“We will stay focused on the mission.” “Revitalize means to bring new life.” ‘We have a housing crisis – an affordability crisis – and a homeless issue.’ ‘We will not just think of these things as a crisis but as opportunities – opportunities to make a difference in the lives of so many people.’ ‘An opportunity to lift people up.’ Those remarks by HUD Secretary Eric Scott Turner’s were about President Donald J. Trump’s “Day One” executive order to reduce housing costs in the U.S. and were deemed part of that federal agency’s mandate. At about the 15-minute mark in the official HUD video below in statements made to the HUD staff include Sec. Turner’s three principles including transparency and integrity. Those pull quotes, the headline and other paraphrases including his statement that: ‘I Don’t Ever Want to be Comfortable or Complacent’ are from HUD Secretary Turner’s first day at his new office remarks via a “HUD Channel” video. “Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I know how important manufactured homes are when it comes to housing availability and housing affordability, and so to look at those [manufactured housing] codes and all the codes at HUD and take inventory and how we can reduce the burden and make it less cumbersome to build these houses, including manufactured housing, is a commitment I do give to you, sir.” That statement was by then nominee Turner and are per Rev transcripts which are shown in the appropriately labeled YouTube video posted further below. Those comments by Turner to Senator Tim Scott (SC-R) were made on Thursday, January 16, 2025, according to the Nomination Hearing webpage of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. As many industry pros know, on 2.5.2025, Turner was sworn into office by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarance Thomas. That swearing in ceremony of HUD Sec. Turner video is part of this broad look at the various statements, timing, and behavior that will paint a picture of the current scenario with regards to the leader of the agency that has the primary federal regulatory oversight of HUD Code manufactured homes.
Some of this shift in the landscape from the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris (D) years is promising.
But candidly, part of what follows is potentially problematic with respect to the interests of those who want to see robust organic growth for affordable mainstream manufactured housing. But as is our policy, this exclusive MHProNews report will share an array of facts and known evidence of manufactured home “Industry News, Tips, and Views Pros Can Use” © where “We Provide, You Decide.”
Sec. Turner said in his first day opening statement they would take inventory of every HUD program, which implies but did not explicitly mention manufactured homes or manufactured housing by name. “We have to take inventory of everything that we are doing,” said Turner at about the 16-minute mark. ‘We are going to be united to make the American Dream a reality in our country.’
He closed by giving all ‘Glory to God’ and called on his team to let’s get to work.
Following this preface are these elements to the report that follows.
- Part I of this deep dive into HUD Secretary Turner and what his statements – and apparent omissions – may mean will for HUD Code manufactured homes includes several videos and his remarks.
- Part II will provide a focused analysis that will be viewed through the lens of those in the industry who favor organic growth for HUD Code manufactured housing. But this report will not overlook the behavior of those in the industry who have accepted the dramatic fall in production and plant count are apparently focused on consolidation of the industry, even if consolidation yields manufactured housing production underperformance.
- Part III are the statements of Turner’s self-proclaimed “mentor,” HUD Secretary Ben Carson per the HUD archives, about manufactured housing.
- Part IV are the full remarks Scott Turner to that Senate committee, per REV.
- Part V – Select added facts, evidence, analysis, summary and conclusion.
Why are HUD Sec Carson’s remarks in Part III relevant? Several reasons. Consider for the moment these two pull quotes by Dr. Carson while he was HUD Secretary.
I’d now like to cover two of the obstacles to adoption, and how HUD is trying to help.
The first obstacle is that manufactured housing is often overlooked because it is misunderstood. Many times, when people hear the words “manufactured house,” their first image is an old trailer that lacks the modern amenities and features of a site-built home. This image is a false façade.
The second pull quote from HUD’s archives and provided in Part III below said this.
The second obstacle is the presence of regulatory roadblocks that still stand in the way.
The Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR) has frequently referenced those “roadblocks” sometimes using the phrase “bottlenecks” to describe them, because they are throttling or limiting manufactured home production in a dramatic way. But as those linked words reflect, MHARR has used both terms numerous times to discuss and describe what has been limiting HUD Code manufactured housing in the 21st century, despite Congressional action that gave HUD and other agencies tools to overcome those hurdles.
Curiously, neither of those terms used by HUD Secretary Carson and/or MHARR which are found numerous times on the MHARR website (see links above for evidence) are not found at all on the MHI website. For evidence see MHI search for roadblock here and “bottleneck” here and the dates/time for those searches. Then compare that no result to the results on the MHARR website for “roadblocks” here and “bottlenecks” here. For thinking people that should beg the question: what explains the difference?
And why is that MHI doesn’t have the speech shown below by HUD Sec. Ben Carson even though Dr. Carson delivered that speech at an MHI meeting? A closer looks on this date (3.1.2025) reveals that the only mention of prior HUD Sec. Ben Carson visible on MHI’s website is in the context of a post about his colleague, Scott Turner. In sharp contrast, the MHARR website on this same date has pages of topics that include numerous posts per page that include prior HUD Sec. Ben Carson, not just one as is the case with MHI. How long will MHI use the excuse that they are revamping their website, which occurred some 20 months ago? Who is rebuilding the MHI website, the Flintstones?
Or is that flimsy excuse the cover for the apparently Orwellian handling of information, as MHI’s own prior presidents/CEOs, vice presidents, and other people/topics once found on their website have apparently been deliberately culled because they don’t fit the current MHI narrative? Who says? How about left-leaning Bing’s AI powered Copilot? Given that Richard “Dick” Jennison, prior MHI president and CEO’s tenure at MHI covered the timeframe that HUD Sec. Carson was there, and his name has not (yet) been deleted by MHI, clearly there is some other criteria that MHI is using that explains why people and topics once found on their own website have been eliminated, reduced, or turned into Orwellian “unpersons.”
