A report from the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR) dated April 16, 2012 states HUD has returned to its authoritarian roots as it continues to disregard the Reform Act of 2000. MHARR cites its continuing discrimination especially against the smaller manufacturers, which ultimately raises the costs to the consumers and stifles growth of the industry. MHARR says the Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee (MHCC) is once again stacked in favor of larger manufacturers, much of its recommendations to HUD are ignored, and in-plant regulations are often enforced to favor the larger producers. MHARR notes HUD continues to dangle the so-called “conditional” fire sprinkler safety standard in the industry’s face like a threat; and several expenses dealing with regulation and monitoring have risen as production decreased. MHARR strongly suggests HUD makes manufactured housing a part of all government and private housing programs, and pull it from the “trailer park” image HUD has not tried to change.
