Harbinger Production, formerly known as Factory_OS, has filed a WARN notice warning 290 employees of potential layoffs due to a production gap and funding issues. The Vallejo-based modular homebuilder, which has built over 4,000 units across the Bay Area, cited "lack of new business and loss of capital funding" as reasons for the dire warning.

Founded in 2011, Harbinger assembles home sections at its Mare Island factory before on-site assembly, a model that generated buzz but mixed results in California's housing market. The company has a long-term pipeline of 40 projects totaling more than 3,500 units and has raised tens of millions in venture funding. Its projects include apartment buildings in Oakland, San Francisco, and Emeryville.

Despite the company's claims of ongoing contract negotiations and new business opportunities, the WARN notice signals serious trouble. Harbinger faces additional pressure from two recent lawsuits - one alleging labor code violations and another from manufacturing giant Jabil claiming $6.5 million in unpaid building materials. The company insists it's not planning to shut down, but the scale of potential layoffs suggests a critical juncture for the once-promising modular housing pioneer.