Note that similar results to the above have been provided by Copilot over the course of approaching two years when it comes to MHI’s apparent paltering, posturing, and opaque messaging methods, which Copilot said in the article linked below fit the definitions of “lie,” “false” and “misleading.” So, it isn’t a one-time concern, but a multiple inquiry over a period of approaching two years.
With the backdrop above, what follows is doubtlessly going to be the most comprehensive look by any media to date regarding Scott Turner in his own words, along with the comments of prior Sec. Ben Carson, M.D., including how HUD Code manufactured homes are demonstrably an “essential” part of the solution to the affordable housing crisis. The downloads, including the one linked here, should be considered as part of this FEA = Facts-Evidence-backed report with analysis.
Given that HUD Code manufactured housing has suffered almost a quarter of a century decline and that the numbers of manufactured homes not built since 2000 when compared to the production levels that were being built in the mid-to-late 1990s yields a very similar deficit to what Senators Tim Scott (SC-R) and Elizabeth Warren (MA-D) believe is the number of affordable housing units missing or needed, per the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) data, it ought to be apparent that a shakeup of the status quo at HUD is needed. It should also be observed that when prominent, and consolidation focused, member of MHI Frank Rolfe has repeatedly accused MHI of being part of the problem that explains the industry underperformance, there should be no illusion that MHI is likely to be part of the solution to what has gone wrong for manufactured housing since multi-year anti-Trump supporting Democrats billionaire Warren Buffett entered the manufactured home industry and backed firms that are prominent MHI members.
Stating the obvious can be clarifying. HUD Sec. Scott Turner is a Trump appointee. While Buffett was largely mute in this election cycle, his support for candidates who opposed Trump has been clear. Furthermore, longtime Buffett ally William “Bill” Gates III supported Kamala Harris (D) in 2024, reportedly to the tune of some $50 million dollars. It seems that a battle of the billionaires is part of the backdrop of what is occurring in America and in manufactured housing too. In the photo collage below Kevin Clayton, another prominent MHI member, as well as Nathan Smith, a longtime prominent Democrat and MHI member, are shown with other prominent Democrats including Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and William Jefferson “Bill” Clinton.
Given that Bill Gates, and others, have described Buffett as someone who manipulates markets to protect a Buffett/Berkshire Hathaway “moat,” if Sec. Turner and others truly want to solve the affordable housing crisis, they need to be aware of the troubling evidence and realities of landscape that he has entered.
Given that antitrust was deemed important in Trump 1.0 and appears to be an issue for Trump 2.0, and that a growing consensus of Democrats, Republicans and others favors antitrust action to break up monopoly power that thwarts markets, there are good reasons for HUD Sec. Scott Turner to both do what he can within HUD, but also to refer evidence-based concerns to Trump antitrust enforcers.
Properly understood and presented to the public, Sec Turner has a challenge that can indeed be turned into an opportunity that could build on the Trump coalition. But it will arguably take understanding, courage, and a willingness to face tough opposition that represent special interests that believe they benefit from the status quo.
Per Turner, as cited above and further below.
“We will stay focused on the mission.”
“Revitalize means to bring new life.”
‘We have a housing crisis – an affordability crisis – and a homeless issue.’
‘We will not just think of these things as a crisis but as opportunities – opportunities to make a difference in the lives of so many people.’
‘An opportunity to lift people up.’
With that fact-backed preface, let’s dive in.
Part I Videos and Pull Quotes from E. Scott Turner
1) Per the HUD Channel on YouTube.
Secretary Scott Turner Delivers Day 1 Remarks to HUD
2) JUST IN: Scott Turner Is Sworn in as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
3) HUD Secretary Nominee Eric Scott Turner Opening Statement During Senate Confirmation Hearing
4) HUD Secretary Scott Turner Prays Over Trump’s First Cabinet Meeting
HUD Secretary Scott Turner Prays Over Trump’s First …
5) Per REV – Scott Turner Confirmation Hearing
Scott Turner testifies in Senate confirmation hearing for HUD Secretary. Read the transcript here.
6) Specific times when manufactured homes or manufactured housing was mentioned by name in the confirmation hearing process, per REV and here.
Mr. [Senator Tim] Scott (Chairman) (28:50): [emphasis added by MHProNews]
Thank you. One of the challenges I think that we have is meeting the housing needs of our citizens. Frankly, as we, I think Elizabeth and I both agree, is over 7 million needed units. I think a part of my Road to Housing Act suggests that the definition that we use for manufacturing needs to be updated. If we’re going to meet the needs of the average person, I think improving the definition of manufactured home in the HUD code to remove the permanent chassis requirement is incredibly important. Do you support updating the HUD code to change the definition in manufacturing homes?
Mr. Turner (29:28):
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I know how important manufactured homes are when it comes to housing availability and housing affordability, and so to look at those codes and all the codes at HUD and take inventory and how we can reduce the burden and make it less cumbersome to build these houses, including manufactured housing, is a commitment I do give to you, sir.
7)
Mr. [Senator Andy] Kim (01:25:23):
Well, I guess, let me just expand a little bit more here. You said we need millions more homes of all kinds, single family, apartments, condos. I guess I wanted to just ask how do we encourage the building of entry level homes? It’s New Jersey, a lot of development that are luxury, condos, large homes, but it’s hard sometimes with the market to try to figure out how they’re going to be able to go off of that. So I’m wondering what are your thoughts there? Are there ways in which incentives to be able to build that type of housing has a place in the toolbox?
