Industry Voices By Savvy Insightful Passionate MH Professional

vacancy-problem-mhc-md-

Industry Voices By Savvy Insightful Passionate MH Professional

vacancy-problem-mhc-md-

Kudos for Ron D’Ambra’s thoughtful article on the HUD Code and Manufactured Housing Affordability

As a former manager of the HUD Manufactured Housing Program, I was gratified to read Ron D'Ambra’s recent piece titled “Are HUD Practices Making Manufactured Homes Less Affordable?”   While there are always some costs associated with any form of government regulation, Ron clearly appreciates the long term benefits that HUD has brought to an industry that was previously known for building low quality firetraps. 

Though a small clan within the industry reflexively condemns just about everything HUD has done over the years, I’d recommend Ron’s review of HUD’s history and various functions to anyone who wants to understand the enormous strides in quality and safety the industry has made since HUD first set up its program shop back in 1976.

Rather than repeat Ron’s points, let me add one of my own.

When the Act was passed in 1974, its title referred to the products as “Mobile Homes” and the language of the Act often referred to the products as “vehicles”. It has always seemed to me that Congress was thinking of the industry’s products as more like automobiles than houses for regulatory purposes.Thus the “Notification and correction of defects by manufacturer” requirements in 42 U.S.C. 5414 which are implemented in Subpart I of HUD’s regulations.

Compliance with these requirements represents most of the real HUD compliance burden, which requires remedies much like automobile recalls for the life of the home.

Given that the quality and safety of manufactured homes now equals or exceeds that of site built homes in most respects, perhaps the time has come to ask Congress to reconsider replacing the current requirements of 42 U.S.C. 5414 with some sort of warranty.For all I know, this idea has already been discussed, but I left HUD in 2010 and may have missed it.

Anyway, on behalf of the hundreds of people who have staffed the HUD program, served as HUD IPIAs and DAPIAs, as HUD contractors and Consensus Committee Members, thanks very much Ron for your thoughtful piece.##

bill-matchneer-formerly-with-hud-and-cfpb-posted-industry-voices-mhpronews-com-aBill Matchneer, JD, recently retired from 23 years of federal government service. Most recently he supervised the Dodd-Frank appraisal rules at CFPB, but is better known to our readers for his ten years as manager of the manufactured housing construction and safety standards program at HUD. Bill can be reached at (703) 973-4366 and at bill.matchneer@comcast.net

(Editor's Notes: A recent interview with Bill Matchneer is found linked here.

As a matter of MHProNews policy, we routinely encourage a variety of viewpoints, which may or may not reflect those of the publisher or our sponsors. You can submit a Letter to the Editor or OpEd to: latonyk@gmail.com or tony@mhmsm.com).

MartinMartyLavinJD-PhotoQuoteDidAnExpertWitnessAssignmentInIndiandaNotImpressedManufacturedHomeCommunityResidentsTreatmentYesCostsMoneyToBePoor

Marty Lavin, J.D., Weighs in on Resident Complaints of Predatory Behavior by Manufactured Home Community Consolidators

Tony, I am not familiar with this situation, other than as the news account details. On the one hand I know from personal experience that …

Read More →
KarlRaddeQuoteSouthernComfortHomesByranTX-rePendingPlanBanMobileManufacturedHomes

Karl Radde – TMHA, MHI, Southern Comfort Homes – Addressing Bryan City Leaders, Letter on Proposed Manufactured Home Ban

To All Concerned [Bryan City Officials, Others]: As the retail location referenced by Mr. Inderman, I would like to take a moment to address the …

Read More →
EdwardAsk-EddieHicksIndustryVoicesManufacturedHousingMHProNews-1

MHC Pro Eddie Hicks, Federal Stalemate, and the 28th Amendment Solution

If you, like me, are somewhat totally perplexed by the apparent “stalemate” our duly elected members of Congress are in, perhaps it’s because in recent …

Read More →
TrailerParkBoysCommentaryAlKempExecutiveDirectorManufacturedHomeParkOwners-AllianceBritishColumbiaDailyBusienssNewsMHProNews-2

“Trailer Park Boys” Al Kemp, Canadian Manufactured Home Community Association, Reacts to Netflix Series

Hi Tony, The short answer is that – at least in Canada – “trailer park” connotes exactly the type of persons portrayed in Trailer Park …

Read More →
TimConnorCSPManufacturedHousingIndustryDailyBusinessNewsMHProNews-2

Social Media, Mass Emails vs. the Personal Touch? Field Testing Business Development Methodologies

As someone who has been selling my services globally for over forty years, I recently decided to dramatically reduce using technology, social media and mass …

Read More →

The Importance for Businesses and Investors in Manufactured Housing for Selecting the Next Supreme Court Justice

Predictability in law is the key to a prosperous Republic. Laws must be interpreted based on the language in them first and foremost. Only, when …

Read More →
FreeTradeOrEconomicWarMartyLavin475-AA

Free Trade or Economic War?

Anyone going to school in the U.S. after WW II has learned the breakdown in world trade was a primary, though not only, cause of …

Read More →
RealEstatePersonnelCanSellMHCASusanBrentonManufacturedHousingIndustryVoicesDailyBusinessNewsMHProNews

Law Allows Real Estate Personnel to Sell Homes in Your Manufactured Home Community

Real estate personnel are now allowed to sell homes in manufactured and mobile home parks without first having to be licensed as a broker under …

Read More →
RevDonaldTyeJr-ManufacturedHousingAdvocateQuickestWayWealthIndustryVoicesMHProNews550

Manufactured Homes – Access & Equity – a Key Cure for America’s Housing Shortages, Wealth-Building Says Activist Donald Tye, Jr.

Manufactured housing could cure most of the ills we have in this country as it pertains to the housing shortage. Why then is it not …

Read More →
MHCommunitiesOfAZNealTHaneyPresidentWhyTheyQuitManufacturedHousingInstituteMHIDailyBusinessNewsMHProNews

State Association Quits Membership in Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI), Explains in Writing, Why?

The manufactured housing industry has long been a mainstay of affordable housing in the United States.  For decades the industry has provided an unmatched quality …

Read More →
GusRodriguezTejasHomesConroeTXIndustryVoicesDailyBusinessNewsMHProNews

“No Greater Resource” in Manufactured Housing Industry

Dear Tony and Soheyla, Thank you for your great reporting on our industry and the challenges we face as independent retailers. There is no greater …

Read More →
EconomicRacismIlGenAssemblyRevDonTyeJr-JDHarperArkp-ManufacturedHousingAssoc-IndustryVoicesMHProNews-2

McCrory Lawsuit – “Significant Victory Against Zoning Discrimination” – Manufactured Homes

The McCrory lawsuit is a significant victory against zoning discrimination that many working families in Arkansas face from cities and towns when they attempt to …

Read More →
Scroll to Top