A state association member forwarded the following news tip to MHProNews for commentary and analysis, which reflects an interesting pivot by the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI).
The Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee (MHCC), met last week, as the Daily Business News recently reported. Per HUD, the MHCC is a federal advisory committee.
More specifically, under the Manufactured Housing Improvement Act of 2000 (MHIA), HUD is charged with gaining approval from the MHCC for various changes and updates to regulations.
According to MHI to various state associations, the “…MHCC approved language for submission to the DOE in response to its Notice of Data Availability and request for information for an energy conservation standard for manufactured homes.” The Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) “has argued HUD should have exclusive jurisdiction over all manufactured housing construction standards, including standards for energy efficiency.”
MHI arguably should have publicly given credit to MHProNews for promoting that position to HUD in published comments submitted by this publication to regulators earlier this year. MHI sources tell MHProNews that their leadership routinely reviews ‘everything that you (MHProNews) do.’
Whatever prompted their pivot – perhaps ongoing publishing pressure of the logic from the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform, MHProNews, and/or other industry voices – MHI did make that move last week.
“During the meeting, MHI encouraged the MHCC to ensure that the DOE does not move forward with any rulemaking without consultation and guidance from HUD and the MHCC.”
“Additionally, MHI expressed concerns to the MHCC about a previous DOE proposed rule for energy conservation that would have created excessive compliance and cost burdens on manufactured housing that outweighed any consumer benefit,” per their emailed statement.
That last line is a textbook definition of chutzpah and hypocrisy, as MHI is on record for previously encouraged the DOE energy rule. One of several possible documentary examples is captured in the item below.
The MHI leadership should know by now that they will be fact-checked on such misleading-at-best, or arguably false, claims. See the prior report, referenced below, that further documents how MHI previously supported costly energy standards before they finally relented to their current, more moderate, position.
Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) Shifts on DOE Regulatory Rule, Report, Analysis
Per MHI, “The MHCC also approved language stating that “any proposed energy standard must not conflict with HUD standards, which are preemptive” and that the DOE “must work with HUD to develop a clear compliance path to avoid overlapping or conflicting regulations and ensure feasibility, cost effectiveness and clarity.”
MHI leaders, better late than never in following MHARR and MHProNews’ lead?
Apparently missing from MHI’s comments to their mailing list is a related topic to this forwarded tip. That is the pressure on DOE from the Sierra Club lawsuit. See that under related reports, further below. Bottom line? They still have plenty of work to do. “We Provide, You Decide.” © ## (News, analysis, and commentary.)
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