This week, MHISC worked with Orangeburg-area members to push back on the county’s policy of requiring an MH title before issuing any permits. The county has agreed to delay the policy’s implementation date to August 1st while changes are being considered.
Additionally, MHISC staff have been finalizing work on convention speakers and media for the hall of fame induction ceremony. MHISC members can earn two hours of continuing education credits at the convention.

This week, MHISC met with key retailers from across the state to weigh in on a licensing board task force project to streamline requirements for the state’s purchase agreement.
Additionally, the association has been working to schedule continuing education speakers for the June 20-22 convention. Two hours of CE credit will be available for members attending the convention.

This week, the House Ways and Means Committee passed a bill which would allow for some accommodations tax revenue to be used on workforce housing. The bill also establishes a study committee which must consult with MHISC when assessing the effectiveness of this program.
Additionally, MHISC recorded another episode of My Favorite Person with Ronnie Boyce, Joanne Polston, Robert Rizzetta, and Roscoe Still on the topic of remembering Al Randall. The episode will premiere on May 18th.

This week, association staff worked alongside Orangeburg-area retailers who have been experiencing issues with the county requiring a title before issuing any permits. MHISC is working on connecting with key officials in the area to explain why this hurts housing opportunities in the area and fix the issue.
Additionally, the association has been preparing for its regular taking place over the next two weeks. MHISC’s executive committee reviews the association’s financials regularly to ensure that membership dues are being properly allocated and used to fund projects that are worthwhile to the industry.

This week, MHISC finished up work on the May edition of Update Magazine. This edition features news about new initiatives to push for more manufactured homes in rural areas of the state, advice for modular manufacturers on speeding up the plan approval process, and information about MHISC’s June 20-22 Myrtle Beach convention. The magazine should hit mailboxes the first week of May.
Additionally, the Pee Dee chapter met in Florence for one hour of continuing education. Shawn Brashear, Florence County Building Official and President of BOASC spoke to members about how to avoid common pitfalls when setting up a new home.

This week, MHISC has been tracking a statehouse bill that plans to reform procedures at the SC Department of Consumer Affairs, the state agency which oversees chattel lending. The proposed legislation would require the department disclose more information about investigations sooner, determine validity of complaints prior to launching investigations, and require the agency attempt to resolve matters before initiating formal investigations.
Additionally, MHISC finished recording on the first episode of a new podcast series titled My Favorite Person. The first episode is set to release on April 28th and features Mitch Gault of Kent Gault Homes as a guest.

This week, the association worked with member retailers to investigate the issue of many counties and cities not allowing temporary power for new manufactured home installations.
Additionally, MHISC collaborated with MHI national to rally a member response to federal DOE overreach on new energy efficiency standards that would drastically increase the price of new manufactured homes.

This week, association staff met with two key state senators in regards to putting together a plan to bring more manufactured home developments and land-lease communities to areas of the state in need of workforce housing. MHISC is working with key industry leaders to help put together a written plan on how local governments can help with these developments.
Additionally, the Upstate chapter of MHISC met in Greenville for an hour of continuing education. Over 35 members came out to hear from Pickens County officials about local issues, including three new independent retail companies.

This week, the association held a chapter meeting in Summerville for Charleston-area members. Over 40 members came out to speak with Berkley County officials about local issues and to earn an hour of continuing education.
Additionally, members and staff mourned the passing of respected industry veteran Al Randall. Al was a long-time lending rep with South State Bank, served on the MHISC board as chair, and was a member of the SC Manufactured Housing Hall of Fame.

This week, staff put together the first chapter in a guide to local officials on creating amicable climates for manufactured home developments in cities and counties. MHISC has been working with leaders in areas of the state in need of affordable housing, and the association has been working with member communities to find out what local policies best facilitate these types of developments.
Additionally, staff finished writing articles for the May 2023 edition of Update Magazine. The magazine will feature information about the upcoming convention, the process of getting modular homes approved by the SCBCC, and the projected housing growth in the state for the coming years.

This week, the South Carolina Manufactured Housing Board met to discuss how continuing education should be handled in the 2022-2024 licensing cycle, and to discuss disciplinary procedures for licensees who falsified CE on their renewal applications. MHISC was present at these meetings to represent the interests of our members.
Additionally, the Lowcountry chapter met in Myrtle Beach to earn one hour of continuing education and learn about new developments with HVAC service and supply.

This week, MHISC hosted the SC Manufactured Housing Hall of Fame as they selected who would be inducted during the Hall of Fame dinner on the night of June 21 at the association’s Myrtle Beach Convention. The inductee will be announced on MHISC’s Facebook page in the coming weeks.
MHISC’s Grand Strand chapter also met for an hour of continuing education from presenter Bobby Hathaway. To view upcoming chapter meetings, [click here].

This week, the MHISC staff have been working with retail managers from across the state to identify any areas of SC infrastructure that have damaged manufactured homes in transport. Several retailers have identified low hanging powerlines or untrimmed trees that tear into homes being moved. If the association finds a trend in these issues, we will work with the SC Department of Transportation to get them fixed.
Additionally, the association’s continuing education page has been updated to include upcoming courses being offered at chapter meetings in March as well as adding a link to the first online courses that members can take for free anytime. You can check out the new CE page [here].

