| “Why does ODC continue to invest so heavily in infill (bringing new homes into our mobile home communities) despite increased costs?” Yes, the obvious answer is NOI. Filling vacant lots creates income-producing spaces and meaningful value for a property (even with the cost increases). But infill is far more than a financial lever. It’s one of the most transformative community-building tools we have. It replaces dilapidated homes with modern ones. It turns sparse, half-empty streets into full neighborhoods. It improves safety, stability, and pride of place. It restores life to communities that have been overlooked for years. This is the part of infill that numbers alone can’t capture. Infill Replaces Blight With Opportunity Many of the communities we acquire come with homes that are beyond repair, abandoned, or unsafe to live in. Or they have vacant pads that haven’t seen a home in decades. Infill gives us the ability to:remove structures that bring down morale and curb appealeliminate safety hazardssignal immediate improvement to residentsdemonstrate that the community is moving forwardA brand-new home (or a well-refurbished used home in some cases) on a formerly empty or distressed lot changes the feel of an entire street. Where there was once an eyesore, there’s now a front porch, a family, and a potential future homeowner. Full Streets Feel Safe. Sparse Streets Don’t. Vacant lots and vacant dilapidated homes invite unwanted activity. They create blind spots and dark corners where it’s easy for problems to arise. When those lots are filled:foot traffic increasesneighbors know one anotherlighting improvesvisibility expandssafety concerns drop simply because more people are aroundSafety isn’t just about gates and lights. It’s about eyes on the street, and infill creates that naturally. Infill Strengthens the Resident Experience We talk a lot internally about the “feel” of a community. What you sense instantly when you walk or drive through. A full community feels:stableinvested incared forlived inA partially vacant one feels the opposite. As we fill homes, pride of place spreads when people see their neighborhood improving around them. And Yes … The Financial Case Still Matters The beauty of infill is that the community benefits show up immediately, while the financial benefits compound over time. Even with today’s higher costs, infill remains one of the most reliable ways to:drive NOIboost the long-term value of a propertycreate new income-producing sitessupport future rent-to-own transitions and stable homeownershipIt’s a powerful strategy that serves residents today and investors tomorrow. |