Manufactured housing is a key source of quality affordable housing for 17 million households across the nation. And, as Congress recognized in the Manufactured Housing Improvement Act of 2000, manufactured homes have the potential to play – at this very critical time for the housing markets, and for home buyers – an even greater role in providing quality affordable housing for current and future consumers looking to meet a variety of housing and lifestyle needs.
To address challenges and road-blocks to meeting these needs, the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI), the industry’s national trade association representing all industry segments, will be aggressively pursuing a three point plan to help move the industry forward. The agenda includes improving financing for our customers, advocating for the implementation of updates to the manufactured housing building code, and protecting preemption of the federal building code.
Expanding lending for manufactured housing is a top priority for MHI as it is critical to the economic health of the industry and its ability to continue to provide affordable housing to American families. MHI has kept a laser focus on financing – expanding awareness and improving communications with Congress, regulators, and its lending partners. This has resulted in important steps over the past 18 months with FHA Title I Improvements and the GSEs “duty to serve.” MHI will continue to make financing its top priority.
As with other sectors of the building industry, manufactured home builders rely on regular standards updates in order to enable them to design and build homes using new, efficient and innovative construction techniques. An updated building code is good for the industry, and MHI will be urging the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to work with the industry in expediting code and standard updates that are currently under consideration.
A uniform building code is essential to our industry. Yet many states and localities are establishing their own requirements which can infringe upon HUD’s enforcement authority. MHI and the industry must vigorously defend uniformity, the hallmark of building efficiency and of the federal building code.
“There is currently a tremendous amount of positive energy about the work we are doing at MHI on the legislative and regulatory levels to move the industry forward,” said MHI Executive Vice President Thayer Long, “however these are three critical issues that we must be focused on in order to help create an environment where manufactured housing can achieve sustained growth. We are extremely optimistic about the future of the manufactured housing industry, and maintaining our focus on these three areas will help the industry come out of this challenged housing economy stronger than ever.”
MHI members with questions can contact Thayer Long tlong@mfghome.org.
