck & Co., which built and shipped 70,000 complete home kits from 1908 through 1940 through its mail-order Modern Homes program. Each piece of the home was precut and labeled, including framing, wiring, plumbing, flooring, cabinets, and so on ... even the proverbial kitchen sink.

Those homes were great when they were built, and theyre still great today. I know because until grade six I grew up in one of those homes in southern Indiana, as did my grandparents in another home just around the corner. I can drive you through my current hometown of Plymouth, Mich., and show you at least 25 of these Sears houses (although some may be almost exact knockoffs of Sears plans built by other manufacturers), all remodeled and updated numerous times over the years. Theyre still solid family homes today. Once you know their look, youll find them across America.

Pause a moment here to consider how much the design and production of automobiles has progressed in the past 100 or so years. How about airplanes? Appliances? Audio equipment? Telephones? Electronics? Television wasnt even a fantasy in 1922, let alone cell phones and the internet.

How about the evolution of homes? Compared with those industries, home buildings progress has been marginal, at best. Today, fewer than 3% of new homes are manufactured off-site. Fewer than 5% are panelized, even at the most basic level. Trusses have 60% market penetration, yet, if you measure the true total cost of on-site vs. off-site methods, including the impact of saved schedule days, that figure should be more than 90%.

Given these past 100 years of performing below expectations, how can I now assert that today, off-site manufactured solutions are about to transform the home building industry? Yes, I am crawling out on a lam-beam here and declaring the Fourth Wave is here for real and it will change home building forever.

I base this on a simple observation of whats going on all around us, evidenced at the most recent National Association of Home Builders International Builders Show, in Orlando, Fla. The number of new technology companies focused on all phases of home building was incredible, the excitement palpable. And, notably, there were investors roaming around with briefcases full of money, looking to invest in the next big thing in housing.

Personally, Im now working with three companies that are pushing significant changes in the technology, one thats been around for decades, one now about five years old, and one brand new. Just last week, another old-line firm and an additional brand new one contacted me, asking for help in this arena. If I sign any more nondisclosure agreements, I fear I wont be able to talk to my own family members. These arent just interesting times but genuinely exciting ones.

Its easy to identify at least 10 significant changes driving or enabling this change. Ive listed them here for you to consider, and will follow up with more detail on each in my next column. There are, no doubt, more elements, and Id love to hear your take on whats driving the movement toward off-site methodsor whats holding it back. Heres what I see as the key drivers (1 through 5) and enablers (6 through 10):

1. Housing demand and shortage

2. Labor shortages

3. Material shortages

4. Cycle-time inflation

5. Sustainability

6. Availability of investment capital

7. Technology breakthroughs in computer software

8. Technology breakthroughs in robotics

9. Learning-curve acceleration

10. New methods for making true total cost comparisons

From my experience, those elements make it clear we are genuinely on our way in this, the Fourth Wave of the manufacturing technology revolution in housing. But there is still a critical missing link, and without it, progress will be slow. Simply, we have to be brutally honest and consider why the vast majority of home building software technologies still fall short of their promised impact.

For example, most all of the many packages designed to make scheduling a breeze by publishing to a portal accessed 24/7 by suppliers and trades are simply not working. Were surrounded by irrefutable evidence of this. When we run our TrueNorth LeanWeeks with 20 to 30 suppliers and trades participating, we always ask, How many of you have someone check jobsites the day before the schedule says theyre ready, to determine if you should really send out a crew or deliver materials?a practice we call scouting. Across literally hundreds of groups, the number of hands raised averages 80%.

The next question, Why do you not use the portal to replace the considerable expense of scouting? is at first followed by nervous laughter across the room. With some coaxing, one brave soul will inevitably explain, We just cant trust it, after which youll see all suppliers and trades nodding in unison, along with builder field superintendents as well.

Again, theres nothing wrong with the software itself. But the fact that 80% of suppliers and trades are scouting sites instead of relying on software is prima facie evidence that systems are failing at some point in the process. The problem is that in todays world of labor and material shortages, these portals are worse than worthless if the system isnt updated for each project, each day (at least), both in the field and in the office.

Worse than worthless? Absolutely. Because if the portal schedule sends the wrong crew or a delivery to the wrong place, or the right place on the wrong day, the cost is huge in supplier/trade loyalty and, ultimately, in pricing. I learned decades ago from great mentors, such as Mike Rhoads in Chicago and Gary Grant in Minnesota, that builders with the best schedulers get the best crews and best pricing, simply because they are the most profitable for suppliers and trades.

Now make the translation to the application of manufacturing technology. Plans, elevations, specifications, options, and selections that affect the off-site building process must be continually transmitted and confirmed. That goes for comparatively simple components such as stairs, cabinets, and open panels, as well as more complex production of closed panels, all of the way to full-on modular or volumetric building. This information must be so reliable that the off-site plant can absolutely take it to the bank, without exception.

I once asked the president of a large home building company in a distant city to name his most difficult supplier in terms of communication and cooperation. He didnt hesitate, proclaiming, The panel plant. Irony No. 1: The panel plant made the identical comment about the builder. Irony No. 2: Both builder and plant were owned by the same parent company. Whenever someone says a company should be more like a family, my first question is, Which family? This particular family was clearly dysfunctional.

Continual, vigilant, completely accurate and timely communication means everything for reaping the promise of the Fourth Wave from which our industry is truly revolutionized. Anything less means failure, and the dream of better product at lower cost, with less dependence on on-site labor, and significant reduction in cycle time will remain forever elusive. The home building stars are now well-aligned for this revolution, and its up to all of us, on all sides of this rather complex equation, to do our part to make it happen.

Will my prediction prove out? Thinking back on my astrology-obsessed friends predictions, I expect to fare much better. He got some right, but many wrong, including his warning that my then-girlfriend and I were in for big trouble should we marry. Im happy to report45 years, four kids, and three grandkids laterI woke up next to her this morning with both of us agreeing: So far, so good!

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What's Driving the Move to Off-Site Construction in Home Building? | Pro - Pro Builder

CANTON Many Stark County property owners are set to receive their 2022 property tax bills in the mail this week.

Payments for the first half of the year are due by Feb. 23 at the Stark County Treasurer's office. The second half payment is due July 20. The first-half deadline for taxes on manufactured homes are due by March 8.

Property owners who fail to pay on time will be assessedinterest and a state-mandated penalty of 5% of the amount due for up to 10 days after the deadline and 10% of the amount after that.

More: Nearly 1,400 in Stark County file informal appeals of their new property values

More: Stark County housing market boom raising home values: See the change in your area on a map

Stark County Treasurer Alex Zumbar said the county's vendor PPI Graphics was to deliver 198,000 property tax bills to the U.S. Postal Service facilities in Cleveland by Monday.

About 56,000 of those mailings are informational notices to property owners where their mortgage lender has arranged an escrow service to pay property taxes for them. Zumbar said the cost of the mailing, which is required by state law, is roughly $100,000 a year.

