CLASS ACTION Case No. 23-cv-6715 document HAJEK v Datacomp & several Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) and/or MHI linked "state affiliate' member companies

WINTER HAVEN, FL, UNITED STATES, September 13, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ -- Several manufactured home communities (a.k.a. ‘mobile home parks) owner/managers have been hit by national class action suit launched by DiCello Levitt, Hausfeld, and Myron M. Cherry & Associates as attorneys for the manufactured home community residents who are the plaintiffs in the class action antitrust case. The action was filed in United States District Court Northern District Of Illinois Eastern Division and is styled as follows. CARLA HAJEK and GREGORY HAMMERLUND, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated, Plaintiffs, vs. Datacomp Appraisal Systems, Inc.; Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc.; Hometown America Management, L.L.C.; Lakeshore Communities, Inc.; Sun Communities, Inc.; RHP Properties, Inc; Yes! Communities, Inc.; Inspire Communities, L.L.C.; Kingsley Management, Corp.; And Cal-Am Properties, Inc., defendants in Case No. 23-cv-6715.

The case pleadings and related report published by MHLivingNews are found at the link below.

https://www.manufacturedhomelivingnews.com/class-action-case-no-23-cv-6715-v-datacomp-equity-lifestyle-properties-hometown-america-lakeshore-communities-sun-communities-rhp-properties-yes-communities-inspire-communities-kingsley-mgt-cal-am-p/

ABC News said the: "Lawsuit claims mobile home park conspired to fix and inflate lot rental prices. A lawsuit seeking class-action status accuses nine mobile home community management companies and a mobile home market data provider of conspiring to fix and inflate lot rental prices at more than 150 locations across the U.S."

Reuters said: 'Mobile Home Park Owners Accused of [Site Fee-Lot] Rental Price Fixing in New Lawsuit.' However, the most extensive coverage so far appears to be on MHProNews and MHLivingNews.

The suit cites the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI), but they have not yet been named. Quoting the pleadings: "Additionally, as of July 2019, Defendants Datacomp, ELS, Hometown America, Sun Communities, RHP, YES! Communities, and Inspire Communities are all members of the Manufactured Housing Institute (“MHI”)."

The pleadings in Case No. 23-cv-6715 stated: "ELS and Sun Communities have been on the MHI Board of Directors during the Relevant Time Period. Additionally, MHI organizes numerous industry meetings and events throughout the year, including MHI Congress & Expo, the MHI National Communities Council (“NCC”) Spring Forum, the MHI Annual Meeting, the NCC Fall Leadership Forum, and the MHI Winter Meeting. Defendants, including Datacomp, ELS, RHP, and YES! Communities, have all been exhibitors at MHI Congress & Expo during the Relevant Time Period. Trade association membership and events provide Defendants additional opportunities to collude."

MHI, Datacomp, and an outside attorney for MHI have been contacted for comments but they have thus far declined to remark about the case. A search with the Bing AI chat function provided this reply to the inquiry: "Has the Manufactured Housing Institute or Datacomp responded to antitrust suit allegations?"

"According to a recent article on Manufactured Home Pro News, several members of the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI), including Datacomp, have been hit by a big antitrust lawsuit1. The lawsuit alleges that nine mobile home community management companies and a mobile home market data provider conspired to fix, raise, and systemically inflate mobile home lot rental prices as more than 150 locations across the United States. The suit alleges that since 2019, the mobile community management companies have used competitively sensitive, non-public market data provided by Michigan-based Datacomp Appraisal Systems Inc. to exchange pricing information and conspire to systematically devise mobile home lot rent increases1.

However, I could not find any information regarding whether the Manufactured Housing Institute or Datacomp has responded to these allegations."

Bing linked several MHProNews reports in those remarks.

