HUD Takes Shot at Industry, Consumers and Defies Congress
Pressed by a growing number of inquiries from members of Congress expressing concern over the accelerating deterioration of the
Unexplained Delays Continue on Financing – Suspicion Grows
In addition to the rapid march of the HUD program back to its pre-2000 practices, approach and excesses, the industry and consumers of affordable housing are also now faced with
Sprinkler Mish-Mash Designed to Mislead Industry
Grassroots industry concern over the erosion of federal preemption is wellfounded, as a combination of HUD regulators, industry enablers and research consultants continue to
Auction on FEMA Emergency Manufactured Homes
Shown below for your review and information is a copy of a self-explanatory note from J.D. Harper, Executive Director of AMHA, regarding the latest status of these lots (containing manufactured home, RV and park model units) as of today.
Follow-Up With FHFA on Private Financing
Attached for your information and review is a copy of a January 13, 2010 letter from MHARR to the Acting Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), Edward DeMarco, following-up on the
MHARR Viewpoint – Industry, Beware the ‘Tip of the Iceberg’
HUD Code manufacturers were recently warned by a knowledgeable source — HUD’s monitoring contractor – that the production oversight changes they are now being pressured to accept on a supposedly “voluntary” basis are only the “tip of the iceberg,” with more to come. Of course, MHARR has been sounding the same alarm, with increasing urgency, since May 2008, when HUD first
Auction of FEMA Emergency Manufactured Homes
Attached (Download Here), for your information and review, is a copy of a self-explanatory letter sent today to HUD Assistant Secretary David H. Stevens regarding a mass auction of FEMA-owned manufactured homes that were originally purchased as temporary emergency housing for hurricane-damaged areas of the Gulf Coast.
Proposed Revision to Enforcement Regulations
Attached for your review, consideration and input is a proposed revision to section 3282.8(g) of the Procedural and Enforcement Regulations (PER) that HUD has submitted to the Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee (MHCC). This language is reproduced exactly as provided by HUD.
Industry Grassroots Beginning to Focus on Washington, D.C.
The below communication from one of the industry’s communities to MHI, which is self-explanatory, is for your information and review.
“The last time I contacted your organization you wanted money from us to become members, at that time I mentioned that we own communities and are self financing homes just to stay alive with no financing available for our industry.
Congressional Letter to HUD Secretary
Congress is continuing to press HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan on the appointment of a non-career Administrator for the HUD manufactured housing program. In the event you have not seen it yet, attached for your information is a copy of
FHA Final Rule — Latest Status
MHARR has learned today that the expected final rule to implement improvements and reforms to the FHA Title I manufactured housing program mandated by the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA) will not be published in the Federal Register until the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has
Leading the Industry Out of its Worst Crisis
Why does the manufactured housing industry maintain a collective representation and presence in the nation’s capital? What are its purposes? What are its objectives?
The short answer, especially in a crisis such as the one that today confronts the manufactured housing industry, is
Government Publishes Semi-Annual Regulatory Agenda
HUD (and Other) Proposals Will Further Downgrade the Federal Program and Manufactured Housing
The federal government has published its latest Semi-Annual Regulatory Agenda (SRA). The SRA lists upcoming and anticipated rulemaking actions by the various federal agencies, including those with authority over the regulation and financing of HUD Code manufactured housing.
MHARR Widens Inquiry
Washington, D.C., December 7, 2009 — The Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR) has widened its inquiry into the ongoing coercion of manufactured housing producers by HUD regulators and agents under the guise of “voluntary” cooperation. Any such “request” by regulators within a comprehensive regulatory system for “voluntary” action above and beyond existing regulations, without a specific document that has gone through the rigors of rulemaking, is accurately perceived, by the regulated party, as pressure and coercion.
Such coercion of manufacturers in their production facilities — designed to pressure them to accept and implement costly new production oversight practices not required by current program regulations — had its genesis in 2008 and has expanded and intensified during 2009…
MHARR Steps Up Effort on Regulatory Coercion
MHARR has taken a further step in its effort to slow and reverse intensifying pressure by HUD and its monitoring and inspection agents for manufacturers — under the guise of “voluntary” cooperation — to adopt costly changes to their in-plant production oversight procedures that are not required by existing HUD regulations. The focus of this MHARR activity, as you are aware, is on ensuring that, unless and until there is proper rulemaking, any such changes are initiated — if at all — on a truly voluntary basis by individual manufacturers and not by regulatory authorities. This is because any “request” by regulators within a comprehensive regulatory system for “voluntary” action above and beyond existing regulations, without a specific document that has gone through the rigors of rulemaking, is accurately perceived as pressure and coercion by the regulated party.
As reported earlier, MHARR, on October 26, 2009, filed a wide-ranging Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with HUD seeking the disclosure of an array of documents relating to the genesis of this coercion. Among other things, the filing asks for materials dating back to 2008 showing the substance of closed-door meetings on this subject involving HUD regulators, the program monitoring contractor and third-party Primary Inspection Agencies (PIAs). It also seeks any and all documents used at — or resulting from those meetings — as well as materials showing the identity and role of specific participants.
Congress Presses HUD on Manufactured Housing Issues
Congress has significantly raised the pressure on senior HUD officials to address key issues affecting manufactured housing, namely the full and proper implementation of the Manufactured Housing Improvement Act of 2000 (2000 reform law) and the availability of financing for lower and moderate income Americans to purchase manufactured homes — …
Congress Presses HUD on Manufactured Housing Issues Read More
MHARR to Redouble and Intensify Efforts in Washington
With multiple thrats to the survival of the industry emanating from Washington, D.C., with part of the industry either going along or exacerbating such challenges, and faced with limited resoucres, the [MHARR]Board [of Directors] — comprosed of top exectuitves of mostly smaller businesses — found itself in the unenviable position …
MHARR to Redouble and Intensify Efforts in Washington Read More
MHARR Begins Production Enforcement Inquiry
MHARR has begun activities to unearth information concerning ongoing efforts by the HUD manufactured housing program to substantially expand regulations and procedures affecting producers of manufactured homes in their production facilities. These Association activities will unfold on several fronts. Read more »
MHARR Urges HUD PD&R to Change Direction
MHARR executives met with new HUD Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research (PD&R), Dr. Raphael Bostic, on November 10, 2009. MHARR asked for this meeting to reiterate long-standing concerns regarding “generic” research — and particularly contract research funded by general tax revenues — on issues coveed by the National …
MHARR to Advance Strong Position on Sprinklers
Continuing efforts by HUD program regulators and segments of the industry to promote the adoption of a HUD fire sprinkler standard (and regulations) for manufactured homes are another casualty of the failure to fully and properly implement the 2000 law. Read more »