Property owners who don't want to wait can check their bills online. They can go to the Stark County Auditor's Real Estate Search and look up their property by name (data format is last name and then first name without a comma), address or parcel number. They then click on the "Go" button on the right side under "Printable Tax Bill" under "Reports." The word "processing" will appear and if the property owner has disabled the browser popup blocker, the tax bill will appear in a separate browser tab.

Zumbar said by law, property owners are legally required to pay their property taxes by the deadline even if they don't receive a bill in the mail.

The county has four methods by which taxpayers can pay their bills without additional cost. He asks taxpayers to write the parcel numbers of the properties they're paying taxes for on all checks and money orders.

They can pay their bill in person by check, money order or cash at the Stark County Treasurer's Office on the second floor of the county office building,110 Central Plaza, Suite 250. Those who do this are asked but not required to wear a mask.

They can submit with their tax bill stub a payment by check and leave it in the dropbox of the lobby, whichis open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.

Taxpayers can also sign up in advance for a prepayment program, which involves 10 payments debited from a bank account per year. It's too late to sign up for payments due in 2022. Contact treasurer's employee Rick Reigle at (330) 451-7814, extension 7824 or email him at rlreigle@starkcountyohio.gov.

Taxpayers can also sign up in advance for two payments debited from their bank accounts in February and July. Call Richard Willaman at (330) 451-7814, extension 7819 or email him at rcwillaman@starkcountohio.gov.

Taxpayers can mail their payment and incur the cost of postage. The payment must be postmarked by the deadline. And postal meter postmarks aren't considered valid. The address if mailing prior to the due date is: Stark County Treasurer, P.O. Box 24815, Canton, OH, 44701-4815. If mailing after the due date, mail to: Stark County Treasurer, 110 Central Plaza S, Suite 250, Canton, OH, 44702-1410.

Zumbar said due to the U.S. Postal Service's delivery woes a year ago, some payments mailed by the deadline from out of the county were notreceived until June. Otherswere lost. He said any tax penalties assessed in those situations were reversed.

Taxpayers can also pay by credit card or debit card by phone by calling 1-877-690-3729 and using jurisdiction code 4518. The fee is 2.35%. The payments must be divided into one for each parcel. For the same fee, taxpayers can pay by credit card or debit card online at the Treasurer's website. If taxpayers pay online by electronic check and submittheir routing and account numbers for their bank account, the fee is a flat $1.95.

The last payment option is to submit payment at one of three kiosks. The fees are the same as if paying online. The kiosks are at:

The Stark County Auditor's office last year completed the county's triennial update where county appraisers using computer software updated home values to reflect the housing market. Stark County Auditor Alan Harold told the Stark County commissioners Monday morning that residential property values in the county increased by a median 17 to 18%, reflecting booming demand in 2021 for houses.

With new levies approved by voters in 2020 and 2021 taking effect this year and the higher valuations, Harold said, property tax bills this year are up about an average of 8% from a year ago.

Reach Robert at (330) 580-8327 or robert.wang@cantonrep.com. On Twitter: @rwangREP

Excerpt from:
Property tax bills start landing in mailboxes this week - Canton Repository

These days, the presence of cooperatives across the United States is nearly universal. The largest sector is financial cooperatives, better known as credit unions. As of September 30, 2021, the National Credit Union Administration reports that 128.6 million Americans are member-owners of federally insured credit unions, which works out to about 38.6 percent of the nations population.

But the extent of cooperative business activity varies widely across regions and business sectors. Why have cooperatives been more successful in some areas than others? What are the most important ingredients for creating new co-ops? And how does the newest generation of co-ops differ from previous ones?

These were some of the questions that my colleagues at the University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives and I sought to address in a recent report titled Collective Action in Rural Communities. In that report, we identified 945 cooperatives that were formed between 2011 and 2019, including 195 in rural communities and 750 in urban areas.

The findings are intriguing, including rapid growth of worker cooperatives and the emergence of sector-specific development strategies. There has been considerable innovation in the field of food co-op development. Additionally, the use of cooperative land ownership has provided increased economic security for tens of thousands of families living in manufactured housing (mobile home) communities. The demographics of who creates co-ops has also shifted. Increasingly, co-ops are being used by people in communities of colorespecially Black, Indigenous, and Latinx communitiesas tools for community wealth building and economic development.

Before delving further into what is new, it is helpful to understand some of the waves of co-op development that have preceded our own. One of these waves involved the development of rural electric cooperatives, which today provide power to over 40 million Americans. Back in the 1930s, however, only one out of every ten rural households enjoyed the benefits of electricity, even as electric power was already nearly universally available in cities. Children did their schoolwork by the light of kerosene lamps at kitchen tables, household chores were accomplished by hand or horse, and food had to be preserved to last the entire year. In 1935, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt established the Rural Electrification Administration (REA), which provided loans and assistance to groups of farmers who wanted to build and own their own electrical distribution systems. The Rural Electrification Act of 1936 established a lending agency to finance this effort. Farmers, familiar with the cooperative model, quickly established rural electric cooperatives to take advantage of the program. The REA provided ongoing organizational support to these cooperatives, which contributed to the overall success of the program. By 1953, more than 90 percent of rural homes had access to electricity, which brought profound changes to rural life and agricultural practices.

The story of rural electrification exemplifies the power of cooperative actionwhat is possible when a group of people work collectively to meet a shared need. Many of the countrys largest and most prominent cooperative sectors have equally impressive origin stories rooted in a combination of social upheaval, government intervention, coordinated support, and personal gumption. Credit unions are another example of a successful systematic public and private intervention to create new opportunities for consumers to access credit. The concept of cooperative credit gained popularity during the 1920s, and a national association was formed to organize credit unions, promote state-level authorizing legislation, and eventually win passage of the Federal Credit Union Act in 1934 (Moody & Fite 1971). Today, as noted above, the nations 5,000-plus credit unions collectively have 128.6 million members.

Large numbers of farmer-owned grain and dairy cooperatives were organized and sustained with the support of social movement organizations like the Grange, in response to critical market failures. Beginning in the 1840s, farmers formed dairy cooperatives to process cheese and butter, and to market fluid milk in urban areas. By 1909, there were more than 2,700 dairy cooperatives. During the same period, farmers organized cooperatives to build thousands of elevators to store and market grain (Schneiberg et al. 2008). Today, dairy cooperatives handle approximately 85 percent of the total milk marketed in the United States, and in 2020, agricultural cooperatives as a whole employed over 185,000 workers, with revenues exceeding $200 billion.

Consumer cooperativessuch as credit unions, rural utilities, and mutual insurers (e.g., Nationwide)are by far the largest segment of cooperatives, with over 90 percent of US cooperatives identifying as consumer owned. Consumer co-ops remain a common form for cooperatives started between 2011 and 2019, but their share is declining, while the share of worker co-ops is rising. This can be seen over the course of the decade since we conducted two surveys. In the first survey, which covered the period from 2011-2016, 40 percent of newly incorporated cooperatives were consumer owned, which was more than any other single category. By contrast, in the second survey period of 2016-2019, worker co-ops were the single most common type of cooperative, constituting 47 percent of the new co-ops. That is an extraordinary figure, given that only one percent of US co-ops formed before 2010 are worker co-ops.

