Washington, D.C., February 3, 2016 – The Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR) reports that according to official statistics compiled on behalf of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), manufactured housing industry production increased once again in December 2015. Just-released statistics indicate that HUD Code manufacturers produced 5,657 homes in December 2015, representing a strong 20.1% increase over the 4,707 HUD Code homes produced during December 2014. Total industry production for 2015, therefore, is 70,544 homes, a 9.6% increase over the 64,334 HUD Code homes produced in 2014. For context, cumulative annual industry production figures since 2008 are as follows:
· 2008 – 81,457 homes
· 2009 – 49,683 homes
· 2010 – 50,056 homes
· 2011 – 51,618 homes
· 2012 – 54,881 homes
· 2013 – 60,228 homes
· 2014 – 64,334 homes
· 2015 – 70,544 homes
A further analysis of the official industry statistics shows that the top ten shipment states from the beginning of the industry production rebound in August 2011 through December 2015 — with cumulative, monthly, current year (2015) and prior year (2014) shipments per category as indicated — are:
The latest information for December 2015 results in no changes to the cumulative top ten list.
While sustained growth in the manufactured housing market since 2009 is encouraging, such production gains are extremely vulnerable to price increases driven by excessive or unnecessary regulatory compliance costs that could make HUD Code manufactured housing less affordable and less accessible for millions of lower and moderate-income Americans. Continued growth, therefore, will depend on industry vigilance against unjustified and unwarranted regulatory compliance cost increases such as those that could result, among other things, from baseless and excessive energy regulation or continued efforts to expand in-plant regulation and make-work contractor activity under the current selected, career program Administrator.