This week, association staff launched the first online CE course of the new cycle. Licensees will need to have six hours of continuing education credit by June 30, 2024. MHISC will also hold an hour of continuing education at each of MHISC’s six chapter meetings in March. Registration for these events can be found [here].
Additionally, staff have been looking into an issue reported by several retailer across the state of powerlines hanging below the required height and damaging homes in transport. MHISC is investigating whether this issue is localized to a specific area of the state.

This week, staff monitored the final discussion of a South Carolina Building Codes Council project to examine the classifications, limitations, educational requirements, and disciplinary procedures of code enforcement officers who oversee how modular homes are built and installed and how manufactured homes are installed.
Additionally, association staff have worked with Lexington area members to clarify the county’s new enforcement policy on building standards for manufactured home decks and porches.

MHISC has been working at the SC Statehouse following S.436, a bill that establishes an Heirs’ Property Commission for the state. This would allow over $3 billion in property that is currently tied up in inheritance issues to be sorted out and would open up hundreds of new home sites across the state in rural areas where manufactured homes are most popular.
Additionally, MHISC staff finished up work on both the next issue of Update Magazine and the association’s new Continuing Education Tracker.

MHISC Staff met with several SC Senate and House members this week to discuss bringing more opportunities to place affordable manufactured homes for their constituents. One issue that was brought up was the rise in 5-year age limits on MH popping up in municipalities across the state which would cripple the market for retailers selling pre-owned homes as well as MH communities in these areas.
Association staff worked on putting together a multi-prong plan for approaching these issues, including an all-city and county newsletter blast (which was dropped in the mail this afternoon), setting up meetings between members and city governments, and allying with statehouse members to work on removing these ordinances on a large scale.

This week, MHISC met with key staff members from representatives on the SC Statehouse’s Labor, Commerce & Industry committee to discuss how proposed legislation would affect our members and SC homebuyers.
MHISC staff also set down with the mayor of the city of Saluda to discuss strategies for replacing older homes in the city with new, affordable manufactured homes. MHISC will coordinate with members in the area to fill this development opportunity.
Additionally, registration for the March chapter meetings has just gone live. You can register for these meetings [here].

This week marked the beginning of the 2023-24 legislative session. MHISC staff works closely with members of the General Assembly and their staffs to protect and promote manufactured housing in our state.
Staff have also been working with chapter officers to set up local continuing education for the six March chapter meetings. Registration and full event info will be available next week.

Association staff attended a Richland County Council meeting where councilmembers discussed enacting impact fees on all new homes in the county. MHISC will stay closely involved in these discussions.
Additionally, MHISC launched registration for the June 20-22 Convention in Myrtle Beach. You can register for the event [here].

MHISC just finished up work on the January 2023 edition of Update magazine. Members can check it out [here].
Additionally, MHISC staff attended a subcommittee meeting at the Statehouse for proposed legislation that would address heirs’ property issues and free up hundreds of pieces of land for new home construction. If this legislation passes, SC will be the first state in the nation to address this issue.

This week, MHISC welcomed our new Local Government Affairs Coordinator Steve Adams to the team. Adams has previously worked with the Homebuilder’s Association of SC and serves on the SCBCC which regulates the modular industry.
Two of MHISC’s chapters met this week. Lowcountry had a bowling tournament on Tuesday and the Upstate chapter held a donation drive for a local’s veteran’s living facility.

MHISC held it’s annual meeting this week at the Francis Marion hotel in Charleston, SC. We had an amazing turnout of over 185 members including four new independent retailers. You can check out the full meeting report here and view a gallery of event photos here
Additionally, MHISC staff represented the association at the SCMHB meeting Tuesday morning where the agency discussed licensing issues.

State senators have invited MHISC staff to testify at an heirs property study committee meeting next Monday. MHISC staff have spent this week coordinating strategies with allies at the Statehouse. A solution to the muddy heirs property will open up more locations to place manufactured homes in the state.
Association staff has also been putting the final touches on materials for next week’s meeting. MHISC Chair Rick Sanders joined us yesterday for a full runthrough of the agenda and event script.

MHISC staff has been hard at work preparing for the December 7-8 Winter Meeting in Charleston, including confirming schedules with speakers, getting state approval for CE courses, ordering awards, and editing videos for presentations. The association is expecting a great turnout with over 200 members registered.
MHISC has also just launched a new Membership Directory that was designed in house. Members can check it out using the green button at the top right of the screen.

This week, the association sent out Membership Renewal Packets to all MHISC members to renew their membership for 2023. Staff members also collectively wrote 14 articles for Update Magazine, MHISC’s official publication about industry news.
MHISC staff has been working closely with LLR, our state’s administrative agency, to help smooth out any unforseen issues popping up with the industry’s first Continuing Education audit. Members with questions or concerns should reach out to MHISC.