This trend, nonetheless, is not surprising, as it fits well with the historical pattern of development highlighted above. Cooperatives typically emerge when peoples needs are not being met by the marketand it would be hard to argue that late-stage capitalism is meeting the needs of most workers in America. From wage stagnation and the emergence of the gig economy to retiring business owners, employee ownership has been identified as a solution to many of our socioeconomic ills.

It is also important to note that the overall growth of worker cooperatives is not at all unrelated to the growing popularity of co-ops in Black communities, Indigenous communities, and communities of color. According to the 2015 State of the Sector report by the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives and the Democracy at Work Institute (DAWI), Two-thirds of worker cooperatives in 2015 were less than 15 years old and 39 percent were less than five years old. Almost 70 percent of all employees are female, about 60 percent are non-white and [Latinxs] are the largest plurality of any race (43 percent). And that trend has continuedaccording to the 2019 State of the Sector report, The racial demographics of worker owners continue to show a majority of people of color, with a concentration of Latinx workers. Of the 450-plus worker cooperatives in the US, approximately 38 percent of the membership is Latinx. And according to UWCCs 2020 study Latinx Co-op Power, approximately three-quarters of the Latinx cooperatives incorporated between 2014 and 2019 are worker-owned.

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The jump in worker co-ops as a percentage of total cooperatives incorporated between our two survey periods was particularly notable in Colorado, a state better known for rural electric and farmer-owned cooperatives. While there are regions with much higher concentrations of worker cooperatives and more developed cooperative development ecosystems, the timing of Colorados growth in worker ownership is interesting in that it coincides with the states shift to an ecosystem approach to increasing employee ownership.

In 2012, the Rocky Mountain Employee Ownership Center (RMEOC) launched with the mission to build a more just and sustainable economy through employee ownership. RMEOC has taken a holistic, ecosystem approach to their cooperative development work. In addition to supporting cooperatives directly, they engage with policymakers, service providers, state leadership, and other stakeholders to strengthen the regions employee ownership ecosystem. The approach has paid off. There has been a recent flourishing of state level policy supporting cooperatives in Colorado including the creation of the Colorado Employee Ownership Commission and a Colorado Employee Ownership Office within the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade. The Commission was charged with educating the public on the benefits of employee ownership, establishing a network of technical support for employee ownership conversions, and generating a list of recommendations for removing barriers to the development of employee-owned businesses. The Office supports these initiatives and channels grants, loan guarantees, and technical assistance to worker cooperatives.

Around the same time, Colorados legal environment became friendlier to cooperatives as the state strove to become known as the Delaware of Cooperatives. In 2011, the state adopted a new cooperative statute that allows outside investor-members within certain parameters and is flexible enough to be used by cooperatives in many sectors. And in 2014, a new law firm launched that serves and actively promotes cooperatives and other social enterprise models.

Colorado is one small example of what is possible through an ecosystem approach to cooperative developmentit is also exemplifies a broader national trend. The ecosystem of support for worker cooperatives exploded in the last decade. Two prominent national employee ownership organizations, DAWI and Project Equity, launched in 2013 and 2014, respectively; and in 2012 The Working World, which provides non-extractive financing and technical support to worker cooperatives, added a US-focused loan fund. Additionally, several longstanding cooperative development centers and community economic development organizations added or enhanced programming on worker ownership during this time. Private foundations and municipalities such as New York City; Madison, Wisconsin; Oakland, California; and Minneapolis, Minnesota, began investing in employee ownership to create good jobs and build community wealth. And investment capital is now starting to flowa 2020 study by the Democracy Collaborative identified a dozen new or emerging investment funds focused on supporting employee ownership transitions.

Another notable finding was the effectiveness of sector-specific strategies to scale specific segments of the cooperative economy. In the early 2000s, two national organizations emerged with sector-specific approaches in retail grocery and housing. These organizations served as national leaders that worked closely with local cooperative developers to spread their model, practices, and expertise on the local level. Were now seeing the fruit of their labor.

Food Co-op Initiative (FCI) started in 2005 as Food Cooperative 500, a pilot project launched by leaders from the grocery cooperative community who wanted to test the theory that new food retail cooperatives could open more quickly and successfully if they had appropriate guidance. FCI connects food co-op organizers across the country with a suite of industry-specific resources including organizing tools and best practices, training and technical advice, peer learning opportunities, and seed capital. Since its founding, 157 new retail food cooperatives have opened in the US and nearly 100 additional communities are currently working to open new stores.

ROC USAthe ROC stands for resident-owned communitiesis another example of an organization that has successfully developed cooperatives in a specific sector: manufactured (mobile) home communities. Launched in 2008, ROC USA works in partnership with a formal network of nonprofit affiliates and has a national technical assistance team.It also provides financing through ROC USA Capital, a community development financial institution (CDFI).The technical assistance and financingalong with third-party legal counsel and engineersfacilitate the conversion of manufactured home communities to cooperative ownership. ROC USA is headquartered in New Hampshire where the model was pioneered and market-tested for more than two decades before expanding nationally.In New Hampshire and Vermont alone, approximately 39 new housing cooperatives were formed in the past decade. Today,the network represents nearly 300 co-ops and 20,000 member-owners in 21 states; in the past three years, the network has developed 20 new co-ops a year.

Cooperatives are not a panacea, but they are a time-tested strategy for improving social and economic wellbeing. Cooperatives have the potential to build community wealth, empower workers, and help small businesses thrive in an increasingly competitive world. While cooperative businesses can be challenging to launch, they are a solid long-term investment. Studies from the across the globe have shown that once established, cooperatives last longer than other forms of business and are more resilient during times of crisis. Many of the cooperatives established during earlier waves of cooperative development are still serving their members decades lateras of 2020, 76.5 percent of all agricultural cooperative were more than 50 years old, and 17.5 percent were more than 100 years of age.

As Andrew Crosson explained in a recent NPQ article on Appalachia, an ecosystem approach is required to overcome barriers to shared prosperity and to create an economy that works for all. The same argument applies to the development of strong, networked cooperatives that meet the needs of individuals and communities. Historical examples, as well as the cooperative development success stories of today, demonstrate the power of taking an ecosystem approach to building a resilient cooperative economy. Co-op development trends reflect social and economic trends; they also reflect trends in philanthropy and public investment. This begs two questions: What collective needs must we most urgently address? And what investments can we make today that will usher in the next wave of cooperative development?

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Where Are New Co-ops Emerging? The Changing Map of Co-op Development - Non Profit News - Nonprofit Quarterly

Mobile home parks are not what they used to be. Now they offer tree line landscape and amenities such as pools, spas and clubhouses with weight rooms often found in high-end communities. Date and location not specified. (Brett VA via Wikimedia Commons, St. George News)

Estimated read time: Less than a minute

ST. GEORGE High-end mobile home parks with additional space for recreational vehicles may be coming to St. George in the near future.

