The Modular Building Systems Association (MBSA) is poised to
be the sole united voice for the residential modular housing industry but the
road ahead of it is daunting.
Primarily an association of East Coast modular factories
that joined together many years ago to create a united front in taking on
legislative matters and promoting the industry as an alternative to site built
housing, today those goals pale in comparison to what is needed now.
In the past, modular home builders and yes, even the home
buyers were not a priority. There were no Facebooks, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube
and Skype instantly bringing news and views about modular housing to our computers,
tablets and smart phones. Those changes were not anticipated by the founding
members many years ago.
Now the MBSA is awakening to a new challenge, a new goal and
an entirely new audience. Reaching them will push them to reinvent themselves
into the “go to” place for everything modular.
Tom Hardiman, the Executive Director, along with a new slate
of officers and board members are realizing that the future of residential
modular housing is in their hands. They are gearing up to move beyond the East
Coast into all regions of the
bringing the benefits of a united legislative voice to all modular home
factories.
The men and women to the new board of MBSA are also facing
the challenges of bringing modular home builders into the mix and finding ways
to inform new home buyers of the benefits of modular home construction vs. site
building.
You would think this would be an easy task. Think again
Pilgrims!
There are many factories that do not belong to the MBSA.
Why? Because they believe that their membership in the NAHB’s Building Systems
Council is enough. If it were, why is our industry stuck only building 2-4 % of
all new home starts. The BSC’s main goal seems to be having meetings where
everyone talks about the industry but does virtually nothing to improve it.
So now it’s up to the MBSA to take the reins and drive the
wagon to town. Did I say wagon instead of race car? Yes. The road ahead for
MBSA is going to be a long, muddy road to success. Nobody has paved it or even
mapped it.
What’s it going to take to be the voice for the residential
modular home industry? It will take EVERY modular home factory in the
will take MBSA members reaching out to modular home builders and introducing
themselves and inviting them to join with the factories in making the industry
strong.
It will take the leadership of MBSA designing a pathway to
attract and inform new home buyers both to MBSA’s website and to modular home
builders in the buyer’s area.
The road ahead will not be easy but with each member working
hard to go after others to join and forge a new future for our industry, the
MBSA will become that one, united voice for modular housing.