Mr. Turner (01:25:57): [emphasis added]
Yes, sir. And I think the expansion of opportunity zones will play a great role in that because we saw a lot of affordable housing, first time housing built, multifamily, duplex, single family, manufactured homes built in opportunity zones. Just so I think the expansion and the continuation of that initiative and program would give us a great advantage to meet that need.
8) As this writer for MHProNews, MHLivingNews and Patch contributor reported via the Patch, then HUD nominee Turner said in his opening remarks to that U.S. Senate committee.
“As a country, we’re not building enough housing,”
“We need millions more homes of all kinds, single family, apartments, condos, duplexes, manufactured housing, you name it, so individuals and families can have a roof over their heads and a place to call home.”
9) Also, in a reported written response to Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL), Turner said: “If confirmed, I will prioritize the availability and affordability of manufactured housing, including eliminating costly delays and undue regulatory burdens,” adding: “I will also commit to meeting with the builders who run factories across the country that produce this important source of affordable housing.”
10) While there is considerably more said by Turner prior to being confirmed that may allude to affordable manufactured housing, see the transcript shown in Part IV of this article, since being sworn into office, there is no known and apparent remarks by Turner that specifically mention manufactured housing or manufactured homes. This Q&A with left-leaning Bing’s AI powered Copilot was mid-afternoon on 2.27.2025. Per the response to MHProNews in a Q&A with Copilot.
“I couldn’t find any specific remarks from Secretary Scott Turner about manufactured homes or manufactured housing since he was sworn into office…”
11) In an interview with HUD Secretary Scott Turner during The Vince Coglianese Show, a statement made during that Q&A may be viewed as problematic by manufactured housing professionals who know how difficult local zoning barriers can be. The audio to that under 8-minute interview was thoughtfully provided by the producer and WMAL to MHProNews and is posted below.
12) During the annual CPAC meeting, Sec. Turner made a similar point that he made with WMAL’s Vince Coglianese. CPAC is short for the “Conservative Political Action Conference,” and is considered by many as one of the primer U.S. events for established and rising stars in the conservative/MAGA/America First movement. Per the YouTube video: “At the 2025 Conservative Political Action Conference, President Donald Trump’s Department of Housing and Urban Development secretary, Scott Turner, delivered a speech in which he recounted growing up in Texas, his NFL playing career and his path to becoming a politician.” Turner said that local officials better understand their own needs, saying that in his own words.
13) According to the Daily Signal reporting on the above, Turner made some similar remarks to what he said on his first day address to HUD team members, posted above.
“We will be mission-minded at HUD, so I’m ready. I’m ready to do the work. I’m ready to rebuild and to revitalize American communities and ensure everyone has the opportunity to achieve the American dream.”
14)
“As stewards of the American taxpayer, we will be detailed and deliberate about every single dollar we spend to serve all American communities, rural, tribal, and urban,” Turner declared.
15)
“HUD will partner with local leaders, local leaders who know what their communities need to rebuild their lives and livelihoods, rather than imposing top-down solutions from Washington bureaucrats,” he said. …
“We must not have a defeatist attitude, but instead we will have a victorious attitude,” he declared. “We will not be victims, but instead, we will be victorious.”
Turner, a part-time Baptist preacher, expressed thankfulness to God for the opportunity to serve the American people as a leader in the federal government.
“Hope in America does not depend on a man. Our hope is in the Lord Jesus Christ,” he told the crowd, to cheers.
“The best days are yet to come,” Turner said as he concluded his speech.
16) To be crystal clear and full disclosure, MHProNews, MHLivingNews and this contributing writer for the mainstream Patch was demonstrably pro-Trump for the better part of a decade and promoted him over Kamala Harris (D) in the 2024 election. We were demonstrably pro-Secretary Ben Carson on and for Scott Turner before his confirmation as a site search of both of our platforms or of the Patch for those names will reveal.
That said, we are pro-organic manufactured housing industry growth and have expressed concerns about the apparently consolidation focused Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI).
There are valid issues raised by certain Democrats and those in that camp that are valid. The ancient principle of separating the wheat from the chaff must be applied to all people, organizations, and things. As a part-time Baptist preacher, Sec. Turner should readily say “Amen!” to those comments, especially considering his remarks above and those shown further below.
It is our math, historic, and evidence-based view that without millions of new HUD Code manufactured homes, the U.S. affordable housing crisis can’t be solved. That is supported by statements of the main trade group for conventional housing builders, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), as the reports linked below demonstrate. That in some ways reflects remarks made by Turner, Senators Elizabeth Warren (MA-D) and Tim Scott (SC-R), as will be illustrated further below.
New in-depth report reveals facts, math, and evidence that make modern manufactured homes an essential part of HUD and local planning https://patch.com/florida/lakeland/can-t-solve-u-s-affordable-housing-crisis-without-factory-built-homes
17) The Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR) has addressed nominee and Secretary Turner several times since Trump named him for the post. MHARR has stressed the importance of overcoming local zoning barriers by using the authority that Congress gave HUD in the Manufactured Housing Improvement Act of 2000 (a.k.a.: MHIA, MHIA 2000, 2000 Reform Act, 2000 Reform Law).
18) If there were just one or two voices that accused prominent MHI members of fostering consolidation through market manipulation that may be violations of antitrust and other federal/state laws, it might be easier to dismiss such concerns. But there is an array of evidence that points to those problems as being part of the picture that Sec. Turner and others will need to consider in order to truly solve the affordable housing crisis. Some of the evidence that consolidation focused MHI members are part of the problem comes from publicly traded and other MHI members themselves.