Salt Lake City-based Mountain West Commercial Real Estate is eyeing St. George and Washington County for a potential expansion of their business model to Southern Utah, which will include manufactured homes a euphemism that once upon a time referred exclusively to a mobile home design.

Today's manufactured homes bear little resemblance to the mobile homes that were bought prior to 1976 when all manufactured homes were considered "mobile."

Now, the term mobile homes has been exchanged for manufactured homes, which also includes prefabricated homes and recreational vehicles with more than 400 square feet of living space.

In the past year, Mountain West has continued to expand and broaden its services with its latest extension in developing manufactured housing parks for mobile homes as well as recreational vehicle investment opportunities for its clients.

The advantage, industry analysts say is that high-end mobile homes usually offer a choice of floor plans and high-end interior options.

Read the full article at St. George News.

Continued here:
High-end mobile home parks may become part of the St. George landscape - KSL.com

The Loft The Loft is just one of many floor plan options available to future homeowners at The Oaks of Kokomo.

A subdivision on the outskirts of the northeast side of the city is offering residents great options for home ownership, while also handling financing for future residents.

The Oaks of Kokomo, 2000 County Road N. 250 E., a manufactured subdivision, has steadily grown over the past year, bringing life and community to a location better known for its cornfields.

As the community takes shape with a mix of young families and retirees, development manager Jennifer Haasz is excited to expand into phase two, which will offer an additional 20-plus land home sites within the subdivision very quickly.

Over the past year we have become a thriving little community, and Im excited about the new opportunities for growth as we near the start of phase two, Jennifer said.

The Oaks of Kokomo is being built with the working families in mind. Homes start at $80 per square foot, with house sizes ranging from 1,000 to 2,400 square feet. The homes feature very similar construction specs as site built housing, along with northern wrapped insulation and smart home technology.

Customization is one of the core attractions at The Oaks of Kokomo. Future residents may choose from a variety of cabinet and countertop styles in the kitchen and decide whether they want a walk-in shower or soothing tub in the bathroom.

"The American Farmhouse kitchens with industrial accents throughout the rest of the home are huge right now, Jennifer said. The five bedroom, three bathroom loft floor-plan best demonstrate the latest available amenities in today's market.

Endless possibilities extend to the exterior as well. Is your new home blue with a white picket fence or tan with a landscaped front yard ready for spring flowers?

These homes also have two decks, concrete driveways, sidewalks and private mailboxes. Personal touches and options abound.

Jennifer recommends clients work directly with the team at The Oaks to professionally assist them through the entire the process. They have many years working directly with banks that specialize in this type of financing.

We are here to make the entire process much easier and flow quickly to get you into your home as quick as possible, Jennifer said.

Turnaround for home completion is relatively short, with units ready in a matter of months compared to potentially waiting up to 18 months or more for a site-built house.

Since the Kokomo workforce is at the heart and soul of the community, The Oaks of Kokomo is focused on offering the best options possible for home ownership. They work with banks specializing in manufactured homes that offer FHA loans, conventional loans, flexible terms and approvals for those with lower credit scores.

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Our payments for owning your land and your home are often times cheaper than the current going rate for rent, Jennifer said.

Most importantly, dont qualify yourself, she said of those who might believe themselves unable to attain a home in the community. Let us help qualify you.

One of the many benefits of The Oaks of Kokomo is location. Residents get the best of both worlds: a quiet country setting with the amenities of city life only minutes away. Indiana 931 is a quick drive down 100 North, and with it comes restaurants, fast food options, Wal-Mart and the Markland Mall.

Convenience is key when it comes to a healthy work and life balance. A home in The Oaks of Kokomo is within an easy drive to GM, Chrysler, Community Howard Regional Health and Ivy Tech, making it the perfect location for those who want to spend as much time at home with their loved ones as possible.

The location also falls within the highly sought after Northwestern School District.

Our current as well as future residents love that such a beautiful community is right here in Northwestern! There are very few homes available in Northwestern, Jennifer said.

Jennifer has made Kokomo her home over the past few years. Originally from northeast Ohio, she has owned multiple manufactured housing retail sales centers in Kentucky and Tennessee before moving into land development and housing subdivisions. After taking a short break from the industry, she joined up with business partner and investor Tupper Baker.

We both have an absolute passion to help people, she said of their friendship.

Thats what makes me proud to work for Jen and Tupper, said sales manager Mike Huskey. Their hearts are in the right place.

The Oaks of Kokomo opened sooner than expected, Jennifer said, due to a demand for housing. Because of this, much of the land is still under development, but the final product will have below ground utilities, new streets with decorative lighting, street signs and an entrance way welcoming residents and visitors.

If a Kokomo resident already owns land but wants a new home, as a retail manufactured housing dealer, Jennifer said there are many available floor plans and styles to choose from. Jennifer provides an easy turn-key, start-to-finish service, helping you get into your dream home on your own property. All someone has to do is call.

Jennifer can be reached by calling or texting 765-614-8807. Mike can also be reached at 765-210-3856. You may also email kokomohomes181@gmail.com for more information or visit theoaksofkokomo.com for pictures, virtual tours and links to social media accounts.

The experienced team at The Oaks of Kokomo is looking forward to showing you just how easy it is to own your own home and land. They look forward to meeting you.

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Paid Advertisement: Oaks of Kokomo brings home ownership options to community - Kokomo Perspective

BILOXI, Miss., Oct. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --The future of housing is here with the 2022 Biloxi Manufactured Housing Show. Registration and housing are now open for this one-of-a-kind industry event taking place March 28 - 31, 2022 at the IP Casino Resort Spa in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Members of the media are encouraged to secure their complimentary media credentials to learn more about manufactured homes and their role as a quality affordable housing solution.

The historic Biloxi, Mississippi is located in the southeastern region of the country and can be found nestled on the Gulf of Mexico between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama. This city surprises visitors with year-round celebrations, extensive dining options, casinos, and more. The event's venue, IP Casino Resort Spa features exquisite water views, bustling restaurants, easy access to the main throughways, and close proximity to all the action. And most importantly, this new venue brings the exhibitors and home displays closer than ever before. Attendees will be able to easily and quickly explore between the expo hall and home display lot.

Manufactured housing professionals are encouraged to register and secure their hotel rooms today, so they can: CONNECT, LEARN, TOUR and PROGRESS in Biloxi. The following are highlights of the upcoming show:

For full details, registration and information on exhibiting or sponsoring at the manufactured housing's premier event can be found at http://www.biloxihomeshow.com.

About Biloxi Manufactured Housing ShowFormerly known as the Tunica Show, this new city and venue will be the home to over a thousand professionals, the newest home models, educational workshops, and exhibitors in the MH industry for three days. The event is being hosted by the South Central Manufactured Housing Institute (SCHMI) and managed by the industry-centric digital marketing agency ManufacturedHomes.com.

