Organizations Will Join Next Step’s SmartMH Program to Expand Access to Housing Counseling and Education
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Grant Beck, Marketing and Communications Manager
Phone: (202) 851-7550
Email: g.beck@nextstepus.org
LOUISVILLE, KY – July 23, 2020 – Today, Next Step Network is pleased to announce that Family Homes, a family-owned manufactured housing retail sales center, and St. Paul Group, a real estate investment firm, have joined as the newest additions to our member network.
“We’re excited to have both Family Homes and St. Paul Group join our network, bringing their unique expertise and experience to our mission,” said Stacey Epperson, president and founder of Next Step Network. “In these particularly challenging times, we welcome organizations and businesses that are dedicated to expanding affordable homeownership opportunities for individuals and families.”
Chino, Calif.-based Family Homes builds, markets and sells new and used manufactured homes in order to increase affordable housing opportunities in California communities. Family Homes focuses on quality, with the goal to erase negative stereotypes surrounding manufactured homes.
“We at Family Homes believe the experience of purchasing a home is every bit as important as the house itself,” said David Franzoni, CEO at Family Homes. “That’s why our customer satisfaction is always up in the 90th percentile. You can ask any one of our customers and they will tell you, that these are ‘not your grandmother’s manufactured homes!’”
St. Paul Group is a real estate investment firm that acquires, improves, and operates mobile home parks. They specialize in mismanaged and under-performing mobile home parks, acquiring communities nationwide with focus on the Midwest that, when stabilized, provide safe, decent, and affordable housing for residents.
“We are very excited to use SmartMH to help more people stop renting and buy their homes in Altoona and Eau Claire, Wisconsin,” said Jae Cho, manager at St. Paul Group. “We meet many people looking to get into better homes for themselves and their families but don’t quite have the credit score. SmartMH provides a chance and a guidance so that they can achieve their dream of homeownership.”
Both organizations will participate in Next Step’s SmartMH program. The SmartMH program connects qualified homebuyers with financial institutions and manufactured home retailers to increase access to affordable, ENERGY STAR® manufactured homes with fair financing. Freddie Mac has partnered with Next Step to grow the SmartMH program, while improving access to credit for prepared, manufactured home buyers.
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About Next Step® Network, Inc.
Next Step® Network, Inc. is a national, nonprofit housing intermediary that works to promote expanded use of factory-built housing as a viable solution to address housing affordability. Our organization mobilizes a national network of mission-driven nonprofits, leaders in the manufactured housing industry and lending institutions serving home buyers and homeowners in their communities. Next Step’s system – Manufactured Housing Done Right® – connects responsible financing, comprehensive homebuyer education and delivery of high-quality, ENERGY STAR® manufactured homes at scale, creating a model that brings more value to the homeowners and communities. Learn more at www.nextstepus.org.
About St. Paul Group
St. Paul Group acquires and operates manufactured home communities and sells affordable and high-quality manufactured homes. They improve lives of their residents by significantly improving their communities while maintaining affordability. Currently, they are working with SmartMH program to provide more homeownership opportunities through their home sale centers in Hillcrest Estates in Altoona and Villa Diann in Eau Claire.
About Family Homes
Family Homes seeks to build, market and sell new and used manufactured homes, not mobile homes, trailers or coaches, but beautiful, well-built homes that our customers, as well as the communities that we build them in, can be proud of. To squelch the negative stereotypes that have for far too long been tied to our product, as well as the beautiful and safe parks that we sell them in. And last, but not least, in a marketplace that has watched home prices soar, allow each and every Californian to realize the American dream, owning their own home.