MHProNews noted that the new class action case has been the runaway most read topic on their site, which is reportedly the largest trade publication serving manufactured housing professionals.

https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/making-sense-of-the-news-mhi-linked-antitrust-suit-legal-retail-m-plus-mhstocks-reits-markets-update/

The antitrust suit appears to affirm concerns long raised by MHProNews about possible antitrust, RICO, and other legal violations occurring in manufactured housing raised in reports like the one linked below.

https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/masthead/true-tale-of-four-attorneys-research-into-manufactured-housing-what-they-reveal-about-why-manufactured-homes-are-underperforming-during-an-affordable-housing-crisis-facts-and-analysis/

In other manufactured home industry related news, a renewed push for a new post-production trade association for the manufactured housing industry is being explored. The Manufactured Housing Assocation for Regulatory Reform (MHARR) is on record as supporting the establishment of such a post-production trade group. Those in the MHI camp of the industry have opposed the possible new trade group formation, per reports like those linked below.

https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/the-great-mh-boycott-vs-the-illusion-of-motion-versus-and-real-world-challenges-manufactured-housing-industry-paradoxes-and-stumbling-blocks-plus-sunday-weekly-mhville-headlin/

https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/masthead/if-we-keep-doing-what-weve-been-doing-we-will-keep-getting-what-we-got-mhidea-post-production-trade-associations-status-mhi-mharr-namhco-other-examples-considered/

Other recent headline reports from the manufactured home industry's reportedly largest and most read trade media are as follows.

https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/centennial-homes-chad-evans-and-mhville-pros-sound-off-2022-manufactured-housing-backlog-controversy-changes-in-retail-lending-vanishing-independent-manufactured-home-retailers-examined/

https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/skyline-champion-regional-homes-case-study-flagship-communities-reit-vs-manufactured-housing-institute-claims-reveal-clear-contradictions-facts-analysis-plus-sunday-mhville-weekly-headlines-recap/

About MHProNews

MHProNews is approaching the completion of its 14th year of publishing. Known data linked below indicates that MHProNews has long been the largest and most read trade publication serving manufactured housing industry professionals. The online ManufacturedHomeProNews.com (MHProNews.com) publication launched in mid-October 2009. MHProNews is the only known publisher of Daily Business News serving the manufactured home industry. Stock market reports, analysis of publicly traded firms, and expert commentary on legal and other industry issues are part of the array of "MHVille" subjects covered by the publication.

https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/the-u-s-can-solve-its-housing-crisis-it-just-needs-to-start-building-bloomberg-washington-post-want-more-manufactured-housing-in-2023-plus-2022-year-in-review-sunday-mhville-we/

About MHLivingNews

Manufactured Home Living News (MHLivingNews.com) first posted on 05/20/2013. MHLivingNews.com has the largest known collection of manufactured home industry research by third parties. Reports by Freddie Mac, Urban Institute, LendingTree, the federal government, Harvard, the National Association of Realtors, the Minneapolis Federal Reserve, and others are among fact- and evidence-based research paired with industry expert analysis.

MHLivingNews previously reported the legal research thesis by then Knudson Law's Samuel Strommen.

https://www.manufacturedhomelivingnews.com/strommen-felony-conspiracy-case-monopolization-of-affordable-manufactured-housing-and-manufactured-home-communities-rube-goldberg-machine-of-human-suff/

The report above cited Minneapolis Federal Reserve professional researchers James A. Schmitz Jr and David Fettig, who have made their own evidence-based argument that “Monopolies Inflict Great Harm on Low- and Middle-Income Americans” and the harms that monopolistic practices “in all its forms” create.

Strommen said in the heavily footnoted report linked above that he: “submits that the MHI’s conduct in obfuscation judicious decision-making by the [FHFA and HUD] constitutes a conspiracy to restrain trade under Section 1 of the Sherman Act, and by virtue of the misrepresentative nature of the conduct, should not be afforded Noerr protection.”

Strommen said: “The FTC also has jurisdiction over non-profit organizations that operate for the profit of their for-profit members..."

Strommen's thesis: "expose a number of antitrust violations—both blatant and subtle—in the form of the increasing monopolization of the manufacturing, financing, and the increasingly consolidating landlords..."

L. A. "Tony" Kovach
MHProNews.com/MHLivingNews.com
+1 832-689-1729
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Behind the Scenes - Experts Look at Manufactured Homes - Industry Expert L. A. "Tony" Kovach and William Wade "Bill" Matchneer, formerly with the CFPB and HUD.

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