Action Alert: Don’t Let Lending for New Homes Dry Up on January 1, 2014!

IN A NUTSHELL: If we do not get legislative changes this year, loans for home buyers could be EVEN LESS available afterJanuary 1, 2014.Yes, it can get even worse if we do nothing. Please help us by doing two things

1. Contact your Member of Congress to express your support for H.R. 1779 (information is below).

2. Please go to cosponsor.gov(http://cosponsor.gov/details/hr1779-113) and express your support for H.R. 1779 (you need to have a Facebook account use cosponsor.gov).

BACKGROUND: We have encouraged VAMMHA members and others who read this to contact members of their Congressional Delegation to ask them to cosponsor H.R. 1779. Members in the 5th District of Virginia are encouraged to contact Congressman Robert Hurt (who has already agreed to cosponsor the bill) to thank him for his support.

Here is what this issue is about: Reps. Stephen Fincher (R-TN), Bennie Thompson (D-MS) and Gary Miller (R-CA) have introduced thePreserving Access to Manufactured Housing Act(H.R. 1779).

The measure would amend provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act that would otherwise curtail the availability of credit needed by those seeking to purchase manufactured housing if action isn't taken..

Specifically, the bill would revise the High-Cost Mortgage triggers for manufactured home loans, and make clarifications to the Loan Originator definition as it applies to manufactured home retailers and salespeople.

These two areas of the law—which are scheduled to become effective January 2014—would substantially reduce lender ability to originate manufactured home loans.

Assistance is needed from VAMMHA members and others within the manufactured housing industry, in contacting their Representatives to request they co-sponsor H.R 1779.

More details are available in thisdetailed issue brief/action alert.

Here is what we need: Please take a moment to contact your House member and ask them to cosponsor H.R. 1779.

To help you out,here is a sample letter that can be faxed or cut and pasted into an email to Congressional offices.

If you need to look up your Member of Congress, please click herehttp://www.house.gov/representatives/find/.

IMPORTANT: Congressman Robert Hurt (5th Congressional District) has agreed to cosponsor this bill. So, if he is your Congressman, instead of using the sample letter, please contact him to thank him for his support.

The following resource information is also available:

• April 24Wall Street Journal Article discussing the impact of the High-Cost Mortgage Provisions on the manufactured housing market
• MHI News Release following introduction of H.R. 1779
• Text of H.R. 1779

Over the coming weeks, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) is expected to introduce companion legislation in the Senate. Additional information will be provided at that time.

Please be sure to share with us any feedback you get from your Member of Congress. Thank you for all that you do to support the factory-built housing industry in Virginia.

Tyler Craddock, Executive Director
Virginia Manufactured and Modular Housing Association
8413 Patterson Avenue
Richmond, Virginia 23229
Office804.750.2500
Mobile804.980.1172
Fax804.741.3027
Emailtcraddock@vammha.org