Manufactured Housing Institute Responds to Doug Ryan-CFED commentary on CFPB report on Manufactured Housing Finance

Tony,
As the national association serving as the voice of the manufactured housing industry, Tim (Williams) asked that MHI respond to your inquiry. Our official response is provided below.

Doug Ryan and CFED have been consistent supporters of manufactured housing and continue to recognize manufactured housing as an important source of affordable housing for low- and moderate income families, particularly in rural and underserved communities.

Unfortunately, they fail to recognize the valuable role retailers and sales representatives have historically played in helping consumers identify financing alternatives. Ryan's message insinuates the industry is somehow preventing consumers from selecting less expensive real estate-secured mortgage loans. He says, "many borrowers of chattel products could have qualified for traditional, less expensive mortgages but did not get the chance simply because they were not offered or made aware of the options.”

As the regulations are currently written—this is what MHI is attempting to fix in HR 1779/S 1828—the retailer cannot help the customer find a mortgage lender or inform the consumer of alternatives. The consumer needs the retailer’s help to become informed of the financing alternatives.

Today, a consumer might contact a dozen conventional mortgage lenders without locating a lender willing to assist them with a low balance mortgage. Prior to the CFPB Loan Originator compensation rule (CFPB defines sales commission from the sale of a home as meeting the compensation definition under the Loan Originator rule), a retailer representative could discuss financing alternatives with consumers including conventional mortgage lenders who offer low balance conventional mortgage loans.

Since the Loan Originator rules became effective, it has become nearly impossible for a retailer to assist consumers without inadvertently becoming considered a Loan Originator and becoming a covered person under Bureau regulations. CFED wants consumers to be informed of financing alternatives, but the people who have the best opportunity to inform them are effectively barred from having those conversations.

Ryan adds, “Indeed, one clear way to address this issue would be for industry to support titling reform that would give families the option to title their homes as real estate and the opportunity to access real estate loans."The manufactured housing industrysupports legislation in all states to provide the alternative of titling manufactured homes as real estate where the home is sited upon land owned by the consumer and when financing is needed, the consumer pledges a first lien position in the land.

Jason Boehlert
Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI)
Senior Vice President of Government Affairs
1655 North Fort Meyer Drive
Suite 104
Arlington, VA 22209

Related Links:

1) – MHI's Response to CFPB's Report (Editor's Note, the MHI link includes the full CFPB report as a free download)

2) – MHARR's Response to RV legislation and CFPB's Report on Manufactured Housing

3) – CFED's Doug Ryan sounds off on Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Report on Manufactured Housing and MH Financing

4) – CFPB Report on Manufactured Housing Signals Areas of Future Concern

(Editor's Note: The views expressed by Jason Boehlert are his own and/or those of the MHI, and should not be construed to be the views of MHProNews or our sponsors.Other viewpoints on this or other industry topics are encouraged.

MHProNews plans anIndustry in Focus Reportusing extensive comments from a range of industry professionals on this topic. Watch for it mid-week at the news/reports module link above.)