Protect and Improve Your Business

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MISSION OF MHI

The Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) is the only national trade association representing the interests of manufacturers, land-lease community owners and operators, lenders and financial service providers, home retailers, and suppliers. MHI serves by being an effective advocate for its members and the industry before the U.S. Congress, federal regulatory agencies, the media, and the general public.

WHY IS MEMBERSHIP SO IMPORTANT?

• Support the industry’s legislative and regulatory arm which serves to protect and improve your business.
• Make the investment in your business and help secure your future.

2010 LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY HIGHLIGHTS AND PRIORITIES:

• MHI is the only national trade association which actively monitors and lobbies on all legislation and regulation at the federal level for their impact on the manufactured and modular housing industries.
• The MHI-Political Action Committee (PAC) is the only PAC devoted solely to supporting members of Congress who are advocates for the manufactured and modular housing industries. It is a crucial tool for MHI and industry efforts, disbursing over $500,000 over the past two election cycles.
• MHI is actively engaged in working to alleviate the burdens of the SAFE Act on the industry, the outcome of which could have a major impact on industry lending. These issues include defining the activities of retailers and community owners selling homes, and the appropriate levels of regulation for manufactured home “home-only” transactions.
• MHI is pushing aggressively for immediate implementation to revitalize the FHA Title I program, which is the only federal mortgage insurance program supporting “home-only” financing. The legislation raises loan limits and allows more lenders to provide Title I loans, and will pave the way for secondary market financing of manufactured home loans through Ginnie Mae.
• MHI successfully lobbied the Senate to extend the tax credit for new Energy Star homes which expired at the end of 2009, and is continuing to push to make it law as soon as possible.
• MHI was successful in amending legislation creating a new Consumer Finance Protection Agency (CFPA). The CFPA would be an independent agency that would regulate all financial products including home loans, credit cards, student loans, etc. The amended bill that passed the U.S. House of Representatives would exclude manufactured and modular housing retailers from jurisdiction of the CFPA.
• MHI is advocating for legislation which provides incentives to homeowners and residents of communities living in pre-1976 mobile homes to replace those homes with Energy Star manufactured homes. Specifically, the legislation offers a $7500 grant to facilitate the purchase of a new Energy Star home.
• MHI continues to actively oppose efforts to mandate through legislation weather radios in all new manufactured homes.
• MHI successfully amended legislation pending in the House and Senate to require enhanced formaldehyde standards for finished wood products. The bill will now allow all manufactured homes constructed to existing formaldehyde standards to be sold, even after the new standards become effective, and will keep the new standards with HUD rather than EPA.
• MHI has been successful amending proposed legislation regarding predatory lending, the outcome of which could have a major impact on manufactured housing lending. These issues include the definition of “high-cost” loans, the definition of “mortgage originator” as it pertains to the activities of retailers, and the appropriate levels of points and fees for manufactured home “home-only” transactions. MHI successfully obtained provisions in the House bill to exclude MH personal property loans under $50K from being defined as “high cost mortgages.” It is important to have personal property loans excluded because Fannie, Freddie and other secondary market players likely will not purchase any loans considered “high cost.”
• MHI is leading the way with the HUD Office of Manufactured Housing to seek Consensus Committee approved updates to the standards and regulations, and to ensure and strengthen HUD-Code preemption.
• MHI has taken a lead role with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to ensure that the implementation of energy conservation amendments to the HUD Code considers affordability as directed by law.
• MHI is working to continually expand access to capital for all our members- from consumer loans, to land-lease community lending programs and inventory financing- and is even developing strategies to help community operators doing in-house lending find solutions.

The Top Ten Member Benefits

1. Get The Inside Track on Information You Need to Succeed: Receive regular updates on regulatory, technical and financial issues.
2. Networking & Visibility: MHI offers the best networking opportunities with its diverse membership, through member-only meetings and seminars, in addition to the National Congress & Expo for Manufactured and Modular Housing, the largest national tradeshow for the factory-built housing industry. Take advantage of specialized resources to help members do business more profitability. This includes our valuable on-line Buyer’s Guide.
3. Reduced Fees: Receive significant member discounts on MHI’s resources. As a member, you will receive MHI’s Economic Statistical Reports at no charge – this alone is worth $1000.
4. Business Service Savings: Save Big — Receive discounted prices on business services through our members-only affinity programs.
5. Membership Support: Receive free support on technical, regulatory and code compliance issues.
6. Marketing Solutions: MHI staff provides resources to help members create targeted programs to open new markets and improve member business.
7. Recognition of Excellence: MHI’s national awards program provides opportunities for every segment of the industry to be recognized before their peers and in their local communities.
8. Research and Trends: MHI members receive the latest information on industry news, trend analysis and statistics through MHI’s newsletters, reports, and websites.
9. Stand Out From the Crowd: Highlight your connection with MHI and display our logo in ads, exhibit booths and sales materials.
10. Effective Political Clout: Gain effective political clout through MHI’s Political Action Committee (MHI-PAC)

We hope you will give serious consideration to joining MHI!   If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Cheryl Hardee at (703) 558-0668 or cheryl@mfghome.org.  Membership information can also be found at www.manufacturedhousing.org.