Washington, D.C., February 4, 2013 – 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), the decline in manufactured housing production that began in September 2012 continued in December 2012, leaving overall 2012 […]
Promising Start to 2012 ends in Disappointment Read More
As previously reported by MHARR, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report on October 24, 2012 regarding ventilation in HUD Code manufactured homes and specifically the issue of separation between air intakes and exhaust vents, which, under the current HUD standards, must be separated by a minimum of three
HUD Brings GAO Ventilation recommendation to MHCC Read More
Report and Analysis In This Report: December 13, 2012 While most in the industry, in order to deflect from their own responsibility for manufactured housing’s decline and continuing sluggish recovery, will undoubtedly fixate on the relatively insignificant factual errors contained in a December 12, 2012 Wall Street Journal article titled
Wall Street Journal Article Exposes Flowed Industry Approach In The Nation’s Capital Read More
Information from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2011 American Housing Survey (AHS), now available in complete form for the first time on the internet, shows substantial new opportunities for both the manufactured housing industry and consumers of affordable housing if the industry would aggressively advance its cause and stature in Washington,
The initial segment of the federal government’s 2013 Semi-Annual Regulatory Agenda (SAR), detailing the pending and anticipated rulemaking activities of the various federal agencies, was published in the January 7, 2013 edition of the Federal Register. As usual, the SAR includes significant information relevant to regulation of the manufactured housing
Federal Semi-annual Regulatory Agenda – January 8, 2013 Read More
As a follow-up to MHARR’s October 2, 2012 Memorandum regarding the FOIA phase of its ongoing legal initiative targeted at HUD’s unwarranted and improper expansion of in-plant regulation, HUD provided its initial response on November 26, 2012, stating, without specific factual support, that the estimated fee to process MHARR’s FOIA request
MHARR Legal Initiative – Latest Status Report Read More
The attached November 20, 2012 MHARR letter to HUD regarding Southern Yellow Pine (SYP) design standards is self-explanatory. In a May 7, 2012 letter, MHARR had called on HUD to defer the June 30, 2012 implementation of an Addendum to the National Design Standard (NDS) for SYP pending Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee
Addendum to National Design Specifications (NDS) for SYP Wood Read More
Washington, D.C., November 2, 2012 – 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), the manufactured housing industry, after 13 consecutive months of production increases, produced fewer homes in September 2012 than in September 2011. Just-released
MHARR September 2012 Production News Read More
WASHINGTON – U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan announced today that 17 communities across the U.S. will receive Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grants. The $4.95 million awarded today provides these communities the resources they need to craft comprehensive, community-driven plans to revitalize public or other HUD-assisted housing and transform distressed neighborhoods. Read
HUD Program Ignores MHCommunities and our Industry Again Read More
Washington, D.C., October 3, 2012 – 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), the manufactured housing industry rebound that began in August 2011 has now entered its second year, with
Production Increase Enters Second Year Read More
According to notices sent by the Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee (MHCC) Administering Organization (AO) — confirming information initially reported by MHARR on August 8, 2012 — the MHCC will hold an in-person meeting in Washington, D.C. on October 23-25, 2012. The meeting, which has been scheduled but not yet officially
October 2012 MHCC Meeting Read More
Washington, D.C., September 19, 2012 – The Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR) has issued a joint, bi-partisan appeal to the Democrat and Republican presidential nominees, President Obama and Governor Romney, to take action as the next president of the United States to help revitalize the manufactured housing industry as
MHARR Appeals to Obama And Romney For Action Read More
Attached is a September 10, 2012 MHARR letter to Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), Chairman of the House of Representatives Oversight and Government Reform Committee, responding to a June 20, 2012 letter from the Chairman inviting MHARR to provide information to the Committee regarding regulatory activity that negatively impacts job growth
MHARR CONGRESSIONAL INTERVENTION AND OVERSIGHT — STATUS REPORT Read More
Washington, D.C., September 3, 2012 – 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), the manufactured housing industry rebound that began in August 2011 has now reached the one-year benchmark, with twelve
CONSECUTIVE PRODUCTION INCREASE REACHES ONE-YEAR MARK Read More
HUD Code land-lease community owners and operators should take note of two highly-publicized HUD prosecutions of “mobile home park” operators and employees for alleged violations of the Fair Housing Act. For the second time in as many weeks, HUD, on August 20, 2012, issued a news release (below) concerning alleged violations
COMMUNITY PROSECUTIONS EXPOSE HUD’S OWN BIAS Read More
MHARR Comments on Proposed Accessibility Guidelines Attached for your review and information is a copy of comments filed by MHARR on August 16, 2012 in connection with accessibility guidelines for emergency transportable housing (ETH) published by the U.S. Architectural and Transportation Compliance Board (Access Board) in a June 18, 2012
MHARR August 16, 2012 Comments to Access to Board on Accessibility Read More
Washington, D.C., August 3, 2012 – 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), the manufactured housing industry production rebound that began during the second half of 2011 has now extended to
Production Increase Carries into Eleventh Consecutive Month Read More
Attached for your review and information is a July 19, 2012 letter to HUD Assistant Secretary for Housing-Federal Housing Commissioner Carol Galante (the HUD appointed official with direct responsibility for the federal program in the absence of a non-career program administrator as required by law but denied by HUD). With this
MHARR Presses HUD Commissioner on various pending Title VI Issues Read More
As part of the follow-up to the previously-reported May 24, 2012 meeting with officials of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) seeking to advance a program of volume securitization and/or purchase (S/P) support for manufactured home chattel lending by the Government Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs), MHARR has filed comments (attached) in
Opportunity to expand Chattel Finance providers pool and availability Read More
IN THIS REPORT: MHARR INTENSIFIES CALL FOR CHATTEL SUPPORT DODD-FRANK REFORM NOT IMMINENT MHARR CAUTIONS ACCESS BOARD AND HUD HOUSE PASSES REDUCED FUNDING FOR HUD PROGRAM AO FUNDING “GLITCH” CONTINUES MHARR CALLS FOR FULL SUPPORT AND REVIVAL OF MH CHATTEL LOANS With more than 70 percent of all manufactured homes
Report and Analysis JULY 12, 2012 Read More