An even longer and more in depth look at graphics and remarks made by consolidation focused prominent and other MHI members are found linked here. Given that multiple national antitrust lawsuits were launched in 2023 that alleged antitrust violations, and an array of evidence that supports their concerns, there are reasons to believe that without addressing those challenges the limitations on manufactured housing will not be properly understood, much less solved as Turner claims he wants to do.
19) From the left and the right there are voices that have some apparent overlap. As CNN pundit Scott Jennings has said that one of Trump’s “superpowers” is to find issues where Trump comes down on the side the clear majority seems to favor, Turner and others in Trump 2.0 certainly can forge a message that gets to the root issues which have been documented and are known for decades.
JD Vance gets it: being pro free market is NOT being pro monopoly. A lot of Republicans don’t get it.
Maybe a possible ally for curtailing PBM power?
— RxFlow Robotics (@RxflowR) July 16, 2024
JD Vance: “When parents & grandparents get more school choice, it improves the public schools too, because the public schools know that there’s competition
If they know that they don’t have a monopoly control over the lives of these young people, they’ve got to step up” @JDVance pic.twitter.com/8jN0C18MqS
— Corey A. DeAngelis, school choice evangelist (@DeAngelisCorey) October 27, 2024
I’ve repeatedly given Tucker Carlson & JD Vance credit for admitting (in an unguarded moment) what no one will admit: that the lawyer-monopoly-mob THE ROYAL CLASS controls the US. Vance should show some real guts & break the mob’s main corruption-tool—”discretion.” A… pic.twitter.com/FgrF1bUyWP
— John Berman |rescued by Police-Fire-Medics-Angels: (@MakeUSAgeekyAgn) June 13, 2023
WATCH: Hawley Questions Trump DOJ Antitrust Nom On Breaking Up Big Tech, Defending Americans From Harmful AI
“Why not open the courtroom doors against these technology companies . . . to allow normal Americans . . . to bring suits against them?” pic.twitter.com/6WEbfa6vcW
— Senator Hawley Press Office (@SenHawleyPress) February 18, 2025
Good News:
The Trump 47 Justice Department Antitrust Division announced it will continue the bipartisan antitrust renaissance, started under Trump 45, by keeping the 2023 merger guidelines.
This is an important message to monopolists:
The decades of antitrust amnesty are over. pic.twitter.com/uNk7C8Kl2v
— 🇺🇸 Mike Davis 🇺🇸 (@mrddmia) February 18, 2025
20) MHI has an antitrust statement. That’s common fare for nonprofits and in corporations. But when someone goes beyond the apparent lip service paid by MHI to antitrust or anti-monopolization, what emerges is an image that is supported by the facts provided above from several MHI member firms. Namely, that MHI may at times say things that sound like they want industry growth, but that would compromise the efforts of those firms who have clearly stated that they want to consolidate the manufactured home industry. There are times that MHI says that they want to enforce “enhanced preemption” under the Manufactured Housing Improvement Act of 2000 (a.k.a.: MHIA, MHIA 2000, 2000 Reform Law, 2000 Reform Act). Or MHI may say that they want to see FHFA enforce the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA) “Duty to Serve manufactured housing,” underserved and rural markets. Those remarks by MHI often closely follow wording used by the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory reform on federal enhanced preemption or the Duty to Serve (DTS). But when enhanced preemption is searched on the MHI website, on this date (once again, as has been true for years), there is nothing found. There is no similar obscuring of these issues by MHARR, as fact checks by AI powered Copilot has confirmed several times.
21) MHProNews and/or our MHLivingNews sister site have been doing this periodic fact check of the MHI website for years. MHI joined with MHARR to get federal “enhanced preemption” to be part of the MHIA 2000, a.k.a., 2000 Reform Law. But a couple of years after its passage, Warren Buffett led Berkshire Hathaway began to buy up parts of the manufactured housing industry, starting with Oakwood and Clayton Homes and their lending.
22) It should be noted that MHI linked bloggers and trade media also routinely seem to bypass that nearly magical phrase “enhanced preemption.” It is almost as if there is collusion to suppress use of that term and if so, that could be a violation of federal law which also happens to extend the statues of limitation for past violations of antitrust and other market manipulating efforts. To clarify, “enhanced preemption” is only a nearly magical and proven solution to overcome zoning barriers if and when it is consistently and robustly enforced. And that is where HUD Secretary Turner once more comes into focus. He and his agency have that power delegated to them by federal law. But his predecessors from both major parties failed to use it. If Trump and Turner want to demonstrate their sincerity in overcoming barriers to affordable housing and do so in a manner that could attract more voters to the MAGA/America First movement, federal enhanced preemption is already on the books and waiting to be used.
23) The first administrator of the Office of Manufactured Housing Programs (OMHP), the now late William Wade “Bill” Matchneer, J.D., said on several occasions that he viewed federal enhanced preemption to be a key part of the 2000 Reform Law. Matchneer’s successors, however, have often been mute or taken a shockingly different tone that Matchneer did.
24) Note that, speaking of Brian Montgomery, MHProNews has reached out to Montgomery to get his remarks on Sec. Turner and the role of federal enhanced preemption clarified. MHProNews plans to report on this soon, perhaps next week. Stay tuned. That said, there have been several instances that Matchneer said he personally issued letters to local jurisdictions that apparently were violating the 2000 Reform Laws enhanced preemption provision. Compliance by locals, per reports, routinely followed.
25) But when MHI was asked on repeated occasions to contact local officials or use their claimed influence with HUD to get federal preemption enforced since Matchneer left HUD, the repeated response is revealing. MHI would not, per the evidence, lift a finger but at times gave more lip service, even when the failures to enforce enhanced preemption harmed minority groups.