CONTACT:Kaitlyn Palatucci Phone:949-216-0521Email:[emailprotected]

SOURCE Biloxi Manufactured Housing Show

http://www.biloxihomeshow.com

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2022 Biloxi Manufactured Housing Show: Registration and Housing Now Open - PRNewswire

Moving a mobile home is a unique challenge that will require the assistance of the best mobile home movers available. Merely hooking up a house and hauling it away oversimplifies the complicated process of inspecting the house, obtaining permits, ensuring proper licensing, and the actual moving of the entire house itself. With the right mobile home movers on your side, youll be well positioned to reposition your beloved house to its new location.

Mobile home transport can be a tricky process since there are a number of factors to consider. It takes due diligence to find a qualified mobile home moving company that can legally transport the mobile home to its new destination. Evaluating key considerations can help you make an informed decision.

Its important to choose a moving company that is qualified and licensed to haul a mobile home as far as it needs to be moved. Local mobile home movers might be able to move it within the state, but they must have interstate licensing to haul it through states and into the destination state. If the mobile home is being moved across international borders, additional licensing and permits are required. Another consideration is the type of roads that need to be traveled. A wide load doesnt turn easily, so the semitruck may need to use alternate routes to arrive safely. These detours can increase the time and distanceand therefore costof the relocation.

According to Statista, as of 2021, Texas, Florida, and Louisiana are the states with the most mobile homes. We chose to focus a select number of our top providers from those states.

Mobile homes need to be assessed to determine if they are structurally sound enough to be moved. If they are, then the size and weight are evaluated to in part determine the cost. Older mobile homes tend to weigh 35 to 40 pounds per square foot, while recently built manufactured homes weigh 40 to 45 pounds per square foot. The heavier weight means additional equipment is typically needed for the deconstruction and hauling of the home. A mobile home that is 800 square feet means there could be 40,000 pounds of materials being moved, so its possible that more than one truck will be needed to complete the move.

The size of the house also needs to be considered. Single-wide trailers can be hauled on a highway with minimal interference (though it is considered a wide load), but a double-wide trailer or larger has to be deconstructed and hauled in two or more pieces. Excessively large pieces may even require lane closures on some roads, which requires the help of local law enforcement to ensure the safety of all drivers.

Many mobile homes require a fair amount of preparation in order to be moved, and some services are expected to be completed by the homeowner. At minimum, utilities need to be shut off and any outer attachments like porches should be removed. Other services like removing and reinstalling the foundation and other features, or removing and reconnecting a double-wide trailer might apply as well. Depending on your needs, check with each moving company to see which services they offer and how they charge for each service.

An existing mobile home insurance policy might cover the home during relocation transport, but if not, then its necessary to obtain liability insurance. This is important to have on top of the insurance that the mobile home movers are required to havemake sure to verify that they have liability insurance of their own.

Since moving a mobile home is a more complex job than RV trailer moving, each job presents its own unique challenges that can affect the total timeline. The distance and the size of the house are two primary factors that influence timing. Once permits are obtained, it can take 3 to 10 hours to prepare a traditional mobile home for moving. A large, manufactured house could take days. The trucks used to haul the home will travel more slowly than other vehicles, so if its being hauled a few hundred miles, it may take several days to arrive. Reconstructing the mobile home at the new site can take from a few hours to a couple of days to complete. Choose a company that can get the job done within a similar timeline of these estimates to help ensure youre working with a reputable company.

The cost to move a mobile home is difficult to nail down since there are so many factors to consider. According to moving.com, on average, a short move of 50 miles could cost between $5,000 and $8,000 for a single-wide trailer, including permits and setup fees. A double-wide trailer with the same circumstances could cost between $10,000 and $13,000. Moving a mobile home across state lines will increase the cost due to time and distance, so its possible for the total cost to reach $20,000 or more.

Accidents happen. If one occurs, you want to feel confident that there is a company representative ready and willing to help. Part of the vetting process may need to include speaking with one or more company representatives to build confidence in their attentiveness and willingness to provide solutions in the event of an emergency.

The decision to hand over the move of a home thats unique and special can be daunting. Choosing the right company to handle the challenging process of moving a mobile home builds confidence and ensures a smooth transaction. To help homeowners transport their homes safely, quickly, and legally, we recommend Heavy Haulers as our top choice for mobile home movers.

Photo: heavyhaulers.com

Why It Made the Cut: Heavy Haulers can transport mobile homes of all sizes nationwide to all 50 statesplus Canada and Mexicousing a team of bonded, licensed, and insured drivers and movers.

Heavy Haulers, a division of Nationwide Transport Services, is capable of getting movers to your house and relocating it to its new, accessible destination (as long as the house is structurally movable), regardless of where you live in the United States. They have offices throughout the country to help assist people looking to move mobile homes, freight, and heavy equipment. Since they offer a variety of services, its a safe bet that they have the equipment necessary to move even a complicated manufactured house.

Though Heavy Haulers cant guarantee exact pickup or delivery datesthere are complexities to ensuring drivers are accessible anywhere in the countrythey have several available points of contact and great 24/7 customer service to help homeowners feel secure in booking with them. The fact that its also a family owned and operated business is also a nice touch.

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Photo: nexusautotransport.com

Why It Made the Cut: Nexus Auto Transport specializes in transporting cars across the country, but they have branched out into transporting mobile homes for reasonably affordable prices.

Nexus can accommodate mobile home transport across the lower contiguous 48 states. Their specialty is auto transport, which is helpful for mobile home owners who also need a car moved. Nexus can accommodate short notice mobile home pickup and delivery in many caseslikely in more populated areas. Since this company is still growing, they do occasionally broker out some moves to other companies who have a greater presence in some areas. As a bonus, you can also book a car shipment with them if you have more cars than drivers.

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Photo: uship.com

Why It Made the Cut: As a transportation marketplace, UShip helps bring feedback-rated movers and clients together to fill the exact needs of the mobile home thats being moved.

UShip operates as a marketplace broker that facilitates the decision-making process of finding qualified haulers to move a mobile home (and other goods). The advantage of this system is that you can quickly compare prices and feedback of qualified movers to help make a decision about who to hire by choosing from any available moving company. In addition, there are movers available for hire who can take care of the packing and moving of all your personal items. However, since its only a brokerage marketplace, any problems or concerns with a mover can only be solved directly between the two parties. UShip will help facilitate communication between the two parties, but wont handle disputes. The contracts are also somewhat loose to allow for unexpected circumstances, so haulers can cancel at frustratingly short notice. Fortunately, there are plenty of other movers to find on this platform to fill the gap if needed.

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Photo: innovationmovers.com

Why It Made the Cut: Innovation Movers is an all-service mobile home moving company in Texas that offers friendly customer support and additional services for special circumstances.

For mobile home owners moving within Texas, Innovation Movers is our top choice since they are locally owned and operated. This company also specializes in the before and after services involved in simple or complicated moves, such as grading the new location if needed. If you need to move within a week, its likely theyll be able to accommodate you. Its important to note that they only operate within Texas; however, they do provide the legal permits homeowners need to move within the state. Innovation Movers strives for transparency in their communication and services, and they have customer support available by phone and email.

