Manufactured Housing Institute

Final Action on Financial Reform Legislation Delayed

By Manufactured Housing Institute / July 1, 2010 October 29, 2018 / Manufactured Housing Institute

As of July 1, congressional leaders of financial reform legislation (H.R. 4173) appear short of the 60 votes necessary to invoke cloture and bring the conference report up for floor consideration in the Senate. The House of Representatives adopted the measure on vote of 237-192 on June 30.

MHI Applauds the Passage of Homebuyer Tax Credit Extension

By Manufactured Housing Institute / July 1, 2010 October 29, 2018 / Manufactured Housing Institute

The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday, just one day before the June 30th deadline, overwhelmingly approved a bill that extends the closing date for a tax credit for homebuyers.

Flood Insurance Extension Readied for President’s Signature

By Manufactured Housing Institute / July 1, 2010 October 29, 2018 / Manufactured Housing Institute

On June 30, the Senate adopted legislation (H.R. 5569) extending the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) through the end of fiscal year 2010. The House approved the measure a week earlier on June 23. The President is expected to sign the bill into law.

EPA Delays Enforcement Action on Lead Renovation Repair and Painting Rule

By Manufactured Housing Institute / July 1, 2010 October 29, 2018 / Manufactured Housing Institute

On June 18, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a notice to its Regional Enforcement Divisions, delaying enforcement actions for violations of the certification and training requirements under its Lead Renovation Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule which became effective on April 22. EPA acknowledged concerns expressed by MHI and other groups, that more time was needed to meet requirements for individual worker training and to obtain the required certification by firms doing lead renovation, repair and painting.

SBRA Announces Affordable, Frost Resistant Foundation

By Manufactured Housing Institute / July 1, 2010 October 29, 2018 / Manufactured Housing Institute

The Systems Building Research Alliance (SBRA) today announced the release of the Frost Free Foundation© design, an affordable foundation solution when placing homes in areas subject to frost. The design is far less costly than either poured concrete footings that extend the foundation below the frost line or concrete (“floating”) slabs, the two alternatives recommended by HUD for complying with the Manufactured Home Installation Standards in areas subject to frost, which includes most of the nation.

MHI Maintains Critical Industry Exclusions from Massive Reform Bill

By Manufactured Housing Institute / June 25, 2010 October 29, 2018 / Manufactured Housing Institute

After a marathon session yesterday lasting into Friday’s early morning hours, the last details of a massive financial regulatory reform package were finalized in a conference committee between House and Senate members.

This sweeping reform legislation will drastically change the landscape of Wall Street and how the consumer is protected whenever credit is extended, including- but not limited to- mortgages, credit cards, payday lenders, and auto title loans. Virtually every business in the financial services and banking sectors are affected.

Important Tax “Extender” Bill Collapses in the Senate

By Manufactured Housing Institute / June 25, 2010 October 29, 2018 / Manufactured Housing Institute

Senate Democrats’ month-long effort to pass a package of important tax credit extensions and unemployment benefits collapsed Thursday evening. Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus (MT-D) has spent weeks modifying tax hike provisions, cutting spending and adding offsets to sway three moderates – Republican Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine and Democrat Ben Nelson of Nebraska. In the end, all three refused to support the legislation.

Specific to our industry, the legislation extends important tax credits for manufacturers who build ENERGY STAR homes eligibility to receive a $1,000 tax credit while modular home builders are eligible to receive a $2,000 tax credit by exceeding the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) by 50 percent.

Click Here for the Proposed On-Site Completion Rule.

MHI Preparing to Comment on Proposed On-Site Completion Rule Published in Federal Register

By Manufactured Housing Institute / June 25, 2010 October 29, 2018 / Manufactured Housing Institute

On June 23 HUD published a HUD proposed rule in the Federal Register establishing a procedure whereby construction of new manufactured housing can be completed at the installation site.

The proposed rule which was first considered by the Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee (MHCC) in 2003, establishes uniform procedures for completing construction of a manufactured home on site, rather than in the factory. Current requirements set forth in the Section 3282.14 of the Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards (MHCSS) require a manufacturer to obtain HUD approval for on-site completion of each of its designs for which it wishes to complete construction at the home site rather than in the factory.

MHI Supports Extending the Closing Deadline for Homebuyer Tax Credit

By Manufactured Housing Institute / June 25, 2010 October 29, 2018 / Manufactured Housing Institute

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) co-authored a proposal that would allow home buyers hoping to take advantage of the homebuyer tax credit, which expired on April 30th, three extra months to close on their home purchases.

To currently qualify for the tax credit buyers must have signed a contract by April 30th and closed on their transaction by June 30th. Senator Reid’s proposal moves the deadline for closing transactions to September 30, 2010. The tax credit was designed to help revive the struggling housing market. The amendment is attached to the Senate’s tax extenders bill which has been bottled up in the upper chamber for the past month. (See article above on “Important Tax “Extender” Bill Collapses in Senate)

House Passes Campaign Finance Reform

By Manufactured Housing Institute / June 25, 2010 October 29, 2018 / Manufactured Housing Institute

House Democrats on Thursday narrowly eked out a majority for a campaign finance reform package tightening rules on political spending by outside groups. The bill, called the DISCLOSE Act, passed 219-206 after Democratic leaders managed to convert enough holdout liberal lawmakers concerned with an exemption tailored for the National Rifle Association (NRA). Thirty-six Democrats voted against the package, and only two Republicans backed it.

The legislation is an effort to limit the impact of the Supreme Court’s 5-4 ruling in January in Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission, which held that corporations have the same free-speech rights as individuals and can spend corporate treasury funds on political campaigns.

MHI Keeps Close Eye on Financial Reform for Impact of The SAFE Act

By Manufactured Housing Institute / June 18, 2010 October 29, 2018 / Manufactured Housing Institute

The massive financial regulatory reform package that is currently the subject of a conference committee between House and Senate members will change the regulatory landscape for the SAFE Act, and likely may delay the final rule on its implementation.

Tax “Extender” Bill Stalls in the Senate

By Manufactured Housing Institute / June 18, 2010 October 29, 2018 / Manufactured Housing Institute

Senate Democrats released yet another version of a broad tax extender bill (HR 4213) as they continue to search for a way to get the 60 votes needed to advance the stalled measure. The new version of the “extender” legislation would cost about $118 billion, down from $140 billion. Slightly more than half of the bill’s cost would be offset. The American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act of 2010 (H.R. 4213) contains the extension of the New Energy Efficient Home Tax Credit, Section 45L. The package contains a one-year extension of a $1,000 tax credit to the manufacturers of an ENERGY STAR HUD code home and a $2,000 tax credit to modular homebuilders. After a cloture vote failed 56-40 on Thursday night, Democratic leaders committed to revise the bill once again and reduce the cost of the bill.

HUD Proposes New Roof Truss Testing Procedures for Manufactured Homes; Includes Many MHCC Recommendations

By Manufactured Housing Institute / June 18, 2010 October 29, 2018 / Manufactured Housing Institute

On June 16, the Federal Register published a proposed rule by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to revise the Roof Truss Test Procedures in the Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards (MHCSS). Click here to view the proposed rule.