MHARR (Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform) says Nov. 14, 2011, a House-Senate conference committee approved cutting HUD’s $14 million MH budget request to $6.5 million. MHARR has continually pointed out that HUD added contractors and program staff to the MH program as production declined. The report says the proposed budget reduction “…represents a major breakthrough in MHARR’s efforts to curb HUD’s unnecessary.. costly expansion of in-plant regulation—which has never been shown to be of any benefit to consumers—by bringing proper accountability and oversight to the program budget process.” The Senate had earlier suggested reduction in the overall funding to $9 million, while the House originally proposed a $7 million budget. MHARR says now the use of HUD MH funds will be subject to closer scrutiny and stricter limits, adding that funding should go to State Administrative Agencies (SAAs) as part of the federal-state partnership.