This writer for MHProNews facilitated efforts to get mainstream and other media, such as Baptist News Global, to invest some of their coverage in op-eds on that topic. Nevertheless, MHI would not budge. These examples ought to matter to HUD Sec. Turner on the personal and professional levels.
26) These are just examples that illustrate the points detailed in reports like those linked below, or by MHARR and others. When given repeated opportunities to explain, defend, or refute these evidence-based allegations, MHI leaders, outside attorneys, and board members stay silent. They have demonstrably ducked these vexing issues for years. In stark contrast, MHARR has brought attention to these topics through their own site and via numerous press releases. They have also held meetings and issued published written communications with federal officials, encouraging the enforcement of existing federal laws.
27) Restated, MHARR has demonstrably been consistent and persistent in promotion of these key methods that are already federal law that could be used to overcome zoning and financial hurdles, barriers, bottlenecks, or whatever terms one may want to use to describe these challenges, even though MHARR is only a fraction of the size and budget of MHI.
28) MHARR has offered to litigate these matters in conjunction with MHI. MHI and their state association affiliates reportedly declined to act.
While MHI may at times make a statement on an issue, such as windstorms and manufactured housing on their website, in fig leaf ‘one and done’ fashion, MHARR has consistently and persistently raised these key issues that could unleash manufactured housing production if only federal laws were properly enforced.
29) There have been federal hearings by Congress on this enhanced preemption topic. It is difficult to ignore the facts and evidence. With names like MAGA sounding “Liberty Homes” under the leadership of Edward J. Hussey and his family, or the cheerful and hopeful name “Sunshine Homes” that ought to yield several positive echoes for Sec. Turner, these business and association leaders are among those who have fought for years to get good laws passed and then fought for decades to get those laws properly enforced. Given that HUD Secretary Turner said during confirmation hearings that his job would be to enforce the law, Turner’s duty ought to be clear.
30) During the confirmation hearings, Chairman Tim Scott (SC-R) said this.
Mr. Scott (Chairman) (26:40):
One of the things that I hope that you’ll realize is that this is a bipartisan committee. We represent different communities around the country. And I think government should never serve the party that is in power, government should serve all Americans, no matter whether we vote for you or not. Your job is to stay out of the political lane and serve the American people. So for me, one of the most effective ways to serve people is to go where they are, not ask them to come into the bubble of this building. But we have to get out of our offices, so to speak, and go into the community. Bold is added by MHProNews.
Jumping ahead from confirmation testimony and statements, Senator Scott also said this which drew the following reply from now HUD Sec. (then nominee) Turner.
Mr. Scott (Chairman) (28:50):
Thank you. One of the challenges I think that we have is meeting the housing needs of our citizens. Frankly, as we, I think Elizabeth and I both agree, is over 7 million needed units. I think a part of my Road to Housing Act suggests that the definition that we use for manufacturing needs to be updated. If we’re going to meet the needs of the average person, I think improving the definition of manufactured home in the HUD code to remove the permanent chassis requirement is incredibly important. Do you support updating the HUD code to change the definition in manufacturing homes?
Mr. Turner (29:28):
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I know how important manufactured homes are when it comes to housing availability and housing affordability, and so to look at those codes and all the codes at HUD and take inventory and how we can reduce the burden and make it less cumbersome to build these houses, including manufactured housing, is a commitment I do give to you, sir.
31) Additionally, ranking Democratic member, Senator Elizabeth Warren (MA-D) said this.
Senator Warren (31:58):
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So Mr. Turner, I want to ask you about why housing costs are so high. You recently said there is, “An ever-growing need for high quality affordable housing in our nation.” Experts have said, as the chairman said, we need about 7 million new housing units in America now. There are a lot of explanations for our housing shortage.
(32:21)
Local zoning and land use restrictions can make it harder to build homes. The cost of capital, which has been made worse by the Fed’s decision to keep interest rates high, makes it even more difficult both to build and to buy housing. And there are places where the federal government can help. …Mr. Turner (33:20):
Thank you, Senator Warren. I appreciate our visit together, and thank you for your time in this. As you said, there are many factors to why housing is so expensive now. And I believe first we have to get our fiscal house in order, and our country interest rates are at an all-time high, inflation is at an all time high.
Jumping ahead.
Senator Warren (34:20):
Well, I have to say that gives me real pause. We just established that we have a terrible gap of affordable housing, and we have a program here that has helped close that gap. State and local governments, I understand. Bless them. They’re doing what they can, but they don’t have enough money to match the scale of the problem nationwide. And what I’m looking for is a commitment that we’re at least going to look, try to get some more help to the state and local communities that are trying to build affordable housing.
Mr. Turner (34:54):
Yes ma’am. Thank you. And I do look forward to looking at the HOME program and other programs, but my point, there’s record funding from HUD. HUD’s budget is nearly $70 billion at this point, and we’re still not meeting the need that was supposed to be meeting-
Senator Warren (35:07):
Which might mean that we need more money there.
Mr. Turner (35:09):
… so I think need to take inventory to maximize the budget.
Senator Warren (35:11):
Let me, if I can, turn to another topic. You know, unfortunately, there are some people who are trying to take advantage of our housing shortage instead of trying to fix it. Private equity firms and corporate landlords have moved into local housing markets, and they have driven up costs even higher for families. In 2011, no single investor anywhere in America owned more than 1,000 single-family homes.