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Photo: mhmove.com

Why It Made the Cut: J&S Homes is a proven, 40-year business with lots of experience moving mobile homes throughout Florida (with a primary focus on central Florida), with the added perk of free estimates.

Businesses that have been around for decades tend to have a reliable track record of successful operations and happy customers, and J&S Homes is no exception. They state that they can move mobile homes to their new location within Florida (not out of state) within a weekbarring severe weather challenges. This short turnaround is helpful for homeowners, especially since J&S also helps with all permitting needs. They also boast transparency when it comes to insurance and permits.

There are no online quotes available, but thats due to the company preferring to meet with you in person to provide an accurate assessment and quote. Site and home preparation services are also included to help homeowners move smoothly into their new location. Most importantly, J&S Homes provides tie-down and anchoring services for mobile homes to meet FHA hurricane regulations in Florida that are intended to reduce damage and protect homeowners.

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Photo: bbsmobilehometransport.com

Why It Made the Cut: BBs Mobile Home Transport specializes in moving mobile homes of all typesand foundationsin addition to raising mobile homes as a flood countermeasure.

With over 40 years of mobile home moving experience, BBs Mobile Home Transport is capable of handling just about any unique situation that comes their way. Though they primarily service homes within the state of Louisiana, theyre familiar with the challenging terrain and elements that Louisiana has, which means they can ensure a mobile home is relocated safely. There are only limited options for moving in the Gulf Coast area, so potential customers are encouraged to call or email for details.

BBs can handle mobile homes on blocks or anchors and build a raised foundation to protect the home against flooding that may occur. In addition, they now offer FHA foundation retrofitting to provide mobile homes with more security against severe weather events. Its an extra service that helps homeowners feel safe and secure in their newly relocated mobile home.

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Photo: nationwideunitedautotransport.com

Why It Made the Cut: Offering nationwide mobile home transport, Nationwide United Auto Transport is licensed, bonded, and insured to move manufactured homes, mobile homes, tiny homes, and more.

Nationwide United Auto Transport is a large logistics firm that is capable of offering expedited transport options for many customers. They have 15 years of experience, so theyre well positioned to have the equipment and manpower necessary to handle just about any moving complexity. While their prices may be more expensive than others, they offer 24/7 support, which gives customers confidence that any questions or challenges can be resolved quickly. They help each customer assess the additional services needed to remove and place the mobile home, survey the route for logistical challenges, and assess the permits needed for a local or cross-country move. Note: As of the publication of this guide on 10/29/2021, Nationwide United Auto Transport has suspended its mobile home transport service until further notice.

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Great customer service, adequate service area, and extra services are all key components to choosing the best mobile home movers. Thats why we chose Heavy Haulers as our top choice, since they have the largest service area, all the necessary equipment, and a proven track record of helpful, accessible customer support. Some homeowners might prefer using the UShip marketplace where they can easily price shop and book directly with any number of moving companies.

While much depends on the location of your move and any unique circumstances you may be in, there are a few elements that stood out to us when reviewing the top mobile-home moving companies. We evaluated companies that have local, statewide, nationwide, and international moving options to provide the coverage needed for any homeowner. We evaluated the websites of each company and took the overall customer reviews and experiences into account to make sure most customers enjoyed a satisfactory or pleasant experience.

Since the highest concentration of mobile homes exists in Texas, Florida, and Louisiana, it was important to include top local companies who have expert knowledge of the terrain and weather that impact mobile homes in those regions.

Its not uncommon for a mobile home to be moved due to a change in ownership of the land where its placed. These moves are usually local and fairly easy to accommodate for a reasonable price. On the other hand, considering moving a mobile home across state lines can become complicated and expensive fairly quickly. This is even more true for manufactured homes that are a double-wide size or larger. Movers also have to assess whether the home is structurally sound enough to be taken apart and put back together, not to mention whether it can handle the jostling of a long road trip.

If the cost to move a mobile home is more than its worth overall or the risk is too high to the structural integrity of the home, it may be best to consider simply purchasing a new mobile home near your preferred destination.

Theres no easy answer to determine the cost of moving a mobile home since location, size, weight, distance, preparation, and any additional services all factor into the final cost. However, local moves are easier to estimate since there is a shorter distance to cover. As a general baseline, you can expect a single-wide trailer to cost $5,000 to $8,000 to move 50 miles. Larger trailers or longer distances quickly increase that price. An average cost per mile is $5 to $10, which may or may not apply to local moves within a certain radius. Its not impossible for a quote to reach $20,000 or more, depending on the complexity and distance of a move.

No matter how powerful a truck and trailer are, moving a mobile home any measurable distance on your own is not recommendedand in many situations, its illegal. Mobile homes are massive, unwieldy objects that take skill and training to move successfully, which is why its so helpful to have experienced professionals do the hard job of taking it apart, transporting it, and setting it back up. Most importantly, licensed movers have the proper permits and interstate licenses to transport the home. Here are several reasons why its beneficial to hire mobile home movers.

Choosing a great mobile home mover can be a challenging process, but with enough information, the right company can be found. The more details you understand about the process, the better position youll be in to make an informed decision. Consider the answers to these frequently asked questions.

Anyone who is looking to relocate a mobile or manufactured home to a new destination. As long as the home is in good condition to be moved, and it works with the homeowners budget, mobile home movers can transport it to almost any location.

The cost to move a mobile home depends on several critical factors like the size, weight, and location of the mobile home. In addition, the total distance heavily influences the final price. On average, it costs approximately $7,000 to move a mobile home less than 100 miles.

Each state has a requirement for homeowners (or the moving company) to obtain a moving permit to transport the trailer to a new location. If the mobile home is being transported across state lines, additional permits are required to meet national transportation regulations.

Most states require a licensed mover to complete any kind of transport of a mobile home. Proper permits are also required, and in some cases, the home might even need to be inspected before and after arrival. If any taxes are overdue on the property, they will need to be paid first as well. Check with the local HUD department to learn which laws will apply in your region.

Sources: HomeAdvisor, MyMove, Move.org, SFGate, Moving.com

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The Best Mobile Home Movers of 2021 - BobVila.com

Farmworker housing advocates are facing some hard lessons from a pilot project that fell drastically short of its goal. Starting in 2012, a collaborative between the Marin Community Foundation and Marin County used a combination of public and private funds to build and renovate agricultural worker housing on ranches in West Marin. The group initially planned to fund 200 units within five years, but later sharply reduced the goal to 20 units.

In the end, only a dozen units were built, while the need for more affordable housing never went away.

There were a number of lessons learned, including that using public funding on private land is really challenging, said Leelee Thomas, the planning manager with the Marin County Community Development Agency who led the project.

Agricultural jobs are sometimes more desirable than other jobs in West Marin because they usually come with housing. On dairy farms in particular, its essential that workers live onsite or very nearby.

They need to work two shifts, said Socorro Romo, executive director of West Marin Community Services. What they do is basically eat, sleep and work. A commute simply does not fit into the schedule.

But having ones housing tied to ones work also presents a challenge. When they lose their job, they lose their house, Ms. Romo said.

