Memphis Standard

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman David Kustoff (R-TN) and Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-AL) recently introduced H.R. 3327, the Manufactured Housing Affordability and Energy Efficiency Act of 2023, in the House of Representatives. This bipartisan legislation will expand access to affordable housing and ensure American homeowners are protected from costly regulatory overreach.

"Manufactured housing is a crucial source of affordable homeownership for families in rural communities across our nation," said Congressman Kustoff. “This legislation is a crucial step towards lowering costs for consumers and helping keep housing affordable for millions of Americans."

"Home accessibility and affordability are pillars of the American Dream,” said Congresswoman Sewell. “The Manufactured Housing Affordability and Energy Efficiency Act will allow for home construction and ownership to remain attainable in Alabama and across the United States."

"MHI and its members applaud Representatives Kustoff and Sewell for introducing this bipartisan legislation, which ensures balance in manufactured home energy standards between the dual objectives of homeownership affordability and energy efficiency.  The legislation would accomplish this by clarifying and reaffirming the longstanding role of HUD as the sole regulator of federal manufactured housing construction standards. The manufactured housing industry remains committed to providing high-quality, energy efficient homes at attainable prices.  Manufactured housing energy standards must reflect the unique characteristics of how manufactured homes are designed and built, and this legislation would ensure that outcome.  We look forward to the bill’s speedy adoption," said Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) CEO Dr. Lesli Gooch.

Background:
Right now, roughly 22 million Americans live in manufactured homes. The United States Department of Energy’s (DOE) new energy efficiency standards for manufactured housing, which are set to go into effect May 31, 2023, will price thousands of Americans out of the market and ultimately limit homeownership. 

The Manufactured Housing Affordability and Energy Efficiency Act of 2023 will promote affordable housing and help ensure that manufactured housing energy efficiency standards are reasonable and cost-effective. Specifically, this bill will reinforce the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) authority over the federal building code, which regulates the health, safety, energy efficiency, and durability of today’s manufactured homes. Further, this bill will prohibit the DOE from imposing burdensome, one-size fits all regulations for manufactured homes that will result in skyrocketing costs. 

Click here to read the full text of the bill. 

Original source can be found here.