(35:39)
By 2022, just five investors collectively owned nearly 300,000 homes. And in fact, in your home state of Texas in 2021, big investors moved in and they bought a whopping 28% of all homes that went on the market. So Mr. Turner, the governor of Texas, Greg Abbott recently said corporate large-scale buying of residential homes seems to be distorting the market, and making it harder for the average Texan to purchase a home. Do you agree that it is a problem if big corporate investors are beating out families to try to buy homes?Mr. Turner (36:23):
Thank you, Senator. And I haven’t seen that statement from Governor Abbott, but I do look forward to looking at this issue, and even working with you and your staff on this issue. I believe that we do have a house and affordability crisis in our country. The more capital we get into the market the better. And obviously we want the right people, qualified people to invest. And the stats that I saw Senator said about 2% of institutional investors own these single-family homes. And so if I’m confirmed by this committee, I look forward to digging into this more with you so that we can look at this issue together.
Those exchanges point to issues that MHProNews has highlighted for years in reports like those linked below and in evidence provided and linked above.
32) Unless that evidence is suppressed, this array of facts and testimony may begin to explain why MHI mouths the words “enhanced preemption” or may say it in a letter that doesn’t appear on the own website, to mollify the industry’s informed members, but consistently for years ignores using the term “enhanced preemption.”
33) With that backdrop, let’s press on to the remarks of prior HUD Secretary, Dr. Ben Carson, which ought to be as relevant now (adjusting for inflation) as they were at that time.
Part III – Then HUD Secretary Ben Carson’s address to MHI meeting in New Orleans, with the text per the HUD Archives.
|
https://archives.hud.gov/remarks/carson/speeches/2019-05-07.cfm Dr. Ben Carson
Thank you, Joe [Stegmayer, MHI Chairman], for those kind words. And thank you to MHI for inviting me to join you this morning. On behalf of HUD, it is a privilege to share my vision for addressing America’s affordable housing challenges – and the role of manufactured housing – with so many leaders and pioneers of the industry here today. Under President Trump’s leadership, our nation is witnessing historic highs in employment, job creation, and economic growth. The financial optimism of everyday Americans has surged to an 18-year high, and is nearing an all-time record. For those families who have access to affordable housing, they are facing their bright futures with confidence. And yet a serious challenge still persists: millions of hardworking Americans who seek affordable rents or sustainable homeownership simply cannot get their foot in the door. We have reached the point where many of our nation’s teachers, nurses, police officers, and firefighters struggle to live in or around the communities they serve. What they face is a critical shortage in our country’s supply of affordable homes. This is not just a housing crisis – it has a human face. Homes are at the heart of building strong families, strong communities, and ultimately, a strong country. HUD’s mission is to ensure all Americans have access to safe, quality, and affordable housing. And we believe that manufactured housing has a promising role to play – especially in the area of quality affordable housing. For that reason, one year ago, I announced that HUD was in position to usher in a “new era of cooperation and collaboration between our Department and the manufactured housing industry.” Today, I’d like to share HUD’s current vision for how we are diagnosing affordable housing challenges, and how manufactured housing is an active ingredient in the medication we are prescribing for a stronger America. Affordable Housing Our nation’s shortage of affordable housing is ultimately an issue of supply and demand. With millions of people in need, high demand is already guaranteed. That’s why HUD has focused our strategy on increasing supply – namely, by promoting initiatives, programs, techniques, and technologies that produce more affordable homes. Since the key constraint on supply is the cost of new construction and development, the solution to the problem is to change the cost side of the equation. Manufactured housing has emerged out of the limestone and stepped into the limelight, to address precisely this need. According to MHI reports, the average cost per square foot of a manufactured home is nearly half that of a site-built home – $49 [dollars] per square foot, as opposed to $107 [dollars]. These dramatic cost savings in construction enable responsible citizens to secure housing that may be considerably less expensive than renting or purchasing a site-built home. And yet, even at this lower price, manufactured homes appreciate in value at a rate similar to site-built homes, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency Housing Price Index. Sustainable homeownership is the number one builder of financial capital for most American families. For example, the average net worth of a renter is $5,000 [dollars], while the average net worth of a homeowner is $200,000 [dollars]. That’s an extraordinary 40-fold difference. But with comparable home appreciation rates to site-built homes, manufactured homes exhibit their own extraordinary potential to be a wealth creation tool for ordinary, everyday American families. Beyond the matter of price, there are also flexible ownership models, such as land-lease manufactured home communities, that could have the potential to combine affordability with a sense of neighborhood and lifestyle. These factors – asset-building and community-building – are important to HUD’s mission to be more than a place that simply houses people, but a place that actually lifts people out of poverty and helps them become self-sufficient. Manufactured Housing and Low-Income Communities This industry is already having a tremendous impact on serving those communities who are most in need. Today, more than 20 million Americans live in manufactured housing, which makes up approximately 10 percent of single-family residences. As a result, manufactured housing has become the largest source of unsubsidized affordable homes in the nation -which saves taxpayer dollars. By housing families that average between $30,000 to $50,000 [dollars] per year in income, manufactured homes also allow more people and families to pursue an American Dream that may have once felt out of reach. While lives are helped through new homes, livelihoods are helped through new jobs. More than 40,000 citizens are employed in this sector, from all walks of life. And the Administration is especially impressed by the use of American suppliers in American manufacturing plants. That is how innovation turns into opportunity. Opportunity Zones Which brings me to the topic of Opportunity Zones. Opportunity Zones were created under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to stimulate economic development and job creation by incentivizing long-term capital investments in low-income neighborhoods. They are also a potent tool to combat the shortage of affordable housing. HUD expects that Opportunity Zones will be a catalyst for transformational real estate development in communities that are economically distressed. Thirty-five million Americans now live in such designated areas, in