By 2012, a number of ranches in West Marin had shuttered, including Drakes Bay Oyster Farm, which displaced 32 workers. At the same time, the Marin Community Foundation had been preparing to spur a project to remedy the ongoing need for farmworker housing.

A collaborative led by M.C.F. and the county involved a host of organizations, including West Marin Community Services, the Community Land Trust Association of West Marin, the Marin County Farm Bureau, the West Marin Fund and the Marin Agricultural Land Trust.

Through the pilot project, the group tried to secure long-term, low-interest loans from the United States Department of Agriculture for ranchers to build housing. M.C.F. contributed $1 million, and property owners had to match the funding for each unit with either cash, land or utilities costs. Current workers would be prioritized, and no worker would pay more than 30 percent of their income for rent.

But in most cases, restrictions on the federal funds proved prohibitive. With that model, it wasnt feasible, Ms. Thomas said.

Johnathan Logan, the vice president of community engagement at M.C.F., said a 2015 post-mortem report on the project found that a lack of funds available for private land was the biggest obstacle. Public financing was simply too restrictive.

The project did result in the construction or renovation of some units. One unit was replaced on the historic J Ranch, two were rehabilitated at Toluma Farms in Tomales, three were built at the Giacomini dairy, two at Bivalve Dairy, one at Stubbs Vineyard, and two at the Straus dairy. Theyre nearly all still occupied, and all but two are rent-free for the workers who live there.

Tim Kehoe, whose family has been ranching at the J Ranch for 100 years, said the project allowed him to replace an aging trailer with a new manufactured home built by Little House on the Trailer, a Petaluma-based business. He secured funding from the county and M.C.F., and provided $10,000 to $15,000 in kind. Although he leases public land, he wasnt eligible for a U.S.D.A. loan since his five-year lease was much shorter than the 30-year term of the loan.

Mr. Kehoe doesnt charge rent for the unit, and he pays all the utilities himself.

At Toluma Farms, dairy farmers Tamara Hicks and David Jablons didnt qualify for a U.S.D.A. loan because of their income, which is boosted by Mr. Jablonss job as chief of thoracic surgery at U.C.S.F. They began rehabilitating two housing units on their farm but, Ms. Hicks said, it has been too expensive to finish. In the meantime, theyve housed some workers rent-free in units they own in Tomales and Dillon Beach.

John Taylor, who runs Bivalve Dairy with his wife, Karen, replaced two older manufactured homes with a duplex manufactured by Karsten in 2015. The county put up the funding for the permit cycle, and initially told Mr. Taylor that the units would be funded by a U.S.D.A. loan. The Taylors paid for the unit themselves, but the restrictions of the loan turned out to be too burdensome, requiring them to work with the lands other owners, Ms. Taylors family, to put a lien on the property.

We were left holding the bag, going, Okay, we just built this house, he said.

Mr. Taylor charges rent on the two units, docking it from workers wages.

Straus Family Creamery founder Albert Straus was part of the farmworker housing collaborative and had two three-bedroom manufactured houses built on his dairy in Marshall as a result. A turnover in the projects management interrupted the process of getting a U.S.D.A. loan, and although the county waived certain fees and expedited the process, he had to take out a loan from his own bank. Mr. Straus doesnt charge rent.

He said the project was not a long-term solution for the needs of workers and farmers. It went through three managers while he was involved, and faced various obstacles to funding in the form of federal, county and state requirements.

The management wasnt ideal, and the execution wasnt ideal either, Mr. Straus said.

This spring, Mr. Straus moved the creamery operation to Petaluma, closer to where he said many employees already live. His attention is still trained on affordable housing projects in West Marin, and he is working with the county on a potential development in Tomales. Its not only ag worker housing, its affordable housing, he said of the problem. The whole communitys housing needs have become extreme.

One dairy did meet the conditions for a low-interest U.S.D.A. loan: Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company. Co-owner Lynn Giacomini Stray was able to replace three modular homes for workers on the property. We were happy that we qualified, and we really would like to see more of that, she said.

The dairy doesnt charge rent or utilities, and Ms. Stray said shed like to see more affordable housing options close to or on ranches and farms in West Marin. Our employees have to be close to work, because animals are a 24-hour operation, she said.

Ms. Thomas said there were some things we could learn from that project that would still be feasible, but the county and M.C.F. are now primarily focused on off-ranch affordable housing in West Marin. Of the units that CLAM will develop on the former Coast Guard property in Point Reyes Station, a certain number may be set aside specifically for agricultural workers.

Mr. Logan, who arrived at M.C.F. in 2016, said the foundations report acknowledged that the 2012 project had not come close to meeting the need for farmworker housing.

Before the pandemic hit, the collaborative had reopened the conversation and was planning a needs assessment study. Mr. Logan said the group will likely meet again within the next month. They plan to survey the number of farmworkers and housing units in Marin and to identify more opportunities for housing on private land. Funding is still an obstacle, however, with regulations on public monies often onerous for private farmers.

Ms. Thomas said she doesnt know of a source of public housing funding meant for private landowners.

One group may be able to exert particular influence on farmworker housing through financial incentives: the Marin Agricultural Land Trust, which has control over the development rights for 54,000 acres of Marin farmland.

MALT needs to play a role in this, Mr. Logan said.

Jennifer Carlin, MALTs director of advancement, wrote in an email that the trust believes that everyone engaged in the agricultural value chain deserves a dignified living, including a safe and healthy place to live. MALTs easements allow any agricultural infrastructure thats necessary to support the farming operation, including housing for workers.

Ms. Carlin said MALT is continuing to meet with M.C.F. and other groups as part of the collaborative, but the trust doesnt have its own committee to address housing needs.

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Farmworker housing initiative fell short of ambitious goal - Point Reyes Light

At least 63 people throughout Oregon died from health issues related to the hot weather over the past few days, with 45 of those deaths in Multnomah County, authorities say.

Portland broke heat records on three consecutive days, hitting a high temperature of 116 on Monday. Other parts of the state got even hotter, with many recording all-time high temperatures.

Salem hit 117 on Monday, for example, and The Dalles reached 118. Pendleton was 118 degrees on Tuesday. Other Oregon cities, including Redmond and Bend, hit 108 over the weekend.

Capt. Tim Fox, an Oregon State Police spokesperson, said the death toll as of Wednesday was based on reports from each countys medical examiner office, but that number could go up as agencies conduct more investigations and determine causes of death.

The 63 fatalities were reported by six counties. Marion County, home to the state capital, reported nine deaths. Washington County reported five.

The state medical examiner said Clackamas County had two heat-related deaths. Clackamas County, however, has only reported one death. Spokeswoman Kimberly Dinwiddie said an elderly woman died from probable heat-related causes and was found in a manufactured home without air-conditioning.

The state examiner in an email said their offices count reflects what is currently documented in our system and classified as such. As these are active death investigations, the number likely will change over the next few days as more information is being gathered in each case.

Columbia and Umatilla counties reported one fatality apiece.

The death in Columbia County, which happened Tuesday, was of an 83-year-old woman living by herself in the unincorporated part of Scappoose, said county Sheriff Brian Pixley.

