5 Best “Land Owner” Stocks to Buy for Hard Asset Value

2. UMH Properties, Inc. (NYSE:UMH)

Short Percentage of Shares Outstanding: 0.01% 

On May 28, UMH Properties, Inc. (NYSE:UMH) announced that Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Treasurer Anna Chew elected to retire effective June 1 after 35 years with the company, including more than three decades as CFO. While stepping down from her executive responsibilities, Chew will remain with UMH in an advisory capacity to facilitate a smooth leadership transition and will continue serving on the company’s Board of Directors. The company also announced that Kevin Miller, who previously served as CFO of the UMH OZ Fund, has been appointed as Chief Financial Officer effective June 1. The planned succession reflects a structured transition process designed to preserve operational continuity and financial oversight.

On May 21, UMH Properties, Inc. (NYSE:UMH) shareholder Erez Asset Management, which owns approximately 4% of the company’s outstanding shares, issued a letter urging fellow shareholders to withhold support from Presiding Independent Director Matthew Hirsch at the company’s 2026 Annual Meeting. Erez cited concerns regarding corporate governance and long-term shareholder performance, noting that Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) had previously recommended withholding votes from Hirsch in multiple election cycles. The development highlights increasing shareholder engagement and pressure for enhanced accountability, governance reforms, and improved value creation initiatives at the company.

Founded in 1968 and headquartered in Freehold, New Jersey, UMH Properties, Inc. (NYSE:UMH) is a public equity REIT that owns and operates manufactured home communities. It holds thousands of acres of real estate and physical, tangible properties that are appreciated with inflation, serving as a reliable hedge against rising housing costs.