all 50 states. There, millions of housing units are needed, in both urban and rural areas. I would encourage the industry participants here today to consider the role of Opportunity Zones in the context of local development plans, and how manufactured housing stakeholders may be included. As bursts of activity for new buildings and construction are unlocked by this powerful tax incentive, communities within Opportunity Zones are likely to experience significant growth and changing needs. When newly empowered residents pursue their path to self-sufficiency, such areas may generate strong local demand for affordable housing solutions – which manufactured homes are particularly well-positioned to provide. Healthy Homes Manufactured housing can also play a role in HUD’s mission to promote healthy homes. After many decades as a pediatric neurosurgeon – tasked with caring for the welfare of children – safety is a paramount concern for me in any housing solution. As HUD Secretary, I have instituted a broad array of initiatives designed to promote healthy homes and to eliminate environmental hazards. For example, last December, HUD awarded nearly $140 million [dollars] in grant funding to 48 state and local government agencies to help protect families from lead-based paint and other threats. For me, this is a personal issue. At an early age, I learned first-hand the hazards of an unsafe home. My mother raised my brother and me by herself from the time I was eight years old. While she struggled with single motherhood, our problems multiplied when we moved to a tenement in Boston. There, we shared a roof with rats, roaches and a host of other risks. While my brother and I emerged with our health intact, many families do not. That’s why, as HUD Secretary, I advocate for new techniques and new technologies that can ameliorate these menaces. In manufactured housing, innovations in construction techniques have the potential to facilitate building in a less wasteful, and more environmentally sound way. Innovations in construction materials could create components that are higher performing, less prone to mold, wind or water damage, and more resistant to deterioration. Those are the ingredients of a healthier home. Natural Disasters Such advantages are even more visible in the face of natural disasters. Natural disasters do not just devastate housing capital – they devastate human capital, through lives interrupted, school days missed, and communities fragmented under strain. As a result, last year, HUD allocated more than $35 billion [dollars] in funding to 16 state and local governments, to help America’s hardest hit regions. These grants represented the largest single amount of disaster recovery assistance in HUD’s history. Manufactured housing can help mitigate this kind of damage through the use of environmentally resilient construction materials, as well as by providing an affordable and permanent housing solution for lower-income survivors. On a recent visit to Alabama, I was shown a site that was demolished by massive tornadoes – and the only homes in the area that successfully weathered the storm were manufactured houses. It was a silent testament to their resilience. It is also possible that HUD’s work with industry leaders to update wind Standards for manufactured housing in 1994 could have helped to limit damage and potentially save lives. This city, New Orleans, is all too familiar with the pain natural disasters can cause. If manufactured homes can alleviate some of those harms in the future, the next hurricane may leave much less devastation, and much more hope, in its wake. Innovative Housing Showcase I’d now like to cover two of the obstacles to adoption, and how HUD is trying to help. The first obstacle is that manufactured housing is often overlooked because it is misunderstood. Many times, when people hear the words “manufactured house,” their first image is an old trailer that lacks the modern amenities and features of a site-built home. This image is a false façade. The fact that manufactured homes can be so beautifully done – and in fact are often indistinguishable from site-built homes – is manufactured housing’s best kept secret. Well, HUD believes that secret should be shared. That’s why we are proud to help educate both the American public and policymakers by featuring manufactured homes at HUD’s inaugural Innovative Housing Showcase, which will be held this June on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. During the Showcase, MHI will be participating and working with its members to present at least two manufactured homes to be prominently displayed in the heart of our Nation’s capital, viewable to thousands of onlookers during the five-day event. Deregulation; Removing Regulatory Burdens The second obstacle is the presence of regulatory roadblocks that still stand in the way. HUD recognizes the importance of removing undue bureaucratic burdens on the industry while striving to maintain the quality, safety, durability, and affordability of manufactured homes. As a result, we have placed an increased emphasis on clarifying our regulations, including by undertaking a full-scale review of our manufactured housing program to ensure we preserve the proper amount of oversight without stifling the industry. We are also currently evaluating our Office of Policy Development and Research’s recent recommendation to expedite the manufactured home code-making process within HUD – which could better help HUD Standards keep pace with new industry innovations and techniques. To advance these efforts, I am grateful for the many insights MHI has provided to HUD in the form of its available reports, educational materials, and constructive dialogue. Last week, I spoke before the Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee, who makes the initial recommendations for proposed changes to our HUD-code provisions, setting in motion the approval process for updating regulations. The committee has an aggressive agenda and must be efficient to reach consensus and close out many of the more than 300 log and deregulatory items outstanding. That’s why, to provide more help, I’ve brought on more staff at HUD for the manufactured housing and regulatory affairs offices. These new team members have extensive backgrounds and experience in the field. They are ready to work with committee members not just when visiting plants, State Administrative Agencies, third-party inspection agencies, or addressing consumer complaints, but on a holistic basis – to assist with getting HUD code updated and more hard-working Americans housed. Conclusion In closing, manufactured housing is a vital part of HUD’s prescription to make safe, quality, desirable, affordable homes available to millions of hard-working Americans. The foundations of a better tomorrow are built with the new techniques and new technologies of today. And for manufactured housing, that time is now. I look forward to continuing our work together in the months ahead, and delivering that brighter future to the hearts and homes of the American people we proudly serve. Thank you, and God Bless. ### |
| Content Archived: January 7, 2021 |
Part IV – The text above from then HUD Sec. Carson posted above plus the REV transcript of the video of comments by then nominee E. Scott Turner is linked here.
Part V Additional Facts, Evidence, Analysis, Summary and Conclusion
1) MHProNews is going to let Copilot provide a summary, based on the information shown and available online.