MULTNOMAH COUNTY

The Multnomah County Medical Examiner said those who died in Oregons most populous county ranged in age from 44 to 97. Many of them had underlying health conditions.

The Multnomah County victims include 17 women and 27 men. Many of those who died were found alone with no air conditioning or fans, officials said.

The county medical examiner said the preliminary cause of death for the countys victims was hyperthermia, or an abnormally high body temperature caused by a failure of the body to deal with heat coming from the environment.

Julie Sullivan-Springhetti, a county spokesperson, said the number of urgent care and emergency department visits in the county over the weekend surpassed the usual number for an entire summer.

Sullivan-Springhetti said the county on Monday had an all-time high of 491 calls for emergency medical assistance a 63% increase from the normal rate.

She said the county health department is still analyzing data, but early estimates show hospitals were reporting between two and five times more cardiac arrests than usual.

Death information was shared as soon as the information was gathered, Sullivan-Springhetti said.

We were sounding the alarm every day and warning the community that this heat wave was deadly, she said.

County staff and officials worked as quickly as possible to tally numbers, Sullivan-Springhetti said. Very few calls came in to the Multnomah County Medical Examiners office until late Monday night when county investigators took 55 calls in 24 hours.

This is four times the level of calls ever experienced, Sullivan-Springhetti said.

More than half the calls required an in-person investigation.

There were three Multnomah County death investigators and there were so many calls, Sullivan-Springhetti said. The chief medical examiner herself was going out on calls until midnight (on Tuesday) and again (Wednesday) morning.

As the clock struck 10 a.m. Wednesday, Multnomah County Chief Medical Examiner Kimberly Dileo started the arduous process of reading through 100 reports of natural and other deaths to determine which deaths were from excessive heat, Sullivan-Springhetti said. Dileo finished the full investigation by 1:30 p.m.

While most individuals died in their homes, it is not yet known how many individuals were experiencing homelessness at their time of death, Sullivan-Springhetti said. Determining that statistic will take additional investigation.

ACROSS OREGON AND ELSEWHERE

A farmworker, who has not been identified, died in St. Paul on Saturday, when temperatures reached 104 degrees. He was found unresponsive in the field at the end of his shift at Ernst Nursery and Farms, according to the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health division. He had been working on a crew moving irrigation lines, the agency said.

Two people, who also have not been identified, died at a homeless camp in Bend over the weekend, and homeless outreach workers are attributing the deaths to heat-related causes, as reported by The Bulletin. Temperatures reached 104 degrees in Bend on Sunday, the day the deaths were reported.

The figures provided by the state listed no deaths in Deschutes County. It wasnt immediately clear whether the farmworker was included in the Marion County tally.

Meanwhile in Washington, the King County medical examiners office, which covers an area including Seattle, said a total of 13 people had died from heat-related causes. In neighboring Snohomish County, three men ages 51, 75 and 77 died after experiencing heatstroke in their homes, the medical examiners office told the Daily Herald in Everett on Tuesday. Four deaths have also been linked to heat in Kitsap County, west of Seattle.

Elsewhere in Washington, the Spokane Fire Department found two people who had been suffering symptoms of heat-related stress dead in an apartment building Wednesday, TV station KREM reported.

British Columbias chief coroner, Lisa Lapointe, said her office received reports of at least 486 sudden and unexpected deaths between Friday and Wednesday. Normally, she said about 165 people would die in the Canadian province over a five-day period.

While it is too early to say with certainty how many of these deaths are heat related, it is believed likely that the significant increase in deaths reported is attributable to the extreme weather, LaPointe said in a statement.

CLIMATE CHANGE AND EXTREME HEAT

Extreme heat has been on the rise in Oregon over the last 80 years. In Portland and Pendleton, the number of days that reach 90 or higher per year has increased by eight since 1940, according to a statewide climate assessment released earlier this year. Medford has seen that number increase by 21 days, an extra three weeks per year.

No single type of weather event kills more Americans than extreme heat. It kills more than hurricanes and floods combined. Heat has twice the death toll of tornadoes and four times the death toll of extreme cold, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Climate scientists have long said that events like the one that hit the Pacific Northwest this weekend are likely to be more intense, last for longer and happen more frequently as the climate continues to warm because of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions.

Noelle Crombie, Jayati Ramakrishnan, Nicole Hayden, Maxine Bernstein, Savannah Eadens, Kale Williams and Rob Davis of The Oregonian/OregonLive contributed to this report. The Associated Press also contributed.

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At least 63 people have died in Oregon heatwave - PennLive

Elon Musk is the second richest person in the world, with an estimated fortune of 151 thousand million dollars Forbes.

But unlike other emperors, Musk does not live in a large palace located in a very exclusive neighborhood. In fact, the founder of electric car company Tesla and space company SpaceX appears to reside, it has been revealed, in a tiny 20-by-20-foot (about 35-square-meter) home in a secluded location in the far south. Just a few steps from the border with Mexico.

Elon Musk, founder of Tesla and SpacerX and the second richest person in the world, according to Forbes magazine. (Reuters)

Newspaper Houston Chronicle He states that Musk lives in a manufactured home that costs only $50,000 and pays rent of $250 a month to his company, SpaceX.

This tiny house is located in Boca Chica, Texas, where the SpaceX rocket launch and test base is located.

Musk, who has listed at least seven mansions he owns in California, are valued at $100 million according to him. interested in tradeHe kept only one mansion in the San Francisco area, which he uses exclusively for juveniles.

Musk himself confirmed in a tweet on Twitter, My main residence is literally a house under $50,000 in Boca Chica/Starbus, which I rent from SpaceX. Its awesome. The only home I own is one for juveniles. In the Bay Area [de San Francisco].

the gate Teslarati He revealed that this house is the ready-made model approved by the companys Casita name boxableSpecializing in Design and installation of high-tech prefab homes. Made of steel plates and concrete, this tiny house is easy to transport and assemble and costs less than many Tesla models.

It looks comfortable for one person, or even a couple, and would obviously work well with Musk as a studio located next to his companys rocket launch and test center. In addition, it serves to accentuate the image of detachment towards matter and commitment to its ideal of colonizing Mars, which is the ultimate goal of SpaceX.

Keep reading the story

The Casita by Boxabl style includes a full kitchen with double sink, oven, microwave, refrigerator, dishwasher, and cabinets; Full bathroom spaces for living room, bedroom, washing machine, air conditioning, heating and LED lighting, among other details.

Boxabl certainly did not miss the opportunity to do marketing and play on the idea of simultaneously helping solve the problems of affordable housing on Earth and providing SpaceX with homes to colonize Mars.

However, singer Grimes, Musks girlfriend and mother of their son, is said to apparently not live in this house but in Austin, Texas, so, for now, the unit that Boxabl has installed for SpaceX and Musk will serve as the poles workspace remain. Boca Chica, even if his family resides elsewhere.

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Elon Musk lives in a prefab "house" next to the SpaceX base for which he pays $250 a month. - Amico Hoops