As was discussed in greater detail at the March 28, 2013 MHARR Board of Directors meeting, there is growing evidence that industry competitors, special interests and certain regulators are attempting to transform a congressionally-mandated Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigation of HUD’s continuing non-compliance with the Manufactured Housing Improvement Act of 2000 into a vehicle for the elimination of the federal manufactured housing program. Accordingly, MHARR has provided GAO with a comprehensive packet that factually, accurately and methodically explains the essential role of the federal program in preserving and advancing manufactured housing as the only affordable source of non-subsidized home ownership for lower and moderate-income American families, while refuting, point-by-point, the bogus claims and misinformation of such industry detractors.
MHARR’s April 11, 2013 packet (copy attached), cautions GAO against allowing its investigation, expressly targeted by Congress to examine HUD’s failure to fully and properly implement the 2000 law, to be hijacked by the same detractors that have attempted time and again in the past, through different venues, to eliminate the federal program, but have failed.
Furthermore, because of additional new evidence that has surfaced since the Board of Directors meeting, it is extremely important that all industry members be aware of all relevant aspects of this activity, but most particularly the misinformation being targeted at GAO in order to poison and misdirect its investigation, and the factual and accurate responses thereto as set forth in MHARR’s attached packet. Thus, by copy of this memorandum and the attached MHARR packet, we are sharing this information with all industry members to ensure that they are aware of the gravity of this issue and the necessity of a strong and factual stand by the industry against any such effort to eliminate the federal program.This is especially true for industry retailers and communities, which could be dramatically affected by any such action.
We shall keep you and other industry members fully apprised of any new developments concerning this matter.