Copilot, look and scan this content and provide the following feedback. Is the information factually accurate? Are the quotes and paraphrases accurate? https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/hud-secretary-scott-turner-i-dont-ever-want-to-be-comfortable-or-complacent-we-have-a-victorious-attitude-regardless-of-difficulties-we-ca/ Is the analysis supported by the known evidence? Then, after replying to those items, give a summary and conclusion.
- Factual Accuracy: The article mentions HUD Secretary Scott Turner’s remarks and actions. From the information available, Turner has indeed spoken about the importance of reducing regulatory burdens and streamlining the HUD Code to maximize the availability of manufactured housing. He has also addressed the need to bolster the nation’s housing supply and targeted regulations as an impediment to affordable housing.
- Quotes and Paraphrases: The quotes and paraphrases in the article should be cross-checked with Turner’s official statements and speeches. For example, during his confirmation hearing, Turner emphasized the importance of manufactured housing and committed to reviewing regulations that prove burdensome. If the article accurately reflects these statements, then the quotes and paraphrases are likely accurate.
- Analysis Supported by Evidence: The analysis in the article should be supported by Turner’s known actions and statements. For instance, his commitment to reducing regulatory burdens and promoting affordable housing aligns with his remarks during the confirmation process and his subsequent actions as HUD Secretary. If the article’s analysis is based on these known facts, it is likely well-supported.
Summary and Conclusion
The article appears to be factually accurate based on the information available. The quotes and paraphrases seem to align with Turner’s official statements and actions. The analysis is supported by the known evidence of Turner’s commitment to reducing regulatory burdens and promoting affordable housing. Overall, the content seems reliable and well-founded.
: : : :
Let’s note that Copilot is somewhat contradictory, in as much as it clearly provided a cogent summary of this article (briefly placed online earlier this morning) though it said it can’t access that URL. It is evidence of why Bing and other AI platforms routinely say the results have to be double checked. By all means, double check.
That said, let’s press on to two more Q&As.
2) This is a key concern about HUD Sec. Turner’s recent remarks mentioned in the headline.
Is it fair to say that there is a tension between allowing local zoning officials to control housing prudent, as Sec. Turner told WMAL and CPAC, when HUD researchers said that for 50 years local state and federal zoning barriers have been part of the problem? https://www.manufacturedhomelivingnews.com/revisiting-pamela-blumenthal-and-regina-gray-hud-edge-report-opportunities-to-increase-housing-production-and-preservation-plus-star-parker-hud-sec-turner-with-facts-and-mhville-analysis/ Restated, isn’t there a case to be made that HUD Secretary Turner needs to enforce enhanced preemption and that Democrats and Republican ought to join forces and use antitrust authority as needed to reign in market manipulation?
Given this context, there is a strong case to be made for enforcing enhanced preemption to overcome these barriers. Enhanced preemption would allow federal regulations to supersede local zoning laws, potentially increasing the availability of affordable housing, including manufactured homes. Additionally, both Democrats and Republicans have shown interest in using antitrust authority to address market manipulation and promote competition. By joining forces, they could work towards reducing regulatory barriers and ensuring a more equitable housing market.
In summary, while local control over zoning has its merits, the persistent issues caused by zoning barriers suggest that a more robust federal approach, including enhanced preemption and antitrust measures, could be necessary to address the housing affordability crisis effectively.
3)
Given that the article on MHProNews links the original sources, provides this document as a download that also links the original sources, https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Scott-Turner-HUD-Sec-Confirmation-Hearing-Transcript-Prior-HUD-Sec-Ben-Carson-Manufactured-Housing-Speech-Transctipt-MHARR-Turner-Trump-Remarks-MHProNews.pdf and that those sources were cut and pasted into the article, isn’t it fair to say that it is accurate and more detailed than anything on the Manufactured Housing Institute website, or from HousingWire, or Just the News or other sources?
MHProNews plans to monitor and report on developments in the new Trump 2.0 Administration as deemed warranted and will keep an eye on HUD Sec. Turner to see how he resolves the apparent contradiction between saying local officials know best and saying that he will enforce federal law, which presumably includes the need to enforce the 2000 Reform Law and enhanced preemption.
Good News:
The Trump 47 Justice Department Antitrust Division announced it will continue the bipartisan antitrust renaissance, started under Trump 45, by keeping the 2023 merger guidelines.
This is an important message to monopolists:
The decades of antitrust amnesty are over. pic.twitter.com/uNk7C8Kl2v
— 🇺🇸 Mike Davis 🇺🇸 (@mrddmia) February 18, 2025
Again, our thanks to free email subscribers and all readers like you, as well as our tipsters/sources, sponsors and God for making and keeping us the runaway number one source for authentic “News through the lens of manufactured homes and factory-built housing” © where “We Provide, You Decide.” © ## (Affordable housing, manufactured homes, reports, fact-checks, analysis, and commentary. Third-party images or content are provided under fair use guidelines for media.) See Related Reports, further below. Text/image boxes often are hot-linked to other reports that can be access by clicking on them.)
By L.A. “Tony” Kovach – for MHProNews.com.
Tony earned a journalism scholarship and earned numerous awards in history and in manufactured housing.
For example, he earned the prestigious Lottinville Award in history from the University of Oklahoma, where he studied history and business management. He’s a managing member and co-founder of LifeStyle Factory Homes, LLC, the parent company to MHProNews, and MHLivingNews.com.
This article reflects the LLC’s and/or the writer’s position and may or may not reflect the views of sponsors or supporters.
Connect on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/latonykovach
Related References:
The text/image boxes below are linked to other reports, which can be accessed by clicking on them.’
