Keeping America’s Dream Affordable

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Calendar of Events

Federal Aid Programs for the State of Alabama

Federal Aid Programs for the State of Florida

Federal Aid Programs for the State of Georgia

Federal Aid Programs for the State of Louisiana

Federal Aid Programs for the State of South Carolina

Federal Aid Programs for the State of Texas

House of Representatives Passes Amendment to
Stop HUD’s Regulatory Overreach of Manufactured Housing

(09/07/17) … The U.S. House of Representatives has unanimously moved to stop HUD’s expansion of the regulation of manufactured housing beyond, and often contradictory to, the statute on the following actions: the regulation of garages and carports; frost free foundation requirements; and onerous new requirements for the on-site completion of construction.

MHI commends amendment sponsor Andy Barr (R-KY) and Terri Sewell (D-AL) for working to secure a bipartisan vote on this important amendment and thanks all MHI members who contacted their Representatives to ensure they understood the negative impact of these HUD actions on consumers’ ability to access affordable manufactured housing in their congressional districts.

Passage of the Barr amendment is an important result of MHI’s ongoing and aggressive efforts with Congress to improve the regulatory climate for manufactured housing at HUD. In addition to being one of the key legislative issues at this year’s Summer Fly-In, MHI has also worked to stop HUD’s regulatory overreach by continuing to raise the issues with senior leadership at HUD and facilitate engagement between Congress and Secretary Carson. In addition, MHI has sent letters to the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Commerce, the Office of Management and Budget, and the Senate Banking Committee expressing similar concerns. MHI will continue to engage with Congress and the Administration to ensure that the regulatory overreach of manufactured housing by HUD is stopped.

Representative Andy Barr’s (R-KY) amendment, which passed by a voice vote, prohibits HUD from using any of the funds made available by Congress in Fiscal Year 2018 to implement, administer, or enforce three HUD actions that are inconsistent with statute and negatively impacting manufactured housing. In each case, HUD has acted with no evidence of necessity, no clear benefit to consumers, and no consideration for the economic consequences of their action. The actions that would be stopped include:

1. On-Site Completion of Construction Requirements – HUD’s extensive new requirements for home features that are completed after a manufactured home is delivered on-site has resulted in popular consumer amenities, such as French doors and window dormers, to no longer be offered by some manufacturers. Such restrictions, which are totally unrelated to home safety or performance, unnecessarily impact consumer choice.
2. Foundation Requirements in Freezing Areas – Without clear evidence that installation systems are failing, HUD is limiting the ability of states to administer their own installation programs. States should be permitted to establish and enforce regulations based on acceptable engineering practices and determine acceptable alternative designs.
3. Construction of Add-Ons, such as Carports and Attached Garages – HUD’s effort to oversee the on-site installation of add-ons to homes that comply with HUD standards when they leave the factory is in direct conflict with statute.  In early 2017, HUD arbitrarily expanded its overreach to include carport-ready homes. The production of carport-ready homes is a common and longstanding practice that has been a staple of manufactured housing for decades. This action by HUD has increased home prices for carport-ready homes and significantly curtailed this feature that is extremely popular and sought after by consumers.
   

(09/13/2017)
Here is a clip of the House Floor Debate
in Opposition to an Anti-Manufactured Housing Amendment
(Listen to the industry support!)

NOTICES TO COMPANIES INTERESTED IN DOING BUSINESS WITH FEMA:

If you are seeking to do business with FEMA in support of a disaster recovery effort, please be aware that in accordance with the Robert T. Stafford Act, FEMA’s goal is to seek local companies within the disaster area for goods and services related to a specific disaster, when practical and feasible.  Visit FEMA’s Industry Liaison Program section.  For all other information visit https://www.fema.gov/.

The American Red Cross is working around the clock along the Gulf Coast to help the thousands of people whose lives have been devastated by Hurricane Harvey & Hurricane Irma.

The manufactured housing industry would like to support those efforts by helping our Association friends in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina.  Please donate what you can, on behalf of the Texas Manufactured Housing Association or the Louisiana Manufactured Housing Association…. adding to that will be the Florida Manufactured Housing Association, in light of the impending Hurricane Irma!

Click the American Red Cross logo above to be directed to the donation webpage, or select any organization you feel is worthy!

MHI is also reaching out to it’s members to orchestrate an industry response for assistance.