Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards (14.171)

 

Program

14.171 Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards

 

Federal Agency

HOUSING, DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

 

Authorization

National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act, Title VI, Public Law 93-383; 42 U.S.C. 5401 et seq., as amended; Public Laws 95-128 and 96-399.

 

Program Number

14.171

 

Last Known Status

Active

 

Objectives

To protect the quality, durability, safety and affordability of manufactured homes; to facilitate the availability of affordable manufactured homes and to increase home ownership for all Americans; to provide for the establishment of practical, uniform, and, to the extent possible, performance-based Federal construction standards for manufactured homes; to encourage innovative and cost-effective construction techniques for manufactured homes; and to protect residents of manufactured homes with respect to personal injuries and the amount of insurance costs and property damages in manufactured housing.

 

Types of Assistance

Dissemination of Technical Information; Investigation of Complaints.

 

Uses and Use Restrictions

Manufacturers who build "manufactured homes" as defined by the Act, for sale in the United States are subject to the Act and must comply with preemptive Federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards (24 CFR 3280). Designs of homes are reviewed for compliance, and homes are inspected during construction by HUD-approved third-party inspection agencies. Consumers receiving defective homes have recourse, ranging from the right to be notified that their home contains a defect, to correction by the manufacturer of serious defects and imminent safety hazards. Dealers are prohibited from selling homes which they know are not in compliance with the Federal Standards. In addition, recent changes to the Act now require the Department, within 5 years of the date of enactment, to establish model installation standards for siting new manufactured homes and a program to administer and enforce those Standards. During the interim, States may continue to enforce existing requirements for installation of new manufactured homes. However, States and manufacturers are prohibited from establishing or implementing new installation standards which provide less protection to manufactured home residents then were previously in effect. While these installation standards will cover the joining of all sections, anchoring, stabilizing and support systems, and foundations on which the homes are sited, they do not provide jurisdiction over on-site improvements such as utilities, driveways, porches, etc.

 

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

Any purchaser of a manufactured home built on or after June 15, 1976, for residential use is automatically covered by the program.

Beneficiary Eligibility

Any purchaser of a residential manufactured home built on or after June 15, 1976.

Credentials/Documentation

None required for the purchaser. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87.

 

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Not required. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure

Manufacturers must have designs for each manufactured home model to be produced, reviewed and approved by a HUD- approved third-party design inspection agency. Each home must be inspected during at least one phase of construction and every stage of manufacturing process inspected by a third-party in-plant inspection entity. A purchaser may file a complaint with HUD or a HUD-approved State Administrative Agency (SAA). This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular Nos. A-102 and A-110.

Award Procedure

Unless defects or noncompliance with the standards are found in homes, manufacturers may label and retailers may sell the units. If a purchaser complains, HUD or an SAA may request an investigation by the manufacturer or the dealer, and may then initiate enforcement actions under applicable regulations (24 CFR 3282). In addition, recent changes to the Act require the Department, within 5 years of the date of enactment, to establish a dispute resolution program to provide for the timely resolution of disputes between manufacturers, installers, and retailers regarding responsibility for repairs. However, no rules have yet to be established for the new dispute resolution program.

Deadlines

Each manufactured home must bear a manufacturer's certification label, certifying compliance with the Federal Standards, before the home can be sold to a retailer or purchaser.

 

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Appeals

A manufacturer may appeal a preliminary determination, and be granted a hearing or presentation of views by HUD or by a State Administrative Agency (SAA) whenever homes are identified as having "serious defects" or "imminent safety hazards," and notification or correction would be required under the regulations.

Renewals

Not applicable.

 

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

Not applicable.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Not applicable.

 

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Not applicable.

Audits

Not applicable.

Records

A dealer is required, after selling a manufactured home, to fill out an information card listing the name of the purchaser and the home's location, and to send it to the home manufacturer. A manufacturer is required to maintain records relating to each home's production and service related work.

 

Program Accomplishments

Regulatory oversight of over 200,000 Manufactured homes per year.

 

Financial Information

Account Identification

86-5271-0-2-376, 86-8119-0-7-376.

Obligations

FY 02 $7,500,000; FY 03 est $15,000,000; and FY 04 est $17,000,000.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

Not applicable.

 

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards appear in the Code of Federal Regulations at 24 CFR 3280, et seq.; Manufactured Home Procedural and Enforcement Regulations appear at 24 CFR 3282, et seq.

 

Related Programs

None.

 

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

None.

Headquarters Office

Office of Single Family Housing (HU), Office of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (HUC), Manufactured Housing and Standards Division (HUCM), Room 9152, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, DC 20410-8000. Telephone: (202) 708-6409. FAX: (202) 708-4213. Toll-free consumer hotline (leave message only): 1-800- 927-2891. Internet address: mhs@hud.gov.

Web Site Address

http://www.hud.gov/progdesc/snglindx.html

 

Examples of Funded Projects

Not applicable.

 

